Lot 21A
Pre-Columbian, north coast of Peru, Sican / Lambayeque culture, ca. 750 to 1370 CE. A rare silver-copper alloy bridge-spouted vessel, its elegant form defined by a spherical body raised on a flared pedestal foot, with twin tubular spouts joined by a gracefully arched handle. This vessel exemplifies the refined metallurgical artistry of the Sican culture, who achieved remarkable control over copper and its alloys through smelting, gilding, and oxidation. The surface, now marked with a rich green patina from centuries of burial, reveals the alloy's complex character, once likely polished to a lustrous sheen. Bridge-spouted forms such as this are believed to have served ceremonial or funerary functions, perhaps for pouring libations or holding sacred liquids in rituals honoring ancestral deities. Size: 2" L x 3.3" W x 4.6" H (5.1 cm x 8.4 cm x 11.7 cm); silver quality: 41 to 70%; weight: 38.3 grams
The Sican (or Lambayeque) people flourished along Peru's northern coast, inheriting the metallurgical legacy of the Moche while expanding its aesthetic vocabulary into more symbolic and abstract forms. Their metalwork often mirrored themes of fertility, power, and transcendence, embodying the cosmological vision that connected earthly life with divine forces. Despite areas of surface loss and earthen encrustation, this piece retains its integrity and sculptural presence - a relic of both spiritual devotion and technical mastery.
PROVENANCE: ex-Robert Morris Fine Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, acquired 1990s to 2000
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Item #
196710
- Condition: Repaired with some chipping along break lines, as well as perforations and losses to top. Chip to handle. Nicks and abrasions commensurate with age. Rich patina throughout.
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