Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Faile Print Index
There Were No Words (First Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
"There Were No Words (First Edition)" is a 2006 letterpress print on Somerset Velvet paper at 18 x 24 inches, in an edition of 20. It is notable as the only Faile print released using letterpress, making it a technical outlier within a body of work otherwise dominated by silkscreen.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 20. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
Being the sole letterpress work Faile has released gives this print unique standing for collectors tracking the studio's technical range. Letterpress imparts a tactile, debossed quality distinct from silkscreen, and at an edition of 20 on premium Somerset Velvet stock, it combines scarcity with a one-of-a-kind production method in the Faile catalog.
Collector Perspective
The letterpress process is the entire story here — its status as Faile's only letterpress print is the primary collectibility driver. Inspect for crisp, even impression depth and confirm the Somerset Velvet stock and 18 x 24 inch size. Because letterpress deboss can flatten under poor storage, prioritize impressions with intact texture.
Historical Context
While Faile built its reputation on silkscreen and wheatpaste, this 2006 letterpress edition represents a singular experiment with a traditional relief-printing technique. Somerset Velvet is a heavyweight cotton stock prized in fine-art printmaking, underscoring that this was a deliberate, craft-forward departure from the studio's usual production.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned print or object
- Release date
- 2006
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Letterpress; catalog dimensions 24 x 18 inches; Letterpress print on Somerset Velvet Paper.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 20.
- Signature and marks
- Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats Faile's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: Read as documented context rather than stated intent: While Faile built its reputation on silkscreen and wheatpaste, this 2006 letterpress edition represents a singular experiment with a traditional relief-printing technique. This is an interpretive reading of the release context, not a statement of the artist's intent for this specific work. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2006 and attributes the edition to Faile Shop. The saved description also notes: Only Faile print released as a Letterpress.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to Faile Shop. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- Saved release record — Art Collectorz · secondary catalog snapshot · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Starting record for title, year, edition, dimensions, medium, and release description. Primary confirmation against the original release page remains pending.
- FAILE — official site — FAILE studio · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official studio site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- FAILE (artist collaboration) — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
FAQ
What makes this print unusual?
It is the only Faile print ever released as a letterpress, unlike their standard silkscreen editions.
What is the edition size?
It was issued in an edition of 20.
What paper is used?
Somerset Velvet paper, a premium cotton stock, at 18 x 24 inches.
How does letterpress differ from silkscreen?
Letterpress presses type or plates into the paper, creating a tactile debossed impression rather than a flat silkscreened ink layer.
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