For Love AND Money..The One Of A Kind Deck

cirom

I don't wish to double guess the amount or reason of your mothers debt, but it seems selling of an original piece of work is not a cost efficient way of resolving that, and also with due respect sums such as $50 or $100 would be undermining your value and effort involved.
Certainly a one off creation should sell for a higher sum, but wether it would sell for a hundred times the amount of a limited edition of one hundered copies is highly unlikely. I know you have already gone through the process of producing a limited edition deck and obviously realize how labor intensive that process is, but it would still be the best option for realizing a decent return for your effort if that is you aim, while still maintaining a degree of exclusivity for the collectors.
Using, if I may my experience with the hand made edition of the Gilded Tarot. Each was made to order, so there was no risk of unsold inventory, furthermore each deck was unique, I modified something, a color here or element there, in various cards, every time, so no deck was the same. Furthermore I made a 79th card which was personalized for each customer, either with a quotation of their choice or a dedication. So in addition to the production being limited to 200 in total, each one within that was in a way a one of a kind. For me and presumably those who bought the decks it was an acceptable balance of product, excusivity and value. A similar approach may be something that would serve your goals?
On the other hand if your principal aim is the aesthetic, almost spiritual issue of producing a truly one of a kind item of art, then of course there are other values involved, and the finacial one is probably not one of them.
 

cirom

manhattan9thgate said:
see what Solandia (sp?) thinks about setting up a special subscriber-only "Salon Privée" section, not a forum.

Hmmmm!! I like that idea.
 

Ruby7

cirom said:
I don't wish to double guess the amount or reason of your mothers debt, but it seems selling of an original piece of work is not a cost efficient way of resolving that, and also with due respect sums such as $50 or $100 would be undermining your value and effort involved.
Certainly a one off creation should sell for a higher sum, but wether it would sell for a hundred times the amount of a limited edition of one hundered copies is highly unlikely. I know you have already gone through the process of producing a limited edition deck and obviously realize how labor intensive that process is, but it would still be the best option for realizing a decent return for your effort if that is you aim, while still maintaining a degree of exclusivity for the collectors.
.

I absolutely agree with this. $50 to $100 is far to low for an original piece of work involving 78 drawings or paintings.

What about selling the originals individually as well as doing a limited edition?

All the best,
Ruby7
 

Chronata

thanks everyone for your replies!

I agree, I wouldn't make that much money on e-bay...but perhaps the real issue is that I am afraid to make too much money...

it's been decided...

There will be a limited Edition of this deck

and that my very good friend...with a better head for business than I... Gardener will take over the production end of this for me, and I will deliver the deck unto her in a few weeks!
(at least the finished version...which is currently only 22 majors)

But this has been very enlightening discussion...and I really do appreciate all your views on this!

I may take this up in the future...but trying to rush something...simply for the call of the allmighty dollar is not really a grand plan at the moment.
the money for my mom will come...perhaps with this limited deck, or perhaps somewhere else!

And I have been asked to show the images of the deck in question so I will..but another thread for this, I think.