buying Picasso lithographs

[fruit_cup]

Hi, I'm a newbie in art collection. I keep seeing signed, limited edition Picasso lithographs pop up online, and the price seems way too good to be true.

Are these things legit? I see them on eBay all the time, listed in the $100-$300 range. They even come with what look like decent COAs.

I know Picasso is a big name, but is there a specific type of his work that's actually this affordable?

Or is this a massive red flag? Just trying to figure out if I'm looking at a genuine deal or a bunch of fakes.

Any insights would be a huge help!

 

[Sam Amoeba]

It's very wise of you to ask about a situation like this. The old saying about something being too good to be true has certainly saved a lot of people from disappointment over the years.

When it comes to a famous artist like Picasso, there are different kinds of prints floating around. There are the prints he oversaw and signed with his own hand during his lifetime. Then there are prints made much later, which are more like high quality copies of his work. They might be called a 'limited edition' but the signature is often just a printed part of the image itself, not a real one done in pencil. A print he never personally touched is a different animal altogether!

A certificate of authenticity is only as good as the reputation of the person who issued it. A piece of paper by itself does not make a print valuable. When you see these listings, have you been able to tell if the signature looks like it's printed flat on the paper or if it has the impression of real pencil or ink?

My advice to a new collector is always the same. Spend time looking at art in reputable galleries or auction previews. Get a feel for what real hand signed prints look and feel like. Building your eye for quality is the most valuable tool you'll ever own.

You're asking the correct questions, which is the most crucial step.