Counterfeit Jasper Johns 1977 Color Screenprints Flood Online Art Market

Jasper Johns’ Untitled (ULAE 186/S13), 1977, is a 9-color screenprint that was NEVER published nor intended as a standalone print. To be clear the Jasper Johns Color Screenprint was conceived as a dust jacket for Jasper Johns: Screenprints, a 28-page 1977 Exhibition Catalogue published by Brooke Alexander Editions and printed by Simca Print Artists, New York. The majority of the counterfeits sold in the last few years do not include the actual 28 page exhibition catalogue and avoid any mention as to whether the listed impression  includes the exhibition catalogue.  

Recto authentic Jasper Johns Untitled (ULAE 186/S13), 1977 Color Screenprint, available Joseph K. Levene Fine Art, Ltd.

Purchase Guaranteed Authentic Jasper Johns 1977 Color Screenprint & Exhibition Catalogue from Joseph K. Levene Fine Art, Ltd. here

Published in an unnumbered limited edition of 3,000 impressions, Jasper Johns Untitled (ULAE 186/S13), 1977, is documented as Catalogue #S13 in The Prints of Jasper Johns 1960–1993: A Catalogue Raisonné by Richard Field.

The Jasper Johns Exhibition Catalogue and Color Screenprint, 1977 were NEVER sold or offered for sale separately. Since 2023 more than 100 counterfeit impressions have been offered and sold in dozens of online art auctions and venues; each of these counterfeits lack the originally attached 28 page Exhibition Catalogue. In addition the Jasper Johns 1977 color screenprint, printed by Simca Print Artists was published and printed on toned parchment paper and because it was created as a dust jacket, it is folded as published. As originally published, the 1977 Jasper Johns Color Screenprint Catalogue Cover plus Exhibition Catalogue is consistent with the authentic format published and documented in official Jasper Johns Print Catalogue edited by Richard Field. By comparison, counterfeit impressions are printed on bright white paper, a key detail inconsistent with the originally published documentation on parchment paper which if printed over 5 decades ago is NOT bright white. 

Every impression of the authentic 1977 Jasper Johns color screenprint was printed on Patapar parchment—a translucent, toned paper—and folded around the original exhibition catalogue. Authentic impressions are NEVER printed on bright white paper and seldom offered without the accompanying 28 page catalogue. 

Verso authentic Jasper Johns Dust Jacket printed on Patapar parchment paper shows 5 decade toning

Verso counterfeit impression without toning and without as published dust jacket old in over 100 online auctions and venues since 2023.

 

Authentic Jasper Johns Untitled (ULAE 186/S13), 1977 Color Screenprint Specifications:

• Title: Untitled (ULAE 186/S13), 1977
• Medium: 9-color screenprint on Patapar parchment
• Image size: 9 ½ x 9 ½ inches
• Sheet size, folded: 9 ⅞ x 10 ¼ inches
• Sheet size, unfolded: 9 ⅞ x 20 ¼ inches.
• Publisher: Brooke Alexander Editions, NY
• Printer: Simca Print Artists, NY
• Edition: 3,000; limited edition of unnumbered impressions, none signed.
• Exhibition Catalogue: The exhibition catalogue was published as a loose 28-page softcover with white wraps, and never sold separately. The Untitled Jasper Johns Color Screenprint Cover is wrapped as a Dust Jacket around the 28 page catalogue. As a result, there are two distinct folds on each side of the 20 1/4 inch unfolded sheet size.
• Catalogue Raisonné: Richard Field, ULAE 186/S13

Selected Museum Collections
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Museum of Modern Art, New York
National Gallery of Art, Australia
Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton
San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose
Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge

Literature
Richard Field, The Prints of Jasper Johns 1960-1993: A Catalogue Raisonne, ULAE, New York, 1994, Catalogue Reference ULAE 186/S13, n.p., another impression reproduced.

Exhibitions
Brooke Alexander, inc., New York, Jasper Johns Screenprints, November 15, 1977-January 17, 1978, another impression exhibited.
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los AngelesRolywholyover: A Circus for Museum by John Cage, September 12, 1993 – November 28, 1993, another impression exhibited.
The Menil Collection, Houston, Rolywholyover: A Circus for Museum by John Cage, January 14 - April 3, 1994, another impression exhibited.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Rolywholyover: A Circus for Museum by John Cage, April 23–August 7, 1994, another impression exhibited.
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Rolywholyover: A Circus for Museum by John Cage, June 4-July 30, 1995, another impression exhibited.
Art Tower Mito Contemporary Art Center, Tokyo, Rolywholyover: A Circus for Museum by John Cage, November 3, 1994 - February 26, 1995, another impression exhibited.

Counterfeit Jasper Johns Screenprints Surge Post 2023:

Following the death of Brooke Alexander, founder and publisher of Brooke Alexander Editions on May 22, 2022, there has been a dramatic surge in online art listings of counterfeit impressions of Jasper Johns Untitled (ULAE 186/S13). This surge is troubling not only for its volume and coordination across multiple online auction firms and venues that lack rigorous vetting. Many of these online venues have sold numerous impressions that are are consistently similar, often framed identically and listed with identical photographs The listings are consistently callous and lack requisite details. 

Since 2023 more than 100 purported impressions have been offered and sold in online art auctions and numerous online venues. Several online auctions have added more confusion by stipulating incorrect titles that were NEVER sanctioned nor used by Jasper Johns and don't appear in any official Jasper Johns documentation. Others omit any reference to the 28 page exhibition catalogue entirely which is troubling as many of these same venues previously referenced when the catalogue was detached and/or included. Other firms include invented provenance and are accompanied with false COA's.

Online auctions with majority of purported listings:

• Rago Auctions: 12 impressions
• Dane Fine Art: 12 impressions
• Ro Gallery: 7 impressions
• Forum Auctions: 6 impressions
• Wright Auctions: 5 impressions

The Same Jasper Johns Untitled (ULAE 186/S13), 1977 Color Screenprint Is NOT the Same.

Jasper Johns Authentic impression offered by Joseph K. Levene Fine Art, Ltd., left, vs. counterfeit impression printed on white paper, right, sold in over 100 online auctions and venues since 2023.

How You Can Identify Counterfeit Jasper Johns Screenprint impressions: 

Incorrect Paper 
Authentic 1977 Jasper Johns color screenprints were ONLY published on toned Patapar parchment. If the impression offered for sale is printed on bright white paper that is an immediate cue that the listing is counterfeit; it is also a good sign the seller has a history of selling fakes.

Missing 28 page Exhibition Catalogue
The authentic 1977 color screenprint was published and issued as a dust jacket for the 28 page Exhibition Catalogue - never as a separate work of art. Any listing without the 28 page exhibition catalogue is most likely COUNTERFEIT. 

Improper Format
Authentic 1977 color screenprints have irregular margins so that the folded dimensions are approximately 9 ⅞ x 10 ¼ inches. Counterfeits that have been recently printed are generally presented in a square format with symmetrical borders. It is essential to view the respective images as the online seller may be deceptively detailing incorrect measurements which DO NOT correspond with the posted online photographs.

Inaccurate Documentation
Several online auction firms and sellers have falsely retitled the print as “Cross Hatch, 1977,” a title not found nor included in the official Jasper Johns Prints Catalogue Raisonné. Others list the medium incorrectly—e.g., “serigraph on Transpagra paper” or “similiparchment.”

Low Resolution, Lacking Quality Details
Inauthentic versions are often poorly printed so that the resultant print has low resolution fidelity and the printing muted with muddied colors and inconsistent/poor color screenprinting.

False COA
One of the most common red flags is the inclusion of a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) from the “Great Dane Collection", a seller without sanctioned Jasper Johns authority, expertise and/or credentials. The Great Dane Collection seller has a history of selling counterfeits and has NO authority to represent Jasper Johns. Learn more by doing a Google search on this topic. 

Other signs of a false COA's include:  

• Includes generic, unverifiable language.
• Uses/references incorrect title NEVER sanctioned by Jasper Johns.
• Is undated and/or unsigned.
• Lacks COA author's credentials and/or contact details.
• Avoids reference to official Jasper Johns Catalogue Raisonné
• Without literature references.
• Does not include exhibition history; museum collections, etc.
• Not An Original document. 
• If a photocopy, immediate signal COA is fake. 
  

The above are textbook examples of what a COA should not be. Its presence signals that the work is not backed by any recognized authority and you should immediately run from buying ANYTHING from that online seller. 

Why This Matters

The proliferation of counterfeit impressions poses a serious risk to collectors, curators and institutions. These forgeries devalue legitimate works in the marketplace and ultimately become long term headaches for the buyer. Acquiring a counterfeit not only results in financial loss, but damages reputations and trust within the art community.

Recent Realized Auction Price Authentic Impression

An authentic Jasper Johns Color Screenprint impression—complete with the original 28-page catalogue—sold for $6,096 including buyer's premium at Phillips on February 12, 2025.

The sudden appearance of numerous counterfeit Jasper Johns Untitled (ULAE 186/S13) screenprints after Brooke Alexander’s passing is no coincidence. Without his stewardship, oversight of this edition’s legacy has clearly weakened—leaving a vacuum opportunistically filled by counterfeiters and unscrupulous sellers.

Online collectors should be vigilant and AVOID making decisions based on price alone, especially if they don't have the skills to execute requisite due diligence. Accordingly, art buyers should: 

• Demand proper documentation.
• Avoid impressions printed on white paper.
• Insist on inclusion of the full original catalogue.
• Reject listings with invented titles and/or false COA's.

The difference between an authentic Jasper Johns and a counterfeit is not always obvious but the financial repercussions are significant. When in doubt, consult primary sources, trusted art dealers and/or advisors, and ensure the documentation MATCHES the official Jasper Johns Catalogue Raisonné. If there is any difference, unless you are an expert, best to avoid buying ANYTHING from that art seller. Also read reviews and learn how to check if the seller has a history of selling fakes and/or fraudulent listings. You should also look to see if the seller has pattern of litigation.