Summary
Passing Through is a roughly 12-inch vinyl figure released in 2013 through OriginalFake, the brand KAWS ran with Medicom Toy until it closed that same year. It depicts Companion seated on the ground, elbows on knees, both hands covering its face — the dejected gesture KAWS first presented as a monumental sculpture that debuted at Harbour City, Hong Kong in 2010 and later traveled to museum shows. The black colorway renders the entire figure in matte black with subtle tonal detailing. This 2013 OriginalFake release predates, and should not be confused with, the smaller 8-inch open edition version KAWS reissued through KAWSONE in 2018; the earlier figure is larger and scarcer.
Why It Matters
Passing Through is one of the defining images of KAWS's career — the pose that moved Companion from toy shelves into museum courtyards and established the character as a vehicle for genuine pathos. The 2013 vinyl is also a late OriginalFake artifact: the brand shut down in mid-2013, closing the era that produced KAWS's most sought-after early figures. Owning the 12-inch version means owning the pose at its first collectible scale, from the company that built KAWS's toy legacy.
Collector Perspective
Our WorthPoint data records 30 sales for the black Passing Through, with a median of $253.75 and a latest sale in February 2026. The range is unusually wide — $14.99 to $1,200 — largely because listings routinely conflate the 12-inch 2013 OriginalFake figure with the 8-inch 2018 KAWSONE reissue. Verified 2013 examples with the OriginalFake box command the top of the range; ambiguous or loose figures settle far lower. Measuring the figure and checking the box branding is the single most valuable step before buying.
FAQ
What does the Passing Through figure depict?
It depicts Companion seated with its face buried in its hands — a gesture of grief or exhaustion. KAWS introduced the pose as a monumental sculpture at Harbour City, Hong Kong in 2010, and the vinyl figure brings that composition down to shelf scale.
What is the edition size of Passing Through (2013)?
The 2013 OriginalFake release was a limited production run, but KAWS and Medicom never published a quantity and the figures are not individually numbered. Scarcity comes from the short window before OriginalFake closed in 2013, not from a stated edition count.
Is Passing Through signed by KAWS?
No. Production vinyl figures from OriginalFake are not individually signed. Authenticity rests on the molded KAWS and OriginalFake markings and the original packaging. Signed examples exist only where KAWS signed a piece separately, which requires its own documentation.
How do I authenticate a Passing Through figure?
First confirm which version you are looking at: the 2013 OriginalFake figure is about 12 inches tall, while the 2018 KAWSONE open edition is 8 inches. Then check the copyright stampings, seam quality, and box branding. Fakes and mislabeled reissues are both common, so buy from a dealer who identifies the version explicitly and guarantees it.
What is the difference between the 2013 and 2018 Passing Through releases?
The 2013 version came from OriginalFake at roughly 12 inches; the 2018 version is a smaller 8-inch open edition sold through KAWSONE at $200. The 2013 figure is the scarcer and generally more valuable of the two, which is exactly why sellers sometimes blur the distinction.