David Shepherd print.

[gertieg123]

How do I know if I have a signed print and not just a print of the original painting that David Shepherd has signed?

[Buenchico]

The only time that an artist (of David Shepherd's stature) would normally sign a print would be if the print was from a limited edition. This appears to be confirmed by this website:
http://www.art.info/shepherd.htm
(Wherever the word 'signed' appears, it's always accompanied by 'limited edition').

So it's unlikely that the signature on a print will be 'original' unless the print is marked as a limited edition. This is sometimes shown alonside the signature. (e.g. 698/1000 means that the print is number 698 from an edition of 1000). Otherwise there might be a label of authenticity (with similar information) attached to the rear of the print.

Additionally, some signed prints will have two signatures on them. The first one appears on the original work (and hence on all of the prints made from it). The artist then signs each print individually (often in a border area).

As a final check, try holding the print at an angle to the light. It's usually possible to tell whether the signature was copied along with the rest of the print (i.e. it's a print of a signed original) or whether it was added later (i.e. it's a signed print).

Chris

[heathfield]

I've never ever known of a 'signed print' where the artists signature hasn't been in the border. It's not the done thing to scribble on top of their work