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Art lovers can choose among more than 6,000 original prints (limited edition), which cost between 150 and 20.000 US-Dollars. Original prints are hand-made graphics, which are produced in accordance with an existing print. Out of the oeuvre of other artists or out of his own, the graphic artist chooses a concept, which was realized in another technique, for example as a drawing or painting. The artist produces the printing forme by hand and observes every single step of the printing process. His contribution is to interpret the original by graphic means. The main part of the etchings, silkscreen printings and lithographies is numbered and autographed. Every original graphic you can obtain has its own certificate. Since the number of pieces is limited, we are afraid we cannot always guarantee that a print is available.

Excerpt index of artists:
Alt, Adami, Bach, Böttger, Bruni, Chagall, Christo, Corneille, Dali, Dine, Ernst, Fairchild, Gaveau, Hoeppe, Hundertwasser, Immendorff, Kokoschka, Lichtenstein, Miro, Monk, Tapies, Wunderlich

Survey printing methods

Offset Printing
Lithography
Etching and Carborundum-Etching
Silkscreen Printing/Serigraphy
Handmade Paper
Phototype Printing

Offset Printing

Offset prints are produced by indirect planography. In indirect printing the ink is not directly passed from the printing forme onto the printing material (paper), but onto a rubber blanket, which in turn, after contact with the printing material, offsets the picture on it. In this method the paper does not touch the printing forme.

Lithography

Lithography is a planographic method of printing, which was invented by the German Aloys Senefelder in 1798. The name derives from the Greek words for lithos (= stone) and graphein (= to write). The litho stone, a fine pored limestone, which comes from Solnhofen in Bavaria, naturally is water- and grease-friendly. With the aid of grindstones of different grains the wet stone is cut completely plane. Afterwards the design is put or sprayed on with lithocrayon and lithographic drawing ink. Then, the stone is etched. The aim of etching is to make those parts of the stone, which are covered by design, able to absorb grease, whereas those parts which are not covered by design are prepared to absorb water and to repel grease. In order to protect the design it is then covered with talcum. Afterwards a mixture of dissolved gum arabic and nitric acid is applied, which has to dry up. In this way the pores of the stone close at those parts which are not covered by design, whereas at those parts which are covered by design, the acid saponifies with the lithocrayon. Thus, crayon and ink become insoluble to water. Then, the etching is washed off and the design is again supplied with grease by applying a washing-out solution, consisting of asphalt, dissolved in oil of turpentine, virgin wax, wood tar and lavender wax. Now the design is perfectly visible on the stone. Onto the stone, which is always kept wet, the desired printing ink is now applied with a rough leather or rubber roller. Printing is carried out with the stone press. The strong pressure exerted by the scraper transmits the printing ink from the stone onto the paper. For every new ink a new stone is prepared. The number of inks to be used is unlimited, still, it is also a question of cost.

Etching and Carborundum-Etching

Etching (derived from the Latin radere, to scratch, to scrape) is a printing method in which the ink-receptive indentations are not produced mechanically but chemically (etchings). In this method a polished metal plate (copper or zinc) is covered by an acid-resistant layer (wax, mastic or asphalt) and is blackened with a fumigating candle, in order to render the design, which is to be applied, more visible. Then, the artist draws or scores the etch resisting layer with an etching needle, without penetrating the material. In the etching bath the acid then soaks into the lines created by the artist. Short or long etching times can influence etching depth. In many cases the work is additionally treated by dry point technique afterwards. Then, the plate is cleaned, steel-plated for the printing process and inked. The ink then gets into the etching indentations. Afterwards the plate is cleaned so that the ink remains only inside the indentations. Then the artist presses a wettened print sheet (handmade paper) onto the plate. Depending on the colordesired, this process is repeated several times. For the Carborundum-Etching (a method developed by Antoni Tapies) the metal plate is covered, in the same way as is described above, by a mixture of polyester, gypsum, and other materials chosen by the artists, creating a thickly coated surface (the way it is done in a collage). Additional printing inks can be applied, too. Then, in another printing process, the wettened paper is pressed onto these reliefs. In this way the sheets are given relief-like structures, an additional artistic feature.

Silkscreen Printing (French: Sérigraphie)

Silkscreen printing is the most recent printing method. It has been used only since the early 20th century. Its name derives from the Serian people to whom Europe owes the discovery of silk. In the beginning, raw silk gauze was used for the screens, today a fine-meshed polyester fabric has replaced silk. In silkscreen printing a metal frame, which has a polyester screen stretched across one side, serves as printing forme. The artist inks this screen (with pencils, a brush or a sprayer) with gum arabic, glue or cellulose varnish. For the printing process the artist covers all those parts on to which the ink is supposed not to penetrate. We can, thus, compare the screen to a stencil, which is partially covered. For the printing process the paper is put underneath the screen, leaving a gap of about 3 millimeters between the paper and the screen. The screen is covered with a little ink, which is spread by means of a squeegee, a handle with a rubber edge. The pressure exerted by the squeegee forces the ink to flow through the open parts in the screen and is then homogeneously spread on the paper underneath. As is the case in all printing methods, in silkscreen printing, too, the artist needs a new printing forme, ie a new screen, for every new ink he applies.

Handmade Paper

In the beginning, European handmade paper was only made out of linen, whose fibers were crushed and bleached. The first paper mill working according to these principles was built in Nuremberg in 1390. Until today production methods haven't really changed. The adding of a huge amount of water creates a pulp, out of which the paper is dipped with a rectangular screen. After the water has dripped off, the felt-like layer is pressed and dried. The paper's size, its surface irregularities and its watermark are all due to the screen. Another characteristic feature of this paper are its deckle edges, irregular lines along which the paper is getting thinner. Whereas the surface irregularities are created by the weave of the screen, the watermark is caused by an embossed ornament on the screen, which reduces the paper on a certain spot and is visible after pressing. Watermarks have proven a valuable aid in dating and localizing old papers.