Lot 137

Moche-Chimu Culture Silver Tweezer Pendant Necklace

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Moche-Chimu Culture Silver Tweezer Pendant Necklace

Estimate: $900 - $1,350

Starting Bid: $450

(0 Bids)

October 2, 2025 8:00 AM MDT (In Progress)
Live Auction
Louisville, CO, US


Description:

Pre-Columbian, Peru, Moche to Chimu culture, ca. 700 to 1450 CE. A remarkable and wearable necklace comprised of numerous small copper-silver beads, interspersed with four hollow silver spheres. At its center hangs a elongated tweezer, engraved with a linear and zigzag motif suggestive of an abstract serpent or fish. In modern times, the necklace has been restrung on a monofilament wire for stability and wearability, preserving the original components while allowing it to be worn today. Tweezers such as this were used for facial depilation - often to pluck and style beards either for fashion or ritual purposes - and they were clearly regarded as special tools. Many examples are highly ornamented, crafted from precious metals, and were even buried with the deceased, underscoring their cultural significance. Size of strand doubled 24" L (61 cm); tweezer: 1.75" L x 0.5" W (4.4 cm x 1.3 cm); silver quality: 63% to 86%; weight: 27.1 grams

Provenance: private Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA collection

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#195989

  • Condition: One sphere has come apart along the center seam and is two separate piece on the strand. Pin hole perforations to a sphere. Dark patina and toning. Strung in modern times and wearable.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$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
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000