Gauntlet Gallery — Complete KAWS Index
Pinocchio (Wood)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Pinocchio (Wood) is part of KAWS's collaboration with Japanese woodworking company Karimoku, which translated his characters into finely crafted wooden sculptures. Here KAWS appropriates the Disney Pinocchio character, reworking the familiar puppet through his own visual language, including the crossed-out X eyes, and rendering it in warm, grain-revealing carved wood rather than his usual vinyl or painted surfaces. The wood medium gives the figure a handcrafted, tactile quality that contrasts sharply with the slick finish of his mass-produced toys, positioning it as a more rarefied collectible object that bridges designer-toy culture and fine craftsmanship.
Collector notes: Edition label was not stated, and total quantity was not documented in the saved record. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The Karimoku wood collaborations occupy a special, more exclusive niche in KAWS's output, prized for their craftsmanship, smaller runs, and the warmth of natural material. Pinocchio also extends KAWS's long-running practice of cartoon appropriation, taking a globally recognized character, in this case a Disney icon, and subjecting it to his signature treatment. That act of appropriation, reworking beloved commercial cartoons through his own crossed-out vocabulary, is foundational to KAWS's identity and connects directly to his roots subverting advertising and pop imagery. The wood medium elevates the piece beyond standard vinyl, appealing to collectors who prize material quality and limited availability. Together, the appropriation of a famous character and the premium handcrafted execution make Pinocchio (Wood) a desirable crossover object that sits between KAWS's accessible toys and his fine-art and sculptural work, reflecting the breadth of formats through which he has built his market.
Collector Perspective
This piece appeals to KAWS collectors who specifically pursue the Karimoku wood editions and to those who value material craftsmanship and limited availability over open-edition accessibility. The carved wood finish makes it a refined display object, warmer and more sculptural than glossy vinyl, and it stands out on a shelf among standard figures. Within a collection, the wood Pinocchio signals a step up in commitment and budget, often acquired by collectors building depth in KAWS's collaborative and premium-format works. Its appropriation of a famous Disney character also gives it cross-appeal to collectors interested in KAWS's cartoon-appropriation theme. Buyers value the combination of recognizable subject, scarcity, and craft, and such wood editions tend to hold collector interest well.
Historical Context
KAWS built his career partly on appropriating commercial cartoon characters, from SpongeBob to The Simpsons to Disney icons, and Pinocchio continues that lineage. The Karimoku collaboration represents a distinct chapter in his object-making, where his forms were realized in premium carved wood, elevating the designer-toy format toward fine craft. This places Pinocchio (Wood) within his toy-and-collaboration practice while gesturing toward the more rarefied, limited end of his output. It reflects how KAWS leveraged partnerships and varied materials to expand both the artistic range and the collector market for his characters.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned print or object
- Release date
- 2017
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Series
- Cartoon Appropriation Series
- Medium and materials
- Medium and materials were not documented in the saved record.
- Edition details
- Edition label was not stated, and total quantity was not documented in the saved record.
- Signature and marks
- Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats KAWS's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: No per-work artist statement is recorded for this edition. Any thematic reading should be treated as interpretation of the imagery, not a documented statement of the artist's intent. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2017. It is grouped under Cartoon Appropriation Series in the saved record.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to the release source named in the saved record. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- KAWSONE — official site — KAWS studio · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official artist site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- KAWS — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- KAWS (Q3194367) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
Market Context
- Estimated value. The median of recorded public sale prices for this piece, matched by title and colorway. We use the median (not the average) because it resists outliers.
- Min / max sale. The lowest and highest individual recorded sale prices; the range shows dispersion, not a guaranteed band.
- Recorded comps. The number of independent comparable sales; reliability rises with sample size (1–2 sales are indicative only).
- Liquidity & sales volume. Our liquidity rating reflects sales velocity — the number of recorded comparable sales and how recent the latest sale is. More frequent and more recent sales rate as more liquid (Highly Liquid → Liquid → Moderate → Thin → Very Thin); a piece with no recorded public sales is Extremely Rare.
- Product-level estimate. This colorway has few or no recorded sales of its own, so the figure is pooled from sales across all colorways of the same product (median, with the 25th–75th percentile as the range). Indicative; specific colorways can trade above or below.
- Estimate confidence. A traffic-light read on how well the data supports the estimate: green high, yellow medium, red low / indicative.
- Data source & currency. Compiled from recorded public marketplace and auction sales of US$200 or more, in US dollars, as of the latest recorded sale shown. Coverage is not exhaustive.
- Not financial or investment advice. For collector reference only — not an appraisal, offer, or guarantee of resale value. Art is volatile and illiquid; do your own research. Use is subject to our Terms & Conditions.
FAQ
What makes this Pinocchio different from a standard KAWS toy?
It was produced in carved wood through KAWS's collaboration with Karimoku, giving it a warm, handcrafted finish far removed from his usual glossy vinyl.
How does it relate to KAWS's broader practice?
It continues his long-running appropriation of famous cartoon characters, reworking the Disney Pinocchio through his own crossed-out visual language.
Why are the Karimoku wood pieces sought after?
They are prized for craftsmanship, natural material, and smaller production runs, making them a more rarefied niche in KAWS's output.
Who collects this piece?
Collectors focused on KAWS's premium collaborative and material-driven works, and those drawn to his cartoon-appropriation theme.
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