When a photographer releases a new image as a limited edition print, test prints are made, often in different sizes or on different types of paper before an edition is created.
These pre-edition prints are known as Artist Proofs.
The number of artist proofs created is usually 10% of the size of an edition i.e. if an edition is 50 there is likely to be 5 artist proofs.
Often once the edition is sold out, these numbered or un-numbered Artist Proofs are sold for an end-of-edition price.
Being customised or rare they are often highly collectable.
Bruce Springsteen performing in 1973 at The Spectrum in Philadelphia as the opening act for Chicago.
Bruce Springsteen performing in 1973 at The Spectrum in Philadelphia as the opening act for Chicago.
Bruce Springsteen performing in 1973 at The Spectrum in Philadelphia as the opening act for Chicago.
Bruce Springsteen at his first photo shoot at Columbia Records, New York in 1973
Bruce Springsteen at his first photo shoot at Columbia Records, New York in 1973
Madonna at the start of her career in October 1982 in Greenwich Village, New York
Madonna on an early photo shoot in Grenwich Village, New York in October 1982.
An early shot of Madonna taken in October 1982 in Soho, New York City.
Madonna in October 1982 photographed outside St Anthony's Church in New York.
Madonna in October 1982 on one of her earliest photo shoots in Soho, New York
Madonna posing on Greenwich Street, New York on an early photo shoot in October 1982
Madonna in October 1982 photographed on Houston Street, New York
Bono from U2 performing live on their Joshua Tree Tour in Rotterdam, Holland in July 1987
Johnny Cash at home on his ranch in San Antonio, Texas in 1960, he always wore black, because he identified with the poor & the down trodden
Punk icon Sid Vicious reading MAD magazine in Baton Rouge, Louisiana during the Sex Pistols one and only US tour in January 1978.
Johnny Cash was known for his deep, calm bass-baritone voice and a trademark look, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black"
Sir Elton John is an English pianist, singer-songwriter, composer & pop icon who has sold millions of records and won countless awards.
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960 and widely regarded as the most influential acts of the rock era.
Ozzy Osbourne is a singer, songwriter & television personality who rose to prominence as the lead vocalist of the band Black Sabbath.
A photographic celebration of Manchester's rock music history. Free exhibition at the University of Manchester
Welcome to our Jazz & Blues Print Collection - over 50 years of iconic images of the world's greatest Jazz & Blues musicians
For eight years photographer Brian Duffy worked with David Bowie and shot his most iconic and enduring images. View his fantastic collection
The USA has given us many of the world's greatest music artists - we celebrate the best of the best
