What do AP and HC mean?

AP stands for 'Artist's Proof'. In the early days of printmaking the first prints of an edition were of a higher quality. Re-using printing plates would gradually wear them down, causing a decline in quality throughout the edition's production. Traditionally, the artists would keep these prints for themselves.

Now that printing technology has advanced the quality of a print is no longer a concern. Each print in a giclée or off-set lithograph edition is identical. Today, Artist's Proofs are exactly the same as numbered copies of the print.

It is arguably more desirable to own an AP. Partly because of tradition, but mainly because there are fewer APs within an edition which heightens their desirability. The number of APs in an edition usually does not surpass more than 10%. Due to this restricted supply, they are usually priced slightly higher than other prints.

(Source: Artsy.net)

HC means 'Hors Commerce' or 'Out of Trade' in English. HCs and APs are very similar. HCs are often set aside from the editioned prints and used as exhibition copies, so that the works being sold were not over-handled or damaged. In the rare occasion that Cook and Becker makes a HC available for sale, we make sure it is a copy in great condition.

Edition numbers

Most of the prints and products we offer are limited editions. At Cook and Becker, we do not produce straight reprints or reissues of sold-out limited editions. However, we may occasionally introduce a variant of a print or product—such as a different size or colorway—if we feel the new version is distinct enough from the original.

You can find the edition size of each artwork or product on its dedicated page. Edition sizes range from 20 to 500 or more, depending on the piece. Every limited edition print comes with its own unique edition number, ensuring that your print is truly one of a kind.

For a limited time after launching a new print or collection, you may have the opportunity to select your preferred edition number—for example, number 12 out of an edition of 150. Once this option is no longer available, you’ll automatically receive the next available edition number when purchasing. If you have a specific request for an edition number, feel free to contact us—we’re happy to help!

Warranty on art prints

Our giclée and screen prints are of archival quality and come with a 30-year guarantee against fading or yellowing. This warranty applies to the following products:

• Unframed and framed giclée and screen prints
• Artworks with a Diasec or acrylic glass finish
• Fine art prints on metal

For artworks on Dibond and Liquid Gloss, we also offer a 30-year guarantee against fading or yellowing to the original buyer. Liquid Gloss is a relatively new material, but thanks to thorough testing and our confidence in its quality, we can now extend this 30-year guarantee.

Note: We do not provide a no-fade guarantee for digital prints on paper and posters.

If you feel the quality of your artwork has deteriorated, please contact us via our contact form.

Exclusivity Guarantee / Reprint Policy

All our fine art prints are strictly controlled limited editions, carefully created by the artist or studio in collaboration with Cook and Becker and our master printer. Cook and Becker never issues prints outside the stated, original edition sizes, and we do not reprint sold-out limited editions. However, we may occasionally introduce a variant of a print or product—such as a different size or colorway—if we feel the new version is distinct enough from the original edition(s).

While we cannot control how artists or studios might handle reprints in the future after an edition has been released, we always strive to make arrangements with them regarding this matter.

All of our fine art prints are individually numbered and come with a dated Certificate of Authenticity, signed by a Cook and Becker representative and, in most cases, signed or marked by the artist or studio.