Bob Dylan San Francisco 10 Sperry

[gonzo303]

Well said Sean.

[coleslaw]

[tranito]

Interesting read. I still don't understand how a printer can ''accidently'' do an ''overrun'' as you call it.
Is it something that happens when you lose count or something? Or is it more like something you do on purpose to have extra copies?
If overruns happen to Chuck all the time, randomly, no matter what the edition is, because he's just like that or he smokes too much, then maybe he should tighten it up a bit. Or not, depending on how you see things.
If Chuck only has overruns on the WSP 09 and the Dylan, then it's kind of weird.

[Rick_a_c]

Good recap, Sean. I've experienced the same sort of fairness you mention from Chuck. It's sincere and refreshing.

Regarding why I think print/poster offerings should be disclosed with either a number or a formal statement has nothing to do specifically with Chuck. I feel that every artist who produces commercially desirable art has a professional obligation to disclose the total product to the marketplace as a matter of integrity.

I don't know where the line should be drawn on the definition of "commercially desirable", but I don't feel the need to know how many of a print there is, when a print/poster is being sold by the artist or at a show for say $20 or less. But when the original sale price starts going to $50 or $100 or more per pop, I think it is reasonable for the buying public to have enough knowledge of the number of prints in the offering, to be comfortable that the expenditure is an informed one. In partial defense of Chuck, he has always been clear, from what I've seen, on how many copies there are of the variants he drops on his site... they are numbered, and he has always disclosed ALL of the variants of a given image at the same time, in a timeframe very close to the date the regular edition is released.

Anyway, when it turns out that more and more quantity of a print/poster starts appearing after it is initially "sold/sold out", I think buyers of the original drop have a legitimate beef about deception on the part of the seller (whether it was done intentionally, or out or innocent ignorance by the seller/printer/distributor).

I'll note here, for what it's worth, that I only buy art that I like. That being said, I don't have an endless supply of money, so I make value decisions from time to time (like most folks do) regarding 'purchase now' or 'defer until later', based on edition sizes and my guess as to whether I'm SOL price-wise of having the item in my collection if I pass at the time of a drop. Everybody wins some and loses some with such speculation, and that's part of the game. But the game is not fair if unknown quantities of additional supply is made available after the fact. I'd be going too far if I said it was criminally unfair, but ethics and integrity definitely enter the issue for me at this point.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents on the matter. As they say, opinions are like assholes - everybody has one. This is mine on the subject.

[timc]

Thanks for the great explanations Sean and Rick!! I will say Chuck is fair I bought a few pieces from him before he blew up. Won't say what piece but it was one that sold out and he sent me email saying "since you supported me BEFORE I have one for you!! Thought that was pretty cool!! Will say it was not the Dylan, like I said good thing I am not a Dylan fan! I do agree with Rick I like knowing the edition size..

I did get bummed out with the Joe Strummer as I thought Blunt Graffix was the only chance to get one, so I paid way too much on ebay (but thats ok it is one of my favorite prints in my collection) was bummed because he did so many variants that equaled the original edition size!! Other than that Chuck is still DA BOMB!!!!

[jojobadass]

every printer/artist has overrun.

it's how you manage the overrun that makes the difference. BoNA and Klausen sells it S&D, others sell them as a/p's, others sells them as p/p's, others sells them as s/p's, others sell them as just signed not numbered, other people steal them and sell them out the back door unsigned/unnumbered, some people make stupid test prints, sometimes they may just be sitting in a stack somewhere, some people destroy them and/or make them into books, etc.

everyone has overrun.....trust me.

[timc]

every printer/artist has overrun.

it's how you manage the overrun that makes the difference. BoNA and Klausen sells it S&D, others sell them as a/p's, others sells them as p/p's, others sells them as s/p's, others sell them as just signed not numbered, other people steal them and sell them out the back door unsigned/unnumbered, some people make stupid test prints, sometimes they may just be sitting in a stack somewhere, some people destroy them and/or make them into books, etc.

everyone has overrun.....trust me.

Now this thread took a turn for greatness!!

[gonzo303]

He is just telling it, how it is.

[jojobadass]

you guys asked for clarity........I'm just trying to give you the whole story.

Look, I'm not there......I'm not a printer, but as an outsider I've seen almost every move in the book.

[anners84]

+1 here Sean. The number of A/P's out there is nothing to get worked up about. If you have
a high-dollar poster like the Dylan, it'll stay that way due to demand. Your read on the situation
is pretty accurate.

One small correction though. The poster that really blew up for Chuck earlier in 2009 was
his American Artifact. The Goldenvoice series started around that time as well, and some
very high-quality works (English Beat, Mogwai, Neko Case) in that series got Chuck a lot of
attention prior to the WSP later that year.

2009 was a good year for the screenprinted rockposter, despite the downturn in the economy.

[woodyland]

I totally forgot about the AA print. I still remember opening that tube & flattening the print. It was like that scene in Pulp Fiction when they open the briefcase. Before that print, just a few months I'm talking about, I ordered several prints from Chuck's store @ $25~40 each including English Beat, Neko Case, Mogwai, AC Newman, Brian Setzer, Clutch, Cranberries, Marilyn Manson, Umphrey's McGee '08 & Glasvegas. Prints used to sit available for months. Those were the good ol' days

[timc]

AA rocks got Shaw's Elvis now too!

[jojobadass]

I disagree about the AA, it was very sucessful and did sell out rapidly......but, it mostly ended up in the hands of established sperry collectors.

The WSP didn't........it was widely distributed to lots of new folks/fans.

[jojobadass]

Also, the WSP edition was four times the size of the AA print........the panic print made a huge impact.

[Rick_a_c]

Ah yes, 2009... Chuck's coming out year for chick images.
The AA and WSP posters were both awesome examples that year, and both exposed his artistic prowess beyond his previous boundaries.