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Lot 103
Pre-Columbian, Mexico, Olmec culture, ca. 1200 to 800 BCE. An incredibly rare, lifelike portrayal of a human figure, probably a child based on its delightful, pudgy face, hand-carved from dark grey volcanic stone. The child sits with its legs crossed, its hands resting on its knees, and its torso erect. The fingers, toes, and musculature of the torso are nicely carved. The face is classically Olmec, with a large forehead, almond-shaped eyes, a wide nose, and large-lipped mouth. Small teeth are visible between the slightly parted lips. Deep lines are incised into the head to create eyebrows, giving the impression that the child is scowling. Ears are carved on either side of the head. The hollow eyes likely once had an inlay, perhaps of shell, and based on similar known sculptures, the entire child was probably once painted white with red details. Size: 9.7" W x 15" H (24.6 cm x 38.1 cm)The Olmec are the ancestors of all Mesoamerican civilizations, and their artistic style, practiced in the tropical lowlands of south central Mexico and diffused outward through extensive trade networks that stretched into northern Mexico and central America, was inspirational for those who came after. The Olmec style became synonymous with elite status in the highlands. They created enormous stone heads, probably the first thing many of us think of when we remember the Olmec, but they also made more easily transportable figures like this one. Many of these portrayals are of children or infants, but their meaning remains a complete mystery. Based on a few known sculptures and the much later Maya practice of referring to young people as "ch'ok", referring to a maize sprout, there seems to have been a symbolic connection between children and the sprouting of the harvest. Roughly life-sized figures like this one may also have been stand-ins for actual children who were ritually sacrificed to bring on that harvest. For example, at the El Manati archaeological site in Mexico, the remains of several infants were found with wooden busts of children with similar facial expressions to the better-known stone and ceramic representations. This stone example was probably placed into a tomb.Accompanied by a Preusser analysis from 2010 that concludes that it is indeed ancient - that there is nothing about the piece to suggest it is not of the correct age. Provenance: private Southern California, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s Condition: Intact, although there may be a small repair on one ear - but if so, it is incredibly well done and difficult to see. With a weathered surface and rich, dark patina commensurate with age and handling. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #144326
Lot 123b
Pre-Columbian, Valley of Mexico, Teotihuacan, ca. 150 to 650 CE. A massive incensario (censer), made from molded and applied ceramic, with ornate symbolic artwork on its two separate components, a base for holding whatever was burned to create the incense, and an upper portion with a long spout for releasing the scent into the room. The base is decorated with a dramatic face of Chaac/Tlaloc, the rain deity who had power over fertility and agriculture, and who, as here, is often portrayed with big eyes leaking tears (symbolizing rain) and an inhuman face. Applied strips of clay create a frame around his face, as well as huge earspools; spikes and knots adorn this frame. The rest of the base is hourglass-shaped, with four round holes punched by hand through the upper portion to allow scent to escape. Size of lower portion: 14" W x 8.5" H (35.6 cm x 21.6 cm); size of upper portion: 14.5" W x 13.65" H (36.8 cm x 34.7 cm)The upper portion is painted, and features a mask-like face of a deity. This figure wears a dramatic, round headdress, two enormous earspools, and a massive round pectoral with a flat portion affixed to its lower end. Two curved handles are at the sides, while a tall, conical spout with a wide mouth rises from behind the face. Applied discs are above the face. White, red, and orange pigment color this fantastical creation.This censer is known as a "theater type" and is among the most emblematic articles of visual culture of Teotihuacan. These were first created in the Tzacualli period (1 to 100 CE), and during the following years until the demise of Teotihuacan, artisans created more and more intricate compositions. Molds were used to make various ornaments that were glued to the primary body and the plates were arranged in superimposed planes as we see in this example. They are known as "theater" because they seem to represent the architecture of a temple, with the mask at the top representing the deity within the temple.Numerous scholars have suggested that censers like this example were instrumental to a cult dedicated to warriors killed in combat. Incense played a major role in religious practice in Mesoamerica, from the Olmec onward. Many tombs are outfitted with incensarios and the items also seem to have been used in ceremonies by the living. The incense was made from copal, tree resin from the torchwood tree. By burning copal, Mesoamerican priests made an offering to the gods - for example, during an Aztec ceremony for the god Huitzilopochtli, the hummingbird-formed god of war, priests hoped that their prayers would be carried upward along with the wafting smoke and scent. Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex T. Misenhimer, Hollywood Film Producer Condition: Repaired and restored from multiple pieces, with overpainting along the restoration lines. Losses from the sides of the spout. Beautiful remaining pigment. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #132599
Lot 140b
Pre-Columbian, central Mexico, northern Veracruz, Huastec culture, ca. 600 to 900 CE. A fantastic standing ceramic figure of a woman, with applied decorative ceramic ornaments and clothing as well as shiny black bitumen-colored details. She is facing forward, her feet planted firmly so that she stands well on her own, her arms raised in a gesture that looks to the modern eye like a blessing, palms open and facing upward. Her clothing is elaborate: a skirt with a thick waistband composed of three rounded bands and a long pectoral that hangs between her breasts, with a three-dimensional, feather-like pendant at its center. She wears anklets studded with disc-like beads, armlets with hanging feather-like projections, and thick bracelets. Her headdress is extensive, flaring outward at the sides in radiating bands, almost looking like the spread wings of an insect. Her headdress is held in place with a wide strap that runs from her temples underneath her nose. Her expression is serious, with large eyes, colored with bitumen (as are her eyebrows) and a slightly open mouth. Size: 13" W x 16" H (33 cm x 40.6 cm)This figure showcases the amazing style of the Veracruz, whose depictions of startling lifelike but clearly magical figures is unparalleled in ancient Mesoamerica. Excavations near the modern Mexican town of Remojadas have revealed two types of impressive, detailed pottery figures from the Veracruz period: the Sonrientes, the joyous "smiling faces", and figures like this one, more serious, mostly adult female figures, with elaborate costumes, themes, and sometimes props that all seem to point towards religious or political ceremonies. These figures are often found with the bodies smashed into pieces and the heads largely intact - they were ritually destroyed as burial offerings. Their clothing suggests that they depict people of import in society, maybe priests or nobility. Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private T. Misenhimer collection, Hollywood, California, USA, famous Hollywood film producer Condition: Repaired and restored from multiple pieces, with overpainting along the repair lines. Nice original bitumen pigment. Tip of nose and small area of the mouth is lost. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #132651
Lot 196
A GENTLEMAN'S STEEL OMEGA SEAMASTER PROFESSIONAL DIVERS WRIST WATCH on original steel bracelet, the watch has a helium release valve, blue ceramic rotating bezel, and sapphire crystal lens enclosing a blue engine turned dial with luminous hour markers and calendar aperture fronting a quartz movement 41mm - original box and instructions
Lot 411
BESWICK; four horses including Connoisseur Model thoroughbred on oval wooden base (two af), height 22cm, a 1385 'Arab' wall mask and further ceramic animal figures.Additional InformationThe two smaller glossy glazed Beswick horses both af, one with broken ear, the other with chip to ear, the Connoisseur Model with scratches to glaze one both rear hooves, further surface scuffs and marks, the Arab wall mask with heavy crazing, surface wear, manufacturing imperfections, further general wear throughout.
Lot 445
A set of three graduated ceramic jugs, each featuring twin transfer decorated panels of cavorting cherubs against turquoise ground with gilt outlines, height of tallest 25cm (3).Additional InformationAll crazed, manufacturing imperfections, rubbing to decoration, pitting, fritting to glaze, some glaze chips, etc.
Lot 466
A large quantity of various ceramics to include Coalport pin dishes, an 'Elizabethan Cottage', a pair of 'Revelry' bowls, and floral encrusted ornaments, also a group of teapots to include Sadler, a pair of Shelley 'Stocks' pattern pin dishes, two Portmeirion vases and jardinière, and a set of Copeland Spode 'Wayside' plates (seconds), also a group of ceramic brooches.
Lot 557
Five ceramic figures comprising a Lladro figure of a lady in ball gown (af), Nao figure of a newspaper boy, a similar figure of boy and donkey, Royal Doulton 'Veronica' lady and Beswick 'Jemima and her Ducklings' (three items af) (5).Additional InformationLladro figure has lost a finger, Doulton figure head has been off and crudely reglued, the Beswick figure has a chip to one of the duckling beaks.
Lot 680
Three Chinese enamel painted ceramic miniatures modelled as the Bodhisattva of Universal Virtue Samantabhadra on elephant, rooster and monkey (right ear af), all with four character Daoguang marks to bases, height of first 6cm (3).Additional InformationThe monkey's right ear has come off and been crudely reglued, some wear to the overpainted enamels, further general wear.
Lot 911
A pair of circa 1900 Persian ceramic bottle vases painted in underglaze with floral sprays and decorative bands, height 29.5cm.Additional InformationSeveral chips to the thick glaze around the bases, also with crazing, some chips also to the ceramic layer, some other minor areas of manufacturing imperfections such as pitting and chipping to glaze to the top of one of the vases, also areas of crazing to the glaze to the main bodies and a few areas of tiny bruises, no obvious traces of major damage or restoration.
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163696 item(s)/page