Certificates of Authenticity

Every work of M.L. Snowden sculpture is accompanied by an official Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artist. It is advised that Certificates be kept in vaults and other places of safe keeping.

 

All sculpture is signed by the artist in a specific location as indicated in the Certificate of Authenticity. 

 

The COA has a photo and a description of the sculpture and is signed by the artist and the Director for Trustee of the Snowden Institute.
 

The COA document is printed on a specialty paper which cannot be replicated and comes with an embedded security device the coded number of which matches the one embedded in the particular Sculpture. A duplicate of this COA with all the security numbers is filed within secure bank deposit vaults of the Snowden Institute. 

 

The COA is issued only to individual owners. The Snowden Institute does not issue COA to galleries or dealers.

 

 

Certificates of Authenticity are Legal Documents

The M.L. Snowden Institute is the only body legally authorized to issue Certificates of Authenticity. The Certificate is a specialized document issued from the Institute’s law firm offices. The certificate bears the sculptor’s direct and living handwritten signature and other unique  information relating to each specific bronze cast. Certificates are historic documents conveying authentic provenance and are presented throughout an artwork’s transactional history.

 

Certificates issued by Snowden are recognized as legal documents under federal law. Thus certificates not bearing the authentic autograph of M.L. Snowden issued by individuals, galleries and  other entities are invalid and illegal documents.

 

Limited Editions

The size of an M.L. Snowden bronze limited edition is determined by the sculptor. Once decided upon, the numbers and numbering of the edition are immediately federally regulated. M.L. Snowden creates a hand signed, numbered and dated Foundry Day of Completion Tag for each bronze she creates. Certain details of M.L. Snowden’s foundry information become part of the Certificate of Authenticity. Copies of the Edition Number, Foundry Tag and Certificate of Authenticity are recorded and kept on record across secure multiple archives. The Limited Edition numerical Marque appears near the signature with the current issue number inscribed above the total projected size of the edition.

 

Original Works

Over the years, M.L. Snowden’s Limited Editions have been reducing in size. Snowden is producing single unique casts through collector commissions as well as originals limited to three and six examples. Snowden’s originals are variously marked. Some originals bear the numerical marque or are solely marked with the date of the work’s completion placed near the autographic signature and the Marque de Fondeur. Original casts bear a range of unique marks and signatures.

 

Definition of Original

Under United States Law, casts from an edition limited to twelve examples are considered original works of art and are not required to bear the numerical marque. Under antiquated French Law, sculpture originals are limited to eight casts. To date, M.L. Snowden limits her original works to 8 casts and under.

 

Definition of Snowden’s “Paris Edition”

A “Paris Edition” is artwork that has been handworked thoughtout its production. It is an art term coined by M.L. Snowden to better define the difference between her sculptural handmade limited editions and limited editions made by reprographic means such as photographs, 3 D prints and prints made from plates. A Paris Edition defines art as having been hand re-touched from the point of its emergence from the mold or master. Again, the Paris Edition is defined by hand reworking each phase of production, building unique artistic variants into each cast or example. Thus high numbers are as finely crafted as low numbers of an edition, unlike certain two dimensional limited edition plate techniques. 

 

Definition of Snowden’s “London Edition”

A “London Edition” is artwork that has been copied anew without a mold. Again, it is an art term coined by M.L. Snowden that defines an edition of art that is composed of similar copies that are produced without an original mold or reprographic tool such as use of marble pointing or digital 3D scanning. The four versions of The Scream by Edvard Munch - each an original, are a London Edition where the artist has repainted the picture four times anew. The casts of M.L. Snowden’s Rhexodus which weld non-cast pieces to shape new versions of the bronze, are also London Edition originals.

 

Copyrights and Representation

Copyrights to all the works of the Geological Coreium are legally owned in perpetuity by the sculptor and the Snowden Family Trust. The M.L. Snowden Institute is the sole owner and legal entity who may cast M.L. Snowden sculpture.  While select dealers and galleries are authorized to represent the sculptor’s work to the market; such associations do not control the oeuvre. Publishers and other entities who purport to be primary controlling sources for M.L. Snowden artworks are not authorized by the M.L. Snowden Institute.