A Posthumous Original Edition by Salvador Dalí is considered to be any limited edition of sculptures or three-dimensional works made after 23 January 1989 that comprises no more than 8 casts + 4 artist's proofs and derives from a model made by Dalí. The decision to consider a limited edition of 12 casts made after the artist's death as original is based on the Spanish Ley 37/1992, de 28 de diciembre del Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido VAT mentioned above, which also includes the possibility that the successors or inheritors of the reproduction rights to the artist's work may authorize an edition [1].
Each of the copies in the edition must be identified by the edition number and the foundry mark.
Thus a sculpture or three-dimensional object is considered to be an Posthumous Original Work by Salvador Dalí when it is shown that:
(i) it belongs to a limited edition of 12 casts, 8 units + 4 artist's proofs
(ii) the model used for the edition of the sculpture does not come from an surmoulage
(iii) the (three-dimensional) model used to produce the edition was made by Salvador Dalí in his lifetime
(iv) a contract exists authorizing the edition
(v) the dimensions and materials are as authorized by Dalí
(vi) the numbering of the work coincides with one of the copies envisaged for the edition
(vii) the foundry mark corresponds to the foundry that produced the edition
(viii) it is presented as a posthumous work/edition
At the same time, it should be noted that according to Spanish Ley 3/2008, de 23 de diciembre regulating the resale right of a work of art, the originality of any posthumous sculpture is open to dispute: according to this law, only works produced in the author's lifetime qualify as original [2].
The fact that there are legal grounds for both accrediting and disputing the originality of a posthumously produced sculpture has led us to legitimize this type of edition, but with reservations. In consequence, the official position of the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí is to assign to such works a lesser degree of value, both artistic and commercial, given that the artist could neither produce nor supervise nor give final approval to them [3].
[1] Ley 37/1992, de 28 de diciembre, del Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido (BOE de 29 de diciembre). Publ.: http://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1992-28740 [Consulted: 01/01/2013].
[2] Ley 3/2008, de 23 de diciembre, relativa al derecho de participación en beneficio del autor de una obra de arte original. Segons l'article 1: "Los ejemplares de obras de arte objeto de este derecho que hayan sido realizados por el propio autor o bajo su autoridad se consideraran obras de arte originales. Dichos ejemplares estaran numerados, firmados o debidamente autorizados por el autor". Publ.: http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2008/12/25/pdfs/A51995-51997.pdf [Consulted: 14/11/2013].
[3] On this point we address the conclusions presented in the Statement on Standards for the Production and Reproduction of Sculpture. Publ.: http://www.collegeart.org/guidelines/sculpture [Consulted: 23/10/2013].