[daveart]

have been collecting for a long while -   keep coming back to KAWS prints but I cant figure out where to start and pricing is high so its not like you can just pick three or four you like and go for it.  (ie. brainwash, whatson, fairey, faile, etc with all sub thousand dollar entry points)

Avoiding all the figures and other collectables -   what are the starting points for KAWS?

Spongebob multiple editions
snoopy multiple editions
dolphin
baby's with over coloring
other ads with over coloring
etc ..

Dont just say buy what you like.. i get that .. what i am trying to figure out is how his progression fits together. 

Any thoughts?       this has to be as interesting as 200 pages of POW closing down.. talk to me about KAWS

[Philpenn]

Always down with talking KAWS, but not sure what the queston is. Are you looking for the cheapest print, or the order of said prints, or?

[CREAM]

If you are simply looking for the lowest entry point to a print I would say something from one of his portfolio sets is a good starting point. Ups and downs, no reply, mans best friend and even the blame game set have all been pretty easy to source a single from in the low $5k range if you're patient.

Presenting The past is probably next up after that. Used to be able to get it around $5k and even cheaper but seems to have creeped up in price a bit lately. Never was a huge fan of that one as it doesn't have his signature xx but the colors are nice.

His spongebob set can usually be found for $6k a piece or a bit more depending on which color you want. Again was never a big fan of those but pretty classic kaws imo.

After that things start to get very pricey. These prints are all with pace prints. Things like you should know I know for around $8k. Then his 3 print snoopy set stay steady etc range pretty wide in price from 7-9k a pop maybe 18k for the set if you're lucky. His last three prints with them have all been editions of 50 that are massive in size and were very expensive from source even. Could probably find them for around 18-22k each. Not a fan of any of those with all the white space much prefer full bleed prints.

Lastly you have all his older prints such as kate moss, ad disruptions, running chums, the black and white Pokemon ones, baby print and a few others I'm sure I'm missing. Those are harder to source and I worry about fakes with those. Pricing is hard to say as well but most those can be very expensive.

Hope that helps check expressobeans think they have most his prints up there good luck!

Edit forgot paper smile. I haven't seen one of those around in forever but might be able to get that one for lower than 5k or right at it. Have that one hanging on my wall it's a great print. Smaller than most of his prints as well if you are tight on space.

[daveart]

Definitely not looking for the cheapest.. Not sure there is a right answer here .. really like the information from CREAM - just looking to hear information on the sets and if there is any pecking order in terms of progression of his work..

ten years later will we be saying " should have bought sponge bob instead of snoopy .. and if so .. why " any recurring themes - anything that is more 'classic KAWS'

Whats the Girl with Balloon image for KAWS ? or maybe there isnt one..

[Hairbland]

I first started buying some of the KAWS toys - bought the pink rabbit from someone in 2010 for $500, sold it in 2014 for $1,500. I bought the KAWS Chompers set from someone for maybe $100, still have it (400%/100%) MiB looks like it goes for $1000-$1,500. I bought each of the dissected Bearbricks at Stussy in NYC, 400 and 100, sold the 400's couple years ago kept the 100's which were maybe $49 but now average $500 and up. Then I went to his first museum show at Aldrich in Connecticut, got his signed monograph that Rizzoli put out for the show.

Going to the show led to the Aldrich contacting me when they released the yellow Spongebob, which he did in conjunction with the Aldrich as a thank you, and I bought one - I had wanted to step up from the toys to something for the wall, had been shopping for the Blue Glitter Baby Print for awhile prior. I also had read a bit about the eventual degradation of vinyl (why I sold pink rabbit) and wanted something more on the traditional art sense.

Personally I don't care for the Peanuts stuff but after seeing the museum show in Philadelphia a few years ago I think some of the prints that incorporate his imagery in a less noticeable way work very well. Everything is quite expensive, as you know, I'd suggest finding whatever you like best that is affordable (unless you have unlimited wealth) and targeting that.

[drflie]

I personally got into Kaws through his toys. I was a bit late for his 5YL figures but managed to nab a few of the other companions, JPP's, 100 & 400% dissected... Luckily, all were purchased through kawsone so I've never had to worry about fakes. I am still pissed that I passed up a chance at one of the 4ft's at $5k but I had nowhere to put it at the time. Although I do like his paintings/prints, the ones I really want are too pricey for me.

[Henry Dunger]

Likewise I started with the figures....a set of the 99 Hectic Companions off eBay each with a broken leg...then the 5YL toys being lucky enough to pick them up on release from Maharishi, London for £70 each....followed by a set of the Elms Lesters pokemon prints.

Thereafter it was 3-4 years of picking up each release from Kawsone incl the first 5ft figure....and to this day I've never worked out how to display it.   Amazing how obsessive (and daft) being a completionist is.  

I've got pretty much all the mainstream figures released including a few oddities like a bronze Pushead but my epiphany moment was meeting Brian in Paris for a book signing at Colette.   A great talent maybe but just not a particularly engaging guy.

Maybe i was looking for an excuse but this and the ramping up of prices certainly has slowed things down.  

Anyway back to the question, I'd hold off for a nice condition set of 5YL Companions which you might get for the price of one of his most recent prints.  

Good luck !

[drflie]

Definitely avoid this store. 

kaws.store

[jluhiex]

I would avoid the toys unless you're absolutely certain. I've seen 3 fakes at reputable auction houses including Sothebys opening in Shanghai and most recently Heritage.

His ad disruption prints are really what he's known for but they're priced 15k+. Then you have the chum series, spongekaws/portfolios, snoopy, and now open edition vinyls.

If you're looking for investment then either get the Karimoku, NFC, an acrylic on canvas skull or smaller OG. Sculptures seem to be very in especially amongst Asian collectors. Galleries were selling his "At This Time" bronze sculpture for 55k gallery price 6 months ago...last I saw on paddle8 it was 100k+. His 4fters are going for insane money.

[CREAM]

I think his older prints pre 2010 will always be extremely sought after just from a rarity perspective and his style being different back then.

As someone said above I think his pace prints editions will also be very in demand as years pass. Having the pace name attached brings a certain amount of prestige on kaws already well known name.

I don't think he really has that one image you can say is comparable to a girl with a balloon but an image like you should know I know really has all the elements of what kaws is about in that print. It's huge, colorful, very abstract but still recognizable enough to be able to tell it's spongebob. I think it's still a very undervalued print if you can find it for around $8k.



In the end though collect what you love and you can never go wrong !

[BKBOI]

In a nutshell, get a print with X X on the eyes and call it a day. That's what he is known for.

[jfactor]

I personally enjoy the hunt of his obscure and older collabs. (Find a full set of LaForet x Kaws items and get back to me) I also have a large scrapbook with all his showcards I have so far neatly organized. Originalfake items are really fun to track down too. Not all Kaws has to be enjoyed at the four figure+ mark 😃

[daveart]

great information..
one problem i have is some of the series all start to look the same. i need to study them to tell them apart. is there some theme i am missing ? or just various levels of distortion and color.

black and white snoopy set is pretty interesting.- Mans Best Friend - anyone seen those in person. I like that they are not quite so over the top colorful and that they bleed to the edge as opposed to an image floating in a white space.

[CREAM]

I think the man's best friend set is really underrated. I have a single from the set.

http://instagram.com/p/BEtnNWeq3AH

[mose]

Personally, if I found the need to own a piece by Kaws(I don't, but its because I missed my budget window), I would devote my time and money to 'Kate Moss with White Gloves'(or is it 'Kate Moss, White Gloves'?) To me, this is the masterpiece edition.

For me, Kaws is beyond his best work at this point. IMO, he was much more effective with more subtle infiltrations.

[Yeah Yeah Yeah Round2]

Starting point for Kaws, go to uniqlo and buy a tshirt.
After that it all depends on what era you prefer. The main thing with Kaws is don’t believe the hype, what sells for silly money on paddle 8, may not happen again. As disruption would’ve a personal favourite of mine and if they’re only 15k I could most probably swap my Kaws crap for one.

[Hairbland]

Nov 14, 2017 23:19:34 GMT 1 Yeah Yeah Yeah Round2 said:

Starting point for Kaws, go to uniqlo and buy a tshirt.
After that it all depends on what era you prefer. The main thing with Kaws is don’t believe the hype, what sells for silly money on paddle 8, may not happen again. As disruption would’ve a personal favourite of mine and if they’re only 15k I could most probably swap my Kaws crap for one.

his stuff does great at auction houses, and I'm sure clients will continue to be advised to add his work to their collections. The street/urban/graffiti scene is a moment in art we are enmeshed in, and the standouts will be recognized as the standard bearers. he will be one of the few - he's already had some of the biggest museum, gallery and outdoor installations to date.

[CREAM]

It's only a matter of time before he has a major show at the Moma imo. He's already selling his toys through their online store. Once that happens he will only get bigger in popularity.

[touchdowntodd]

Imho ptp doesn't need the xx to be iconic. .

Go with what u like. It'll be 5+ years before a huge jump. You'll need to enjoy it

I'd vote for anything not part of a collection first. The broken sets are in some eyes a shame

[mose]

Nov 15, 2017 0:13:31 GMT 1 CREAM said:

It's only a matter of time before he has a major show at the Moma imo. He's already selling his toys through their online store. Once that happens he will only get bigger in popularity.

Who knows what will happen, but many artists have sold items through the MoMA store.  It has had no bearing on their showing at MoMA or not.

Personally, I'd put the odds of him showing at MoMA  as quite slim.  To this point, they don't even own a work by him.  IMO,  Brooklyn Museum = much, much more likely.  Brooklyn Museum was where Murakami had his NYC retro, the last NYC Basquiat retro was, etc.  It feels like a better fit and they've already shown his work in the past.

[moron]

bubble

[artfulinvestor]

I agree with some of the other forum members regarding You should know I know. IMO it is desireable bc it is a stand alone image and not part of a broken set. It also is larger with great composition, color palette, and his signature iconic imagery. The quality of KAWS print work is superb. If you look at auction sales records, you can see that this print (amongst others) has increased in value year over year. I think it's a solid buy.

[shygetshigh83]

I agree with BKBOI to me the girl with red ballon of Kaws is the X eyes on a bendy, companion, supermodels, infant or snoopy for example.. and as CREAM said the snoopy set is really interesting, Inpersonally love b&w works, and found this snoopy series awesome! I’ve opted for an og by the way.

http://instagram.com/p/BAGFAbqLILa

If I would have to buy a print I’ll go with YSKIK bling shot! Second option Isolation Tower, I love that!