Magnum’s Fact/Fiction Sale Adds 9×9 Prints and 70-Plus Photos

By Tom Whitfield

Magnum’s Fact/Fiction Square Print Sale opens October 26 at 9 a.m. ET (6 a.m. PT) with more than 70 photographs and a first-time 9×9-inch print option; creator-signed or estate-stamped 6×6-inch prints start at $110, but no 9×9 price is published.

The sale runs through November 1 and brings together Magnum photographers working now with estates representing photographers who have died. Martin Parr, whom the announcement says died last December, anchors that estate roster. The announcement describes Parr as acclaimed and influential, while the standard 6×6 format starts at $110.

Which photographers and images are included?

The named lineup includes Chris Killip, Bruce Davidson, Susan Meiselas and Ian Berry, alongside Sakir Kahder and Salih Basheer. Magnum bills the event as a showcase of its best work exploring the sometimes fine line between fact and fiction, with the newer photographers also seeking to establish themselves.

Separately, Parr’s “Common Sense” series is being exhibited at the Bristol Photo Festival, its first showing there in nearly three decades. The announcement does not say that the sale includes images from that series, so collectors should not treat the two appearances as one inventory.

Magnum says: “We are delighted to be showcasing so many limited-edition prints for this upcoming sale by Magnum photographers, including Martin Parr, Susan Meiselas, Ian Berry and Chris Killip, alongside newer faces capturing the world around us today such as Sakir Kahder and Salih Basheer.”

Takeaway: The sale mixes established estates with working photographers, but its title and artist list do not identify every individual image.

What does the 9×9-inch debut change?

Historically, the Square Print Sale offered 6×6-inch prints. This time, Magnum invited participating photographers and estates to offer 9×9-inch work as well. The agency says: “For the first time ever, participating artists were invited to offer square prints in 9×9” in addition to the standard 6×6” size.”

That gives buyers a larger edition to consider, but the announcement discloses no 9×9 price, edition count, paper specification, framing option or shipping terms. It also provides no per-size inventory, so “more than 70 different photos” should not be read as 70-plus works available in each format.

For working photographers, this is a limited-edition retail opportunity, but the notice does not announce a commission program or set out licensing terms. It gives no photographer revenue split, reproduction terms, print-run responsibility or costs, leaving the commercial mechanics unstated.

Takeaway: The new size expands the sale’s appeal, while its price and rights terms remain the items to verify.

What can buyers and photographers verify?

A creator signature or estate stamp marks a print as coming from the represented photographer or their estate, but the announcement does not describe independent authentication or condition reporting. Magnum calls the prints limited-edition without publishing edition numbers, and the $110 figure applies only to 6×6-inch prints, not the 9×9-inch option.

For photographers comparing an edition sale with commissioned print work, those omissions matter. A $110 starting price does not reveal production cost, margin or net revenue, and the announcement offers no sell-through data, so the short sales window proves nothing yet about demand.

Takeaway: Signatures, dates and the roster establish what Magnum is offering, but not edition scarcity or the economics behind each print.

How does the sale fit Magnum’s calendar?

Magnum calls the Square Print Sale one of its most special and creative moments in the agency’s calendar. It says the event began as an experiment for the photography community and, over the past decade, grew into a biannual collaboration among photographers, staff and partners, framed as a celebration of image-making for photographers and print buyers. Magnum also notes that it will approach its 80th year in 2027.

The sale will receive a physical exhibition at the Leica Gallery in New York, where guests can view the works and celebrate with friends, peers and the wider industry. The announcement gives no opening date, hours, admission details or complete exhibition checklist, so those details still require confirmation.

Takeaway: This is a recurring biannual program with an added New York viewing component, not simply a standalone online sale.

For photographers and collectors, the next checkpoints are the item-level 9×9 prices, edition counts and New York exhibition details, none of which Magnum has supplied yet.