Lot 49
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit; Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE; Peru, Recuay, ca. 200 BCE to 600 CE; Central America, Nicoya, ca. 800 to 1200 CE. A diverse and visually engaging group of four Pre-Columbian pottery vessels brings together ceramic traditions from West Mexico, the ancient Andes, and lower Central America. The Nayarit bowl is hemispherical in form, decorated in red pigment over a light ground. Interior bands of stippling and linear divisions create a dynamic geometric composition that radiates across the surface, reflecting the bold painted aesthetic characteristic of Nayarit ceramics. The largest vessel in the group is a Colima redware jar with a broad, globular body and short flaring neck. Its surface is covered in a warm red slip, softly burnished to a subtle sheen. The jar's full profile and balanced proportions exemplify the refined simplicity associated with Colima funerary ceramics. Size of largest (bowl): 5.1" Diameter x 2.1" H (13 cm x 5.3 cm)
The second largest jar, attributed to the Recuay culture of highland Peru, presents a more compact silhouette with gently rounded shoulders and a restrained surface treatment. Recuay ceramics are known for their sturdy forms and careful modeling, often serving both domestic and ceremonial purposes in Andean contexts. The most petite vessel, from the Nicoya culture of Costa Rica, features a rounded body and narrow neck adorned with painted geometric motifs encircling the shoulder. Nicoya ceramics are celebrated for their fine line work and rhythmic patterning, reflecting a long tradition of polychrome pottery in the region. Together, these four vessels illustrate the breadth of Pre-Columbian ceramic expression - from the painted geometry of West Mexico to the burnished redware of Colima, the solid forms of Recuay, and the decorative precision of Nicoya - offering a cross-cultural survey of ancient artistry in clay.
Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; bowl ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection; ex-major gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, primarily acquired between 1985 and 2005; most petite jar: ex-Arte Primitivo, New York, New York, USA
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#200694
- Condition: Bowl has been professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines. Colima jar has been repaired with adhesive along some visible break lines and restoration and repainting over other break lines. Other two are intact. All have expected surface wear, commensurate with age. Nice remaining pigments and scattered earthen and mineral deposits throughout.
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| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
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| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |