Jeff Koons: how to recognize an original?

The most valued living artist in the world, author of unmistakable series such as Celebration Sculptures, Antiquity and Gazing Ball, Jeff Koons is one of the most famous and discussed artists in the world. There are few who do not know him and his works, firstly the Balloon Animals, are true icons of contemporary art.

In 2013 a more than 3 meters Balloon Dog (Orange) reached 52 million of dollars at auction, and in 2019 the 1986 Rabbit marked 80 million dollars, an all-time record for a living artist.

When is a Koons work original?

Since the explosive success of the series, the balloon animals have become increasingly important in popular culture and several unauthorized reproductions of his works have been created in order to emulate the original limited editions created by Koons. From Balloon Made in China sold on Alibaba to questionable reinterpretations of his most iconic subjects, it can be hard to tell when you're looking at a fake or a real work of art.

But then, how to recognize an original?

- Subjects. Pay attention to subjects and series. The four-legged Balloon Dog 27x27cm for example exists only in the version on silver plate.

- Edition. Pay attention to the edition: the original Balloon Animals are all limited editions. The edition varies depending on the series, colour, and subject, but there are no open editions recognized by the artist.

- Signature. Original Balloon Animals have stamped signature on the back of the artwork.

- Materials. A plastic Ballon Dog is not an original! Koons' limited editions of Balloon Animals are all made of precious French glazed porcelain treated creating the unmistakable reflective effect that also characterizes his stainless-steel sculptures.

- Certificate. An original Balloon has a certificate of authenticity issued by Bernardaud, official publisher of Jeff Koons' Balloon Animals. An exception is a Balloon Dog Blue made for an exclusive charity initiative promoted by the artist.

- Price. The market value of an original Koons is very high and reflects the artist's prices. A Balloon Dog sold for less than €10,000 will most likely be a fake.

We always recommend to go to a recognized and authoritative Art Gallery to buy a work of Jeff Koons. His works are in great demand and hoping to find an original on Ebay or on marketplaces of dubious reliability will bring very few results.

Deodato Arte gallery has been for years one of the reference points for the sale of Jeff Koons' works. All the works available online and in our locations are original limited editions with certificate of authenticity of the publisher and the gallery. If you are interested you can discover all the works by Koons available on the dedicated page of our site.