The Market | Market Prices
The Market for Rembrandt Etchings
The vast majority of etchings by Rembrandt sold world-wide are posthumous impressions, meaning they were printed from the original copper plates after Rembrandt’s lifetime.
Impressions printed by Claude Henri Watelet in the 18th Century, fetch consistently high prices in the international markets for Rembrandt’s posthumous etchings. In recent years the market has shown dramatic price increases for impressions printed in the late 18th, 19th and 20th centuries by Basan, Jean, Bernard, Beaumont and Creery.
"Recueils" (collections assembled in albums) of posthumous Rembrandt impressions have also fetched significant prices at international auctions in recent years.
In June of 2005 an incomplete recueil of 75 (out of 78) posthumous Rembrandt etchings (including various other antique prints) sold for $238,603 at Christies, London. The previous year, June 2004, a recueil containing 78 posthumous Rembrandt etchings (and various other antique prints) sold for $238,279 also at Christies, London. Both of these recueils were "Bernard Impressions," which were printed between 1846 and 1906.
Park West offers etchings from the 17th century and an extensive collection of posthumous prints from most of the publisher/printers of later releases.
Authenticity
Park West has used only the most respected sources for old-master prints, including Rembrandt etchings. These sources include the international auction houses Sotheby’s, Christies, Swann Galleries, Hauswedell & Nolte, Ketterer Kunst, Galerie Gerda Bassenge, Bonham’s and Butterfield’s and others. By using only established sources and their trained experts, then conducting its own thorough research and authentication, Park West is able to assure authenticity and support the works with our certificate of authenticity and guarantee of authorship.
Park West has been the primary source for the Millennium Impressions since 2003. These 20th-21st century impressions, printed from eight of Rembrandt’s original copper plates, continue to be enthusiastically collected by Park West clients, and are sold in the secondary market and by other galleries and dealers. Due to the limited edition of 2500 examples, they are either currently sold out or limited in availability.