[Deleted]

What would you do?  (Full disclosure:  A little bit, I panicked.)

I recently bought an inexpensive print--but sold out and an image I really like, signed and numbered, from a publisher I have never dealt with before.

When I opened tube yesterday (about 3 weeks after order/payment--I live in Japan, it's from NYC) I see it is numbered but UNSIGNED.

So, yes, I panic a bit and email the publisher with Subject: "HUGE PROBLEM", and explain the situation, offering to send photos of the blank space where sig should be.

He replies promptly and casually "Not a huge problem, just return the print and we'll send a replacement."  So all seems OK there, not the recent Maya Hayuk no backup prints scenario.

But, of course international EMS return ship seems to be at my expense, and it's a hassle time-wise, and travel time to NYC and back for the return print...going to be over another month before I have the print I bought 3 weeks ago.

SO (if you've read this far):
+ Did I overreact? 
+ Should I expect /ask for some little bonus goody for my expense and hassle? 
+ Should they do as Exhibition A did with the Lucien Smith rain print mistake and just send me the replacement and I destroy the unsigned print?

+ What would you do?  What would you expect?

Thanks for any and all input.  Seems that I will get my signed print in the end. Something like this has never happened to me before, so like to hear from Forum members.

[noobism]

Only time this happened to me was a Russ Mills aka Byroglyphics print... he sent out a replacement, with a couple of sweet bonus prints. He told me to keep the unsigned print, joked it should be a nice little collector piece as he had the only other unsigned copy of the print.

I've learn not to expect to much from people and every now and then I'm pleasantly surprised.

[Poster Bob]

You surely did overreact. It's not a "HUGE PROBLEM."

No, you should expect what you paid for and nothing more.

It is normal that you destroy the print you received and they send a replacement. This stops the hassle of you sending it to them just for them to send it back. You should not pay any additional costs, or, if they do insist that you send the print back as they did not hold any back for replacements, they should cover all of your costs. 

[Deleted]

Agreed, just rip the old one up, send them a photo to prove and get them to send the right one?

[dotdot]

I had the problem where I bought a signed print from an edition .. And it never arrived.

Waited weeks then months, then sent a querying email ...

I was advised it was sent , then the artist agreed to create another work , just for me.

Excellent outcome in the end.

Hey mistakes do happen , artists are generally nice people ...

[Deleted]

Artists sometimes miss sheets, and numbering is done 1-whatever then they go to the other side of the paper and sign them all. Just contact the seller, not a huge deal.

[secondratehero]

Happened to me once without a good outcome actually. Bought a variant print direct from artist and it never showed. Emailed the artist and he sent it out when I opened it it was a regular edition. After a couple emails sent it back and got a new variant or so I thought cause when I opened it there was another regular staring back at me. After a couple more emails he stopped responding to me now I'm stuck with a regular I paid double for.

[natstan]

I bought a cheap print supposed to be signed and numbered. At least yours ha a number. Mine is empty.

Emailed the online shop and after some bicker, he asked me to top up shipping cst for him to ship again. Did so and got one signed and numbered BUT after 2 years, i realised the artist's signature I made a check online never look like that based on other pictures I found of the same print.

[Deleted]

Mar 3, 2015 18:34:58 GMT 1 natstan said:

I bought a cheap print supposed to be signed and numbered. At least yours ha a number. Mine is empty.

Emailed the online shop and after some bicker, he asked me to top up shipping cst for him to ship again. Did so and got one signed and numbered BUT after 2 years, i realised the artist's signature I made a check online never look like that based on other pictures I found of the same print.

You have to name and shame!

[showbeagle]

Was in the same situation but artist was super nice and super accommodating: gave me a specialAP copy for the trouble. No extra shipping cost.

[natstan]

Mar 3, 2015 18:37:15 GMT 1 @lurkersutd said:

Mar 3, 2015 18:34:58 GMT 1 natstan said:

I bought a cheap print supposed to be signed and numbered. At least yours ha a number. Mine is empty.

Emailed the online shop and after some bicker, he asked me to top up shipping cst for him to ship again. Did so and got one signed and numbered BUT after 2 years, i realised the artist's signature I made a check online never look like that based on other pictures I found of the same print.

You have to name and shame!

It's ok, been quite a while. It's just a $30 concert poster by rhys cooper. Can't even remember the name of the shop!

[Deleted]

Mar 3, 2015 18:34:58 GMT 1 natstan said:

I bought a cheap print supposed to be signed and numbered. At least yours ha a number. Mine is empty.

Emailed the online shop and after some bicker, he asked me to top up shipping cst for him to ship again. Did so and got one signed and numbered BUT after 2 years, i realised the artist's signature I made a check online never look like that based on other pictures I found of the same print.

Thanks for the input all.

That's a main concern.  That I return the print (this is a publisher/gallery I am dealing with, not artist) and they just get some staffer to scribble that artist's signature as best as possible.

I understand how the bulk signing process goes.  If no backup prints were signed in advance, may be a bit naive to think the artist will pop back in to sign one just for me.

[Deleted]

Mar 3, 2015 11:30:17 GMT 1 Poster Bob said:

You surely did overreact. It's not a "HUGE PROBLEM."

No, you should expect what you paid for and nothing more.

It is normal that you destroy the print you received and they send a replacement. This stops the hassle of you sending it to them just for them to send it back. You should not pay any additional costs, or, if they do insist that you send the print back as they did not hold any back for replacements, they should cover all of your costs. 

Thanks.

Much prefer to destroy the unsigned print, for many reasons. 
Obviously the cost and hassle. 

Bigger concern is that I return this unsigned, they get some staffer to scribble the artist's signature as best as possible and they return that same print.

Apparently this happened to one of the people replying to this thread.

[natstan]

Mar 4, 2015 2:31:57 GMT 1 @japandemic said:

Mar 3, 2015 18:34:58 GMT 1 natstan said:

I bought a cheap print supposed to be signed and numbered. At least yours ha a number. Mine is empty.

Emailed the online shop and after some bicker, he asked me to top up shipping cst for him to ship again. Did so and got one signed and numbered BUT after 2 years, i realised the artist's signature I made a check online never look like that based on other pictures I found of the same print.

Thanks for the input all.

That's a main concern.  That I return the print (this is a publisher/gallery I am dealing with, not artist) and they just get some staffer to scribble that artist's signature as best as possible.

I understand how the bulk signing process goes.  If no backup prints were signed in advance, may be a bit naive to think the artist will pop back in to sign one just for me.

This shop didn't even bother to get the staff to make the fake signature as close as the original. It's a totally different signature in blue pen (and numbered in pencil). Probably I'm too naive back then as I had just started collecting.

[Deleted]

Mar 4, 2015 2:39:25 GMT 1 natstan said:

Mar 4, 2015 2:31:57 GMT 1 @japandemic said:

Thanks for the input all.

That's a main concern.  That I return the print (this is a publisher/gallery I am dealing with, not artist) and they just get some staffer to scribble that artist's signature as best as possible.

I understand how the bulk signing process goes.  If no backup prints were signed in advance, may be a bit naive to think the artist will pop back in to sign one just for me.

This shop didn't even bother to get the staff to make the fake signature as close as the original. It's a totally different signature in blue pen (and numbered in pencil). Probably I'm too naive back then as I had just started collecting.

That sucks natstan...and that is the big fear, isn't it?

Just emailed them asking to be allowed to destroy this unsigned and await a replacement.

Will check the signature on any replacement very carefully. This is an inexpensive print* so it's not about the money, it's about authenticity and how people treat clients. (*But then again, so were Marilyns in 1967!)

Will let you all know what happens.

Thanks again.

[Acidburn]

Its all being taken care of. Jerkface missed a signature on a number when he laid them out and we will get you a signed numbered print out this week.

Sorry for the trouble.

[Deleted]

Mar 4, 2015 3:20:57 GMT 1 Acidburn said:

Its all being taken care of. Jerkface missed a signature on a number when he laid them out and we will get you a signed numbered print out this week.

Sorry for the trouble.

Like!

[Poster Bob]

Thinking the print house will forge the artist's signature is a bit over the top. You sound like a nightmare buyer. Give people the benefit of the doubt unless you have reason to do otherwise.

Mar 4, 2015 2:56:40 GMT 1 @japandemic said:

Mar 4, 2015 2:39:25 GMT 1 natstan said:

This shop didn't even bother to get the staff to make the fake signature as close as the original. It's a totally different signature in blue pen (and numbered in pencil). Probably I'm too naive back then as I had just started collecting.

That sucks natstan...and that is the big fear, isn't it?

Just emailed them asking to be allowed to destroy this unsigned and await a replacement.

Will check the signature on any replacement very carefully. This is an inexpensive print* so it's not about the money, it's about authenticity and how people treat clients. (*But then again, so were Marilyns in 1967!)

Will let you all know what happens.

Thanks again.

[Deleted]

Mar 4, 2015 3:20:57 GMT 1 Acidburn said:

Its all being taken care of. Jerkface missed a signature on a number when he laid them out and we will get you a signed numbered print out this week.

Sorry for the trouble.

OK, thank you.

I had no intention of mentioning you or the artist, just wanted to get suggestions of a general nature.

Think to anyone reading this it speaks well of your gallery to step into the conversation and rectify things so smoothly.

I'll also add that it is a very fresh, cool print and is definitely going up on the wall.  Like to get a canvas someday.

Thanks again...best wishes.

[Acidburn]

Mar 5, 2015 9:31:03 GMT 1 @japandemic said:

Mar 4, 2015 3:20:57 GMT 1 Acidburn said:

Its all being taken care of. Jerkface missed a signature on a number when he laid them out and we will get you a signed numbered print out this week.

Sorry for the trouble.

OK, thank you.

I had no intention of mentioning you or the artist, just wanted to get suggestions of a general nature.

Think to anyone reading this it speaks well of your gallery to step into the conversation and rectify things so smoothly.

I'll also add that it is a very fresh, cool print and is definitely going up on the wall.  Like to get a canvas someday.

Thanks again...best wishes.

yea was a solvable mistake. Actually happened to one person last time too so now we are just going to double check before he leaves the gallery next time.