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CAVEAT EMPTOR: Counterfeit Jasper Johns Screenprints Flood Online Art Auctions

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Jasper Johns Untitled (ULAE 186/S13), 1977

Jasper Johns’ Untitled (ULAE 186/S13), 1977, is a 9-color screenprint never intended as a standalone print. It was conceived as the dust jacket for Jasper Johns: Screenprints, a 28-page exhibition catalogue published by Brooke Alexander Editions and printed by Simca Print Artists, New York. Issued in an unnumbered edition of 3,000, 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 catalogue and screenprint were never sold separately. The screenprint, printed by Simca Print Artists, is printed on toned parchment paper and shows the expected folding from its original function as the dust jacket. This is a museum-quality presentation and fully conforms to the authentic format documented in the literature.

Each impression was printed on Patapar parchment—a translucent, toned paper—and folded around the original catalogue. Authentic impressions are never white and seldom offered without the accompanying 28 page catalogue. 

Interior Patapar parchment paper Dust Jacket cover showing normal toning on the verso
Verso of a Counterfeit impression sold at RAGO showing no toning and without as published Dust Jacket

The Authentic Work: Key Specifications

  • Title: Untitled (ULAE 186/S13), 1977

  • Medium: 9-color screenprint on Patapar parchment

  • Image size: 9 ½ x 9 ½ in.

  • Sheet size, folded: 9 ⅞ x 10 ¼ in.

  • Sheet size, unfolded): 9 ⅞ x 20 ¼ in.

  • Publisher: Brooke Alexander Editions, NY

  • Printer: Simca Print Artists, NY

  • Edition: 3,000; limited edition of unnumbered impressions, none signed.

  • Catalogue: The catalogue was published as a loose 28-page softcover with white wraps, and never sold separately. The Untitled 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

Literature and Exhibitions

Museums known to hold authentic impressions of Untitled (ULAE 186/S13) include:

The original work has been exhibited at major institutions, including The Guggenheim, The Menil Collection, and The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, as part of the Rolywholyover: A Circus for Museum by John Cage exhibition.

A Surge in Counterfeits After 2022

Following the death of Brooke Alexander, founder of Brooke Alexander Editions on May 22, 2022, the market has seen a dramatic increase in counterfeit impressions of Jasper Johns Untitled (ULAE 186/S13). This surge is troubling not only for its volume, but for its coordination across multiple auction houses and platforms that lack rigorous vetting standards.

Since 2023, more than 100 purported impressions have appeared at auction and sold on numerous online venues. Several auction houses have even sold counterfeit impressions under incorrect titles, omitted the catalogue entirely, and/or listed the Jasper Johns Screenprint with invented provenance and false Certificates of Authenticity (COA's).

The following auction houses are among those with the highest volume of purported listings:

  • Rago Auctions: 12 impressions

  • Dane Fine Art: 12 impressions

  • Ro Gallery: 7 impressions

  • Forum Auctions: 6 impressions

  • Wright Auctions: 5 impressions

Comparison Jasper Johns Authentic impression on the left with a clearly FAKE one on the right

How To Identify Counterfeit?

  1. Missing Catalogue
    The print was issued as a dust jacket for the exhibition catalogue—never as a separate work. Any listing without the 28-page catalogue is likely inauthentic. 

  2. Incorrect Paper 
    Authentic prints were only published on toned Patapar parchment. Bright white paper or any opaque paper is a clear warning sign that it is not a vintage Jasper Johns screennprint.

  3. Improper Format
    Authentic prints have irregular margins and folded dimensions of approximately 9 ⅞ x 10 ¼ inches. Counterfeits are usually presented in a square format with symmetrical borders. It is essential to view the respective images as the online seller maybe detailing incorrect measurements 

  4. Inaccurate Documentation
    Several auction houses and sellers have retitled the work “Cross Hatch, 1977,” a title not found in any Jasper Johns catalogue raisonné. Others list the medium incorrectly—e.g., “serigraph on Transpagra paper” or “simili-parchment.”

  5. Low Print Quality
    Inauthentic versions are often poorly registered, with muted or muddied colors, inconsistent screen patterns, and low-resolution image fidelity.

  6. False COA's
    One of the most common red flags is the inclusion of a Certificate of Authenticity, also known as a COA from the so-called “Great Dane Collection" *

    • Contains generic, unverifiable language

    • Uses an incorrect title

    • Is undated, unsigned, and lacks credentials or contact details

    • Offers no reference to catalogue raisonné or institutional history

    • Appears to be a photocopied, meaningless document

* This is a textbook example of what a COA should not be. Its presence signals that the work is not backed by any recognized authority.

Why This Matters

The proliferation of counterfeit impressions poses a serious risk to collectors, curators and institutions. These forgeries can devalue legitimate works in the marketplace. For collectors, acquiring a counterfeit not only results in financial loss, but also damages reputations and trust within the art community.

Jasper Johns Untitled (ULAE 186/S13), 1977 sold for $6,096 (with premium) at Phillips on February 12, 2025

Recent Market Reference

An authentic impression—complete with the original 28-page catalogue—sold for $6,096 (with premium) at Phillips on February 12, 2025.

Final Thoughts

The sudden appearance of dozens of Untitled (ULAE 186/S13) prints 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.

Collectors should be vigilant:

  • Demand proper documentation.

  • Avoid impressions printed on white paper.

  • Insist on inclusion of the full original catalogue.

  • Reject listings with invented titles or fake COA's.

The difference between a genuine Jasper Johns and a counterfeit is not always obvious at first glance—but the financial and historical consequences are significant. When in doubt, consult primary sources, trusted dealers, or the official catalogue raisonné.

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