Sell Andy Warhol Ads Prints

Looking to sell an Andy Warhol Ads print? The 1985 portfolio transforms familiar advertisements, corporate logos and celebrity images into ten screenprints, including Apple, Chanel, Volkswagen and Blackglama. Identifying the subject, edition or proof type, and condition of your sheet is the first step toward a useful valuation.

Our gallery offers a free, confidential valuation of individual Ads prints and complete portfolios. Send photographs and any available ownership records to discuss your work and a potential direct purchase offer.

Request an Ads Print Valuation

The 1985 Ads portfolio: edition details

Warhol’s Ads portfolio comprises ten screenprints, catalogued as Feldman & Schellmann II.350–359. The regular numbered edition is 190, with 30 artist’s proofs. Each subject also has trial proofs in alternate color combinations.

The portfolio was printed by Rupert Jasen Smith, New York. Catalogued sets are signed and numbered in pencil, with printer’s and publisher’s blindstamps and copyright markings. Record the actual markings on your print, including those on the reverse.

Advertising, celebrity and familiar brands

Developed with Ronald Feldman, Ads brought Warhol back to the commercial imagery that had informed his early career. The selection mixes consumer products, entertainment and corporate identity: a perfume bottle, a car advertisement and a computer logo receive the same attention as celebrity portraits.

Blackglama features Judy Garland, Rebel Without a Cause depicts James Dean, and Van Heusen features Ronald Reagan in a shirt advertisement. The New Spirit uses Donald Duck. These identities help distinguish the prints when an owner knows the face or brand rather than the catalogue title.

The ten Andy Warhol Ads prints

Use the subject and catalogue number to identify your composition. Mobil is also commonly described as Mobilgas, and Chanel is often listed as Chanel No. 5. The F&S reference identifies the work; it is different from the edition number on an individual sheet.

Signatures, edition numbers and trial proofs

Signed and numbered impressions

Published edition examples have pencil signatures and numbering near the lower edge. The position varies by subject. Include close-ups of the autograph, edition or proof inscription, blindstamps, and accessible copyright stamps and labels on the reverse.

For example, F&S II.359 identifies Apple. A fraction such as 17/190 identifies an impression from the regular numbered edition. Neither an image match nor a signature should be considered alone; the printing, board, measurements and provenance also need review.

Artist’s proofs: A.P.

There are 30 artist’s proofs alongside the numbered edition of 190. An A.P. inscription records proof status. It does not automatically establish authenticity or mean the print is worth more than a numbered impression. Record any other proof or Roman-numeral inscription exactly as it appears.

Trial proofs: T.P.

Ads has trial-proof editions of 30 in unique color combinations. These variants can differ substantially from the regular-edition illustrations. A catalogued complete trial-proof portfolio, for example, has each sheet inscribed T.P. 13/30.

If your print has unfamiliar colors, send photographs of the whole sheet and its markings. Color differences alone cannot confirm a trial proof: lighting, fading and reproductions also affect comparisons. A trial proof should be assessed as its particular documented impression.

Original screenprint or reproduction?

The original Ads edition described here consists of screenprints on Lenox Museum Board, approximately 38 inches square. Posters, announcement cards and other reproductions require separate identification. A familiar Apple logo, Chanel bottle or celebrity image is only the starting point; dimensions, printing, paper, markings and ownership records matter together.

What affects the value of an Andy Warhol Ads print?

A useful valuation begins with the exact subject and edition or proof type. An Apple trial proof, a numbered Chanel and a complete Ads portfolio each require appropriate comparisons.

• Subject and proof status: the F&S reference, numbered edition or proof designation, and documented color combination.
• Color and printed surface: fading, scuffs, scratches, rubbing, ink losses and any restoration. Show both the broad color fields and finer printed details.
• Board and edges: creases, corner damage, stains, foxing, trimming and mounting adhesive. A frame can conceal the edges.
• Signature and provenance: the autograph, numbering, stamps, gallery labels, invoices and available ownership records.
• Portfolio completeness: which of the ten subjects are present, their numbering and individual condition, and any original justification page or portfolio box.

You do not need to identify every detail before contacting us. Clear photographs provide a starting point. Read our Andy Warhol value guide for more about the assessment process.

How to sell your Andy Warhol Ads print

We can begin with an individual print, a partial group or a complete portfolio. Send the following for an initial review:

1. A full front photograph. Use even lighting without filters and include the entire image and visible sheet edges.
2. Signature and edition photographs. Add close-ups of the autograph, numbering, proof inscriptions, blindstamps and accessible reverse labels or stamps.
3. Dimensions and condition details. Distinguish sheet measurements from frame measurements and show any damage, fading or restoration you know about.
4. Available ownership records. Share invoices, certificates or previous sale information. For a portfolio, show every print and any original packaging.

There is no need to unframe the work for the initial inquiry. Our gallery will review the information and discuss the next steps. If the work is suitable for our inventory, we can discuss a potential direct purchase offer. Further examination may be needed before an offer is confirmed. There is no obligation to sell.

Learn more about selling an Andy Warhol artwork, or contact our gallery about your Ads print.

Questions from Ads print owners

Can I sell a single print from the Ads portfolio?

Yes. Individual subjects can be reviewed separately; you do not need all ten prints to make an inquiry. Send photographs, edition details and any available ownership records.

Is The New Spirit the same as Anniversary Donald Duck?

No. The New Spirit (Donald Duck), F&S II.357, belongs to the ten-print Ads portfolio. Anniversary Donald Duck, F&S II.360, is a separate composition. See a catalogued Anniversary Donald Duck example. Send a full photograph if you are unsure which print you own.

Can you review a print without its original invoice or box?

Yes. We can begin with photographs and the history you know. Explain when and how you acquired the work, and share any available labels or records. Further research or examination may be needed before a purchase offer is confirmed.

Explore other Warhol series: Marilyn Monroe  ·  Campbell’s Soup  ·  Flowers