What a Signed Emile Bernard Print Actually Costs
Bernard's market splits sharply between modern reproductions carrying a facsimile signature and genuine period lithographs. The two can differ in price by a factor of a hundred, and most listings blur that line.
A genuine signed Emile Bernard print, meaning a period lithograph or etching he actually signed, typically sells at auction or through dealers for roughly several hundred to a few thousand dollars, with major images higher. A modern reproduction with a printed or copied signature costs under $100 and has no collector value.
Two markets share one label
The phrase signed Emile Bernard print covers two very different objects. The first is a period print, usually a lithograph made in his lifetime, pulled under his supervision and signed by his hand. The second is a modern reproduction of a painting with a signature reproduced or copied onto it. They can look similar in a listing photograph.
The price gap between them is enormous. Period signed prints trade in the hundreds to low thousands of dollars at auction, depending on the image and condition. Reproductions sell for pocket money. Anyone quoting a single price range for the category is either ignorant of the split or hoping you are.
What drives the price of a period print
Bernard was a prolific printmaker, and his lithographs were published in editions tied to the Symbolist and Pont-Aven circles around the turn of the century. Size, subject and the strength of the image matter more than rarity in most cases. A strong Breton subject commands more than a minor portrait plate.
Condition carries unusual weight with prints this old. Foxing, fading, trimming and restoration can cut a print's value by half or more. Paper size versus image size matters to specialists. A buyer who learns to read a condition report pays less than one who does not, often by a wide margin.
What moves the number
- Whether the signature is by Bernard's own hand or merely reproduced on the plate or the page
- The image itself, since strong Breton and Pont-Aven subjects outperform minor portrait plates
- Condition, where foxing, fading or old restoration can halve the value of an otherwise desirable print
- Provenance and auction house, because a documented sale history supports both price and resale
- Size and medium, with larger signed lithographs generally outpricing small vignettes and woodcuts
Buying without overpaying
Start with the question of what the signature is. A signature printed as part of the stone or plate is described as signed in the plate and is worth materially less than a hand signature. Sellers are required to state this, and reputable ones do. If a listing is vague, assume the cheaper meaning.
Then compare against realized auction prices rather than asking prices, which are often set optimistically. Auction archives for Bernard's prints are publicly searchable and give a realistic floor. If a dealer's price sits far above those results without a distinguishing reason, walk away. Patience is the cheapest tool in this market.
A reproduced signature costs nothing to add and everything to mistake.
| Type of print | Typical range | What you are buying |
|---|---|---|
| Modern reproduction with copied signature | Under $100 | Decorative image, no collector market |
| Unsigned period lithograph | Low hundreds upward | A genuine old print without the hand signature |
| Hand signed period lithograph or etching | Hundreds to low thousands | The collector object, priced by image and condition |
Rough market tiers, not quotations
Key takeaways
- Signed Bernard prints split into genuine period works and modern reproductions, and the prices differ by two orders of magnitude.
- A hand signed period lithograph generally realizes several hundred to a few thousand dollars, with strong images higher.
- Signatures printed within the plate are worth less than signatures applied by hand, and listings should say which is which.
- Realized auction results, not dealer asking prices, are the honest benchmark before any purchase.
Related questions
Is a signature printed in the plate still worth anything?
Yes, but less than a hand signature. Many period lithographs carry Bernard's name within the composition, and those are genuine old prints. Collectors pay for them, though typically below the level of a print signed by hand after pulling. The distinction should be stated in any serious listing.
Do Auvrique's editions carry a signature?
Auvrique sells reproduction editions framed and on canvas, and it does not currently offer Bernard's work. Reproductions in general do not carry a genuine artist signature, only at most a facsimile, and they should be bought as decoration rather than as collectibles with resale value.
Where can I check what signed Bernard prints have sold for?
Major auction houses publish realized prices in searchable online archives, and price database subscriptions cover older sales. Search his name with the words lithograph or etching rather than print, since the generic term pulls in reproductions and will distort the picture you get.
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Editions are made to order and shipped worldwide. Choose a format and a size, and the price you see is the price you pay.
View the collectionGeneral art-historical background drawn from public museum records and standard reference literature. Pricing reflects Auvrique editions and is indicative only.