Sourcing original collagraph prints from China

Duty and originality for collagraph prints

Heading 9702 covers original engravings, prints and lithographs. For collagraph purchases, establish that the supplied sheets are original impressions from the artist's handmade printing plates. A printed reproduction of a collagraph is a different product. See the wider original prints and sculpture guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 8 October 2026, the supplied lines carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no listed suspension. The table shows product variants sharing the same commodity line. Qualifying works of art have an effective 5% import VAT rate; printed reproductions do not qualify as originals.

The tariff attaches a cultural-object export-licence entry. Official guidance says importing cultural objects into Great Britain has no licensing requirement, but the exporting country's licensing rules must be followed. Ask your customs broker to reconcile the entry with your shipment and confirm the code using finding your commodity code. Northern Ireland has separate cultural-goods import rules.

Specify the plate, impression and edition

Agree the artist, title, printing method, plate materials, paper type, sheet and image dimensions, ink colours, signature, edition size and numbering. Request photographs of the handmade plate and an approved impression. Record whether the print is unframed, mounted or framed, and agree how much variation in colour and texture is acceptable.

Use an approved physical sample to distinguish intended plate texture and embossing from damage. Ask for edition records and an authenticity certificate linking each sheet to the artist and printing process. Agree flat packing, acid-free interleaving, rigid protection and moisture protection. Explain the customs calculation using the import duty and VAT guide.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 unframed original collagraph prints under 9702 90 00 80, invoiced at £2,000 free on board, with £200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,200, so it is £440. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: check the artist, title, signature and edition number against the invoice and authenticity record.

Impression: compare colour, plate texture, embossing and image position with the approved sample; identify unwanted ink smears or weak areas.

Paper: inspect under angled light for creases, tears, abrasion, damp staining and mould; photograph condition before mounting.

Packing: check sheets cannot slide or bend, interleaving does not mark the ink, and corners are protected. See quality inspection explained.

What goes wrong

A supplier may deliver a digital reproduction of a collagraph while describing it as an original print. Missing plate photographs, conflicting edition numbers and generic certificates make the purchase harder to verify. Resolve these points before dispatch rather than relying on the word 'original' on an invoice.

Pressure during packing can flatten intended relief, while loose sheets rub against each other and damp packaging stains the paper. Compare arrival photographs with the pre-packing condition record before accepting the delivery. For Northern Ireland deliveries, ask the broker to check the separate cultural-goods rules before shipment.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.