There is no better time than the present to buy a Warhol.
These are the Top Categories for Affordable Warhol Prints:
Sunday B. Morning Silk-Screens: These are arguably the most popular entry point for
collectors. They are high-quality screenprints made using Warhol’s original screens, but
they were not authorized by the artist during his lifetime. They are easily identified by
the black and blue ink stamps on the back (“fill in your own signature”). The black
stamps are the older ones.
Typical Price: $350 – $1000.
Common Subjects: Marilyn Monroe, Flowers, Campbell’s Soup Cans.
CMOA (Carnegie Museum of Art) Lithographs: These limited-edition lithographs
(often in runs of 2,400 or 500) were authorized by the CMOA and often feature the
museum’s stamp on the reverse.
Typical Price: $100 – $1,300 depending on the size and subject.
Common Subjects: Mickey Mouse, Skull, Flowers, and various “Myths” series.
Museum & Gallery Exhibition Posters: Original vintage posters from major exhibitions
(like those at the Tate, MoMA, or Leo Castelli Gallery) are highly collectible “entry-level”
pieces. Some are offset lithographs, while others are screenprints.
Typical Price: $150 – $1,000. Notable Examples: The 1964 “Flowers” Leo Castelli poster or the “Reigning Queens”
gallery advertisements.
The Silkcreeen Proofs:
Silkscreen “proofs” occupy a unique space in the Warhol market, ranging from high-
value original studio artifacts to affordable posthumous editions.
Types of Available Silkscreen Proofs
Trial Proofs (TP) & Printer’s Proofs (PP): These are “originals” created in Warhol’s
studio during his lifetime. They were experimental test prints used to finalize colors for a
series.
Availability: Extremely rare; often trade privately or through high-end galleries like
Revolver Gallery.
Value: They typically command 1.5x to 3x the price of standard signed editions because
each one is a unique colorway. Recent auction results for trial proofs have reached over
$250,000 for certain subjects.
Be aware that Warhol did sign some screenprints and other items in black marker,
but it was almost always reserved for unconventional pieces, unique items, and
promotional ephemera rather than his standard limited-edition portfolios. Those
are out in the market; but it does mean it is likely to fall into a different category
than a standard, high-value investment print. These are black marker signatures
during public appearances. These are “authentic” signatures, but they are valued
as memorabilia.
Note: There were Silkscreen Proofs produced immediately after Warhol’s
passing during the ‘Warhol Estate Transition’ phase that are desirable,
collectible and are increasing in value. These can be found in Galleries and
Auction Houses.
“Proof Edition” Reproductions: These are modern, posthumous prints often
marketed on platforms like Etsy and eBay as “Museum Quality Silkscreen Proofs”.
The Reality: These are not signed or numbered and were produced after Warhol’s death
using original screens or imagery. They are intended to be high-quality decorative
pieces rather than investment-grade “trial proofs”. But they are actually using original
screens and colors which is extremely worth the consideration if you just want the
Warhol. Like the Sunday B Mornings, they are of original-like quality.
Be on the lookout for those that are stamped Ronald Feldmen on the verso those are
more collectible and valuable. The were produced in the 1980’s There are some that
are hand signed! The hunt is on for those…
The Identifying the Stamp; On the verso of these prints, you will typically find a black ink
stamp that includes:
Copyright Info: “© ANDY WARHOL [Year]”.
Publisher Name: “PUBLISHER RONALD FELDMAN FINE ARTS, INC. NEW YORK”.
Printer’s Chop: A small, embossed symbol or logo often accompanied by the blindstamp
or mark of the printer, Rupert Jasen Smith, who worked closely with Feldman and
Warhol during this decade.
Typical Price: Around $2,100 -$4,500 for large-format (38×38″) subjects like the “Ads”
series (Apple, Paramount) or “Endangered Species” (Siberian Tiger). While Ronald
Feldman Fine Arts commissioned the vast majority of these prints during Warhol’s
lifetime, some were officially released or certified after his death in February 1987.
Another Collectible Series to look out for:
The “This Is Not By Me” Series: These are the most famous black marker-signed
screenprints. Warhol cheeky signed some unauthorized Sunday B. Morning Marilyn and
Flowers prints with this specific inscription in black marker as a conceptual joke about
authorship.
Immediate Posthumous Releases (The Warhol Estate Transition)
Production: 1987 – Late 1980s (These are considered originals and very
collectible)
Immediately after Warhol’s death, Feldman and the Estate released works that were
already in production, most notably the Moonwalk portfolio.
Why they remain “close enough” to Warhol’s passing: These were created using the
same screens and the same master printer (Rupert Jasen Smith) who worked with
Warhol for a decade.
Identification: They are often unsigned on the front but feature an Estate of Andy Warhol
stamp and signatures from the executor (Frederick Hughes) and the publisher on the
back.
Modern “Decorative” Proofs (The Shift)
Production: 1990s – Present
The prints that are truly “decorative” are high quality modern reproductions that use the
Feldman name or style but were produced long after the studio context disappeared.
The “Decorative” Threshold: Once the primary printer (Rupert Jasen Smith) passed
away in 1989 and the Ronald Feldman Gallery shifted from publishing new editions to
exhibiting and selling inventory, the line between original printmaking and high-end
reproduction blurred.
Other Valuable Warhols:
Unique/Experimental Support Prints: He occasionally used marker to sign prints on
unusual materials, such as his 1982 Dollar Sign drawings or screenprints on laundry
bags.
Promotional Flyers & Invitations: Warhol signed hundreds of small “announcement”
or “invitation” versions of his prints (like the 7″x7″ mini Myths or Santa Claus) in black
marker at gallery openings.
Common Ephemera: He frequently used black marker to sign $1 and $2 bills, books
(like Exposures from 1979), and Interview Magazine covers during public appearances.
So, it’s time to get started and find your ideal Andy Warhol.