A Seller's Guide to Sam Francis

Francis’ prints are as celebrated as his paintings. Throughout his career, he explored various printmaking techniques, including lithography, etching, aquatint, and monotype, and produced over 1,000 distinct prints. His printmaking reflected the bold use of colour and dynamic expression of his style, and often featured complex layering and unique textures that pushed the boundaries of traditional printmaking at the time. He sought to create depth in his prints by letting the colours interact in unexpected ways, capturing his interest in themes of light, space, and movement. Techniques such as spit-bite and sugar-lift allowed him to create his recognisable painterly printing style. His legacy as one of the great American printmakers has meant his prints have only gained in popularity in recent years.

One of Francis’ most distinct characteristics as a printmaker was his collaborative spirit. He honed his lithographic skills at the Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles, collaborated with French printer Emil Matthieu in Zurich, and worked alongside Jean-Pierre Remond in Paris. Because of these partnerships, Francis had access to great expertise and high-quality materials that have ensured his prints stand the test of time. He set up his own print studio, The Litho Shop, in 1970 to facilitate experimentation with large-scale printing - the results of which are now some of his most iconic works. Blue Eye Over China (1971), at 154 x 226 cm was one of the first examples of this.

Francis’ prints regularly achieve upwards of £30,000 at auction around the world, with the monotype Senza Titolo (1987) selling for over £67,000 in November 2021. Though monotype prints by Francis tend to auction for higher values, there are still many lithographs that have performed well in the past 10 years - including The White Line (1960) and Bright Jade Gold Ghost (1963). Notable series of work include the Blue Balls series, produced in the early 1960s, and the Edge series produced in the late 1960s.

There are several aspects to authenticating a Francis print. The main consideration is provenance. Documentation such as purchase receipts, gallery information, and previous ownership records can assist in proving the authenticity of your print. To corroborate the provenance, you should also consult the catalogue raisonné of the artist’s prints - the most comprehensive is The Prints of Sam Francis: A Catalogue Raisonné, 1960-1990 by Connie Lembark, which contains detailed information, images, and edition sizes. Reputable art brokers should be able to provide access. The Sam Francis Foundation can also provide guidance, and is developing a catalogue raisonné of its own.

Edition and Signature

Francis typically signed his prints in pencil, usually in the lower margin. Although his signature varies slightly throughout his career, it is always clear and legible. The edition number and size is usually listed beside the signature, in fraction format. Experts in Francis’ work will be able to verify the veracity of the signature and handwriting. As Francis worked with several different printers during his career, many of his prints also carry a stamp or watermark. The Litho Shop, for example, often used a circular stamp.

Browse Sam Francis prints on the Trading Floor and find out more about the print market growth on the MAB100 Print Index.

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The condition of your print will be a significant factor in determining its value. The better condition it is in, the higher the price you can hope to achieve. For this reason, prints should always be handled with clean cotton gloves and stored away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures and humidity. If your print is framed, ensure that the glue or tape used for mounting does not damage the back, always use UV-protective glass, and use a mat to create space between the glass and the print. Keeping your print in an acid-free portfolio or folder will protect it from light, dust, and moisture, but you should regularly check the condition of your print, paying close attention to the preservation of the signature and edition number, usually in pencil, as this is key to proving the authenticity of your print.

Francis usually printed his works on high-quality paper, such as Arches or Rives, which should help to prevent creases, bends, and tears, and minimise yellowness and colour-fading when stored correctly. The vibrancy of Francis’ colour choices is crucial to his prints’ appeal, so it is vital to do all you can to preserve their boldness.

If you want to assess any damage your Francis print has sustained, and discuss potential restoration options, contact a conservator. MyArtBroker is also able to offer guidance.

The success of your Francis print on the market will be led by several changeable factors. Its condition and authenticity will always be the most significant. However, selling at the right time can lead to larger returns.

Look out for major events involving Francis’ work. For example, the 1992 retrospective at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art heightened interest and positively impacted sales prices. Similarly, when Composition In Blue And Black (1955) sold for £10,106,257 at Christie’s in 2022, Francis’ prints sales experienced a boost, too, with many monotypes, woodcuts, and lithographs achieving over £20,000 at auction in the year that followed. To keep up-to-date with events, as well as recent and upcoming auctions of Francis’ work, monitor the results and value trajectory reports from the leading auction houses - Christie’s, Phillips, Bonham’s, and Sotheby’s.

MyArtBroker offers advanced art tech tools to help you find the optimal time to sell. Our MyPortfolio service features an AI-powered value indicator that provides real-time valuations of individual prints based on both public and private sales data. Combined with our complimentary valuations, we can help ensure your print achieves maximum value by selling at the perfect moment.

Selling a Sam Francis Via Auction House

To sell high-value artworks like those by Sam Francis, prestigious auction houses such as Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips are popular choices. These venues provide a distinguished and professional environment that attracts many collectors and encourages competitive bidding. However, there's always the risk that the print may fetch less than its estimated value. Furthermore, auction fees and commissions, which can reach up to 25%, may significantly reduce your net proceeds, especially for prints. The auction process can also be lengthy and often restricts the number of editions accepted per sale, causing potential delays. This approach is not ideal for quickly capitalising on market trends, as the artwork’s value might drop while waiting for sale.

To learn more, read our guide to Auction v Private Sale in the Art Market.

Selling a Sam Francis Via a Broker

Selling through a broker offers a more tailored service. Brokers provide personalised consultations, discussing your artwork and expectations in detail and offering support throughout the process. They leverage their extensive market expertise to find the best time and place to sell your print. With their established network of buyers and collectors, brokers can directly connect you with the right individuals. Typically, broker commissions range from 10% to 30% of the final sale price, and an exclusivity agreement is often required. Before selecting a broker, it’s advisable to consult galleries experienced with Sam Francis’ work.

Selling a Sam Francis Via Online Marketplace

In today’s digital age, selling through online platforms like eBay is an appealing option. These marketplaces generally have lower fees than brokers and auction houses but lack regulation. Sellers are responsible for handling logistics, condition verification, and pricing on their own. The absence of professional authentication increases the risk of forgeries and scams. Even with proper provenance, inadequate marketing, photography, and promotion can significantly impact the sale price.

A Dedicated Broker

MyArtBroker offers a distinctive service connecting clients with their dedicated personal broker, ensuring a secure transaction through our online digital platform. Our specialists excel at sourcing direct buyers for consigned prints via our live trading floor, where users within our extensive network can express interest in specific prints and multiples by particular artists, whether they intend to sell, buy, or simply enquire about a specific print. Our team is approachable, passionate, and consistently provides updates on the art market and artists. We guide sellers through a seamless transaction process, establishing a fair market valuation based on realistic sale prices and offering free advice on the optimal timing for selling, leveraging our extensive knowledge of the art market.

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Minimise Risk

At MyArtBroker, we prioritise transparency and security in every art sale. Our stringent due diligence process ensures the authentication and verification of artwork provenance, drawing upon our in-house expertise and collaborating with professional external contacts when needed. This approach effectively mitigates the risk of trading counterfeit or stolen art pieces. Additionally, we minimise the risks associated with public sales. While public auctions may seem appealing, unsold prints can harm an artist's market. Private sales eliminate this risk and enable quicker liquidity release for your artwork compared to adhering to strict auction schedules dictating when your work can be offered for sale.

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Our team of specialists offers tailored services to procure rare and special edition prints, catering to both seasoned collectors and newcomers to the market. As part of our standard practice, we provide complimentary valuations and charge zero seller's fees, setting us apart from other private brokers and traditional auction houses. By minimising overhead costs, we allocate resources towards digital innovation and targeted marketing strategies within our network and house magazine.

When it comes to selling artwork, achieving the best price hinges on accessing a niche market with an established collector community. If you're looking to sell a print, turning to a specialist in the print market, like MyArtBroker, yields superior results compared to approaching an auction house, which caters to broader categories of artwork.

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Through our live trading floor we empower our network of collectors, fundamentally reshaping the art investment and trading landscape in the digital era. Offering real time market data and insights gleaned from worldwide collectors, we establish value based on convenience, accessibility, and the exceptional level of transparency and security provided to over tens of thousands of users.

In addition to our live trading floor, MyArtBroker's MyPortfolio serves as a collection management system, empowering collectors to curate and oversee their prints and editions collection. This feature grants users access to our print market database, uniquely tied to our proprietary algorithm, SingularityX. This algorithm scans and analyses both public auction and private sales data to determine real time valuations of individual print works, factoring in various aspects such as condition, colour, and other factors affecting value.

Read What Powers MyArtBroker's Technology? In Conversation With Stuart Jamieson, Financial Quant to learn more about our algorithm.

Emerging art tech tools are vital in navigating the current, and evolving, digital art market landscape. For instance, by adding Sam Francis prints from our website to the MyPortfolio dashboard, users gain insight into unique sale opportunities and observe market performance and fluctuations as they happen, streamlining the sales process effortlessly. Our pioneering technology has revolutionised art portfolio management, making it more accessible and equipping users with data-driven insights for informed decisions. MyArtBroker harnesses cutting-edge technology driven by data, coupled with a team of industry experts, to deliver an exceptional experience. Our professionals work closely with clients, utilising the MyPortfolio dashboard, to provide personalised guidance for creating a profitable art collection. By merging technology and expertise, we are committed to offering unparalleled curation and customer service.