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Photographs

Ways to Determine is a Photgraph is Original

Original photgraphs by famous artists such as Matthew Brady or Ansel Adams can be quite costly.

True photograph collectors only want to buy originals - that is prints made by or under the direction of the artist.

Abraham Lincoln, 1860, by Matthew Brady - Library of Congress

However, given the nature of photography, it is not difficult to reproduce a photo even if the negative no longer exists.

Vintage prints are those made within hours or days of the taking of the photograph. Others say a vintage photo can should be printed within the first three years. Modern prints are considered those made years later.

Most collectors feel that a vintage print more closely represents the artist's original vision. This is a debatable theory.

How to Tell an Original Photograph From a Copy

It is likely that every photograph collector will eventually come across a photo whose origins they cannot trace.

Before you pay a high sum for that photograph, you will want to be sure that it is an original rather than a copy.

However, this is not always an easy task.

Here is a brief guide to spotting copies. Please keep in mind that this is only a reference guide. If you need to be absolutely certain about a photograph’s authenticity, it is best to hire a professional appraiser.

The Difference Between Prints and Reproductions

Ansel Adams: Tetons and the Snake River

Before you can start the process of judging a photograph’s authenticity, it is important to understand what constitutes an original photo.

Prints are essentially copies that are created or supervised wholly by the artist, who intends to sell those copies as original artworks.

In today’s photography terms, prints are the copies that you receive from the photo processing lab or create on your computer from your original memory card.

Reproductions are machine-made copies of an artist’s work. They may or may not be authorized by the artist, but are not considered originals. Again in the terms of today’s photography, reproductions could be photocopies of your images, Photoshopped replicas or even hand drawings of your photographs.

An artist can print only a few copies of his work or many. Ansel Adams, for one, would make prints for whoever wanted one. However, some of his more famous picticures still cost $25,000 or more.

Imperfections

Robert E. Lee - Library of Congress Collection

Imperfections may be inherent in prints of old photos due to the hand processing that was involved. It is not unusual for several prints to be slightly offset or show slight variations in coloring or texture.

In contrast, reproductions are likely to be identical to each other, as they are usually created by machine in large batches.

However, reproductions are almost never identical to any of the original prints. Whether copied on a Xerox machine or scanned and printed from a desktop computer, reproductions are generally inferior to the original image.

The colors may be faded or muddied. The lines are generally less sharp and crisp.

Copies that were made before the age of computers often show small scratches, creases, dust or other imperfections from the copying process.

Comparison

The best way to judge the authenticity of a photo is generally to compare it to a known print of that photo. If the artist is well-known and prints are readily available, you may be able to track down a print online.

However, you will need to see the original photo in person in order to accurately compare the two.

History

Another excellent way of deciding whether a photo is original is to trace its history. This could involve a great deal of detective work, searching through old records.

If you run into trouble, try tracing the history from both directions. Work backwards from your time of acquisition, while simultaneously working forward from the time that the photo was taken. This process can be time consuming, but could ultimately lead to success.

It can be extremely difficult to tell whether a photo is an original print or a reproduction copy. A bit of effort can help you make an educated guess as to the photo’s authenticity.

However, if you need to be certain it is highly recommended that you hire professional assistance.

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