Below: One of the many modern FAKE seals as seen on ebay and other places.

Snowstorm by Icart being held firmly in place by Thomas

Above, and magnified below: Genuine embossed "windmill" seal used by Icart on most post-1925 etchings.

10. What was the edition size for Icart's etchings?
The edition size is limited to a maximum of about 500 because the copper plate wears each time it is inked. In the years before 1920, before he was popular, he was producing and numbering closed editions of 75-150: (i.e. #1 of 75, #2 of 75...#75 of 75).  As his popularity grew, he began producing open editions whose size varied depending on the popularity of the individual etching. The usual number was between 350-500 during the 1920's. When the Great Depression hit, his edition sizes plummeted. Most 1930's and 1940's pieces were done in quantities of only 100-300.  There are exceptions to the above generalities and sometimes galleries, for unknown reasons, would pencil in numbers on previously unnumbered pieces. Also, some etchings bear only a single number of a consecutive numbering system. This gave him the flexibility to print, hand-color and pencil-sign only the number that were needed to satisfy public demand (still limited to a maximum of 500).  It also led to more confusion as his initial printing may be numbered consecutively and if demand picked up a few months later, the second run may have no numbers at all. The only fact concerning his numbering is that there is no consistency and I would say that about 25% of his etchings have no numbers on them at all. Sometimes a written notation: "Ep. d'art" appears, which is merely the French abbreviation for "artist's proof". The value of an etching is based on condition, rarity and availability (supply & demand), not the numbers (or lack thereof) written in the margins.

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Not responsible for typos. Please confirm prices by email.


CLICK HERE for 
ALPHABETICAL ICART ETCHING INDEX [for reference only] 
250 SCANNED PICTURES from my files of SOLD etchings. The list is NOT my inventory. My current inventory is listed above ^ .
Use the index for picture and size identification only. IGNORE the picture captions.  

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********
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=========================================  

OUT-OF-PRINT.
1987 High-quality, all color exhibition
catalog. 158 pages. 170 color pictures. 
Along with many etchings, menu covers & 
erotics, it also features 47 oil paintings and
20 pastels. Text and artist's bio in English
& Japanese. $50 postpaid in the USA. Mint
condition.  

This is an ORIGINAL sales catalog from the late 1930's. It contains 16 pages filled with personal information on Icart and b&w pictures of over 40 etchings with 1930's prices. This catalog was published by the Louis Icart Society, New York, and was to be a marketing tool for gallery owners. Learn about Icart the family man and gourmet cook as well as information on his wife Fanny. The catalogs were found in storage in the 1970's. Condition is excellent. $80 postpaid.

BELOW: People sometimes ask if I buy Icarts. Duh! These were purchased from one collector some time ago.