Gauntlet Gallery — Complete KAWS Index
Take — Black
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Take is a 2020 open edition vinyl sculpture produced by KAWS through his KAWSONE webshop, standing 13.4 inches tall. It depicts BFF — the shaggy, X-eyed character KAWS introduced in 2016 — cradling a small Companion doll in its arms, the direct inverse of the Share figure released a few months earlier, in which Companion holds a miniature BFF. The black colorway is tonal: a black BFF holding a black Companion, with the X eyes and sculpted fur texture carrying the contrast. The composition traces to KAWS's BLACKOUT exhibition at Skarstedt, London in late 2019. Released June 9, 2020 at $360 retail, Take dropped in three colorways — black, blue, and pink — as an unnumbered open edition.
Collector notes: Legacy catalog label: Open Edition; 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
Take belongs to the run of named sculptures — Together, Share, Along the Way — through which KAWS translated gallery-scale compositions into accessible vinyl. The gesture of one character carrying another reads as protection and dependency, themes KAWS worked through repeatedly between 2018 and 2020. The June 2020 release also carried weight beyond the object: KAWS directed a portion of proceeds to Black Lives Matter and Color of Change, tying the drop to its cultural moment.
Collector Perspective
With 131 recorded resales and a median around $580, the black Take is the most liquid colorway of the release and trades comfortably above its $360 retail. The recorded range runs from $54 to $685 — the low end almost always reflects loose, boxless, or damaged examples, while sealed or complete-in-box pieces cluster near the top. Black colorways consistently draw the deepest bidding across the named-sculpture series, and the paired BFF-and-Companion composition gives Take crossover appeal with dedicated BFF collectors. The latest recorded sale in our dataset is February 2026.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned sculpture / object
- Release date
- 2020
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Vinyl Figure.
- Edition details
- Legacy catalog label: Open Edition; 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 2020.
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 does the KAWS Take figure depict?
Take shows BFF, KAWS's furry X-eyed character, carrying a small Companion doll in its arms. It is the mirror image of the Share figure from earlier in 2020, where Companion holds a miniature BFF instead.
What is the edition size of Take (Black)?
Take is an unnumbered open edition — KAWS never disclosed a production quantity and the figures carry no edition number. Open editions were produced to meet demand during the ordering window on KAWSONE.
Is the Take figure signed by KAWS?
No. Open edition vinyls are not individually signed. Authentic examples carry molded copyright and production markings on the underside of the feet, which serve as the factory identification.
How do I know a Take figure is authentic?
Counterfeits of KAWS open editions are common. Check the weight, paint separation at the X eyes, foot stamps, and the quality of the box printing — and buy from a trusted dealer who guarantees authenticity rather than relying on photos alone.
Did the Take release support a charitable cause?
Yes. When Take dropped on June 9, 2020, KAWS committed a portion of proceeds to Black Lives Matter and Color of Change. That context is part of the piece's history and distinguishes it within the open edition series.
