Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Inca, ca. 1400 to 1533 CE. A skillfully carved black volcanic basalt vessel, the body of a broad rounded form with incurved walls and a flat base as well as four integral jaguars crawling up the exterior walls, perhaps to drink what is inside the vessel. The jaguar symbolized power and might throughout the Pre-Columbian world. Warriors, rulers, hunters, and shamans alike associated themselves with this king of beasts, the largest and most powerful feline in the New World. A striking vessel replete with strong technique, attractive form, and layers of symbolic meaning. Size: 11" in diameter (jaguar to jaguar) x 5" H (27.9 cm x 12.7 cm)In their discussion of another Inca basalt vessel that is decorated with snake motifs in the British Museum, Smarthistory scholars have suggested that it was probably kept in the Coricancha (Temple of the Sun) or nearby sacred buildings - most likely used to hold offerings or simply water as a means of seeing into the underworld via its reflective surface. (https://smarthistory.org/inka-an-introduction/) - The British Museum, "Inka stone vessels," in Smarthistory, March 1, 2017, accessed May 6, 2019, https://smarthistory.org/inka-an-introduction/. Provenance: private southwestern Pennsylvania, USA collection Condition: Chips to rim and nicks to jaguar ears and other high-pointed areas. One section of rim/shoulder spanning between two of the jaguars has been reattached with slight restoration. Normal surface wear commensurate with age. Nice deposits. 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. #146308
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Pre-Columbian, South Coast Peru, Inca, ca. 1200 to 1500 CE. A silver kero or drinking vessel hammered into a beaker shape with a flat base and a flaring spout, skillfully decorated with an abstract visage created in repousse on one side and an anthropomorphic figure flanked by a pair of simian creatures on the other side of the vessel body. The portrait face presents bold features such as striking almond-shaped eyes, arched brows, an aquiline nose, and a slight smile. Given how he is elaborately decorated with ear ornaments and a beaded necklace, he most likely represented an elite individual. An impressive royal drinking vessel that was clearly used for more than ordinary domestic purposes. Rather, vessels like this one were used during life by royalty and after life at funerary ceremonies that incorporated intricate religious libations and imbibing rites. Size: 4.375" in diameter x 7.75" H (11.1 cm x 19.7 cm)To create this piece, the ancient metalsmith hammered a silver piece into a very thin sheet, approximately the size of the finished work. Then the artisan used fine-grained stone anvils and hammer stones made of hematite or green porphyry, sometimes with animal hide attached, and a wooden core template to create the form and its repousse ornamentation, as the metalsmith hammered the silver sheet upon the wooden template. An elegant royal Inca silver kero, comprised of pure silver that would have belonged to a king or noble and/or would have been used at sacred funerary rites. Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Ron Messick collection, New Mexico, USA Condition: Expected age wear with some denting as shown, but overall form and detail are excellently preserved. Small fissures to periphery of base. Nicks to rim. Nice patina from 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. #136605
Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru Inca, ca. 1400 to 1533 CE. A skillfully carved black volcanic basalt vessel, the body of a broad cylindrical form with integral twin loop handles and two snakes depicted in relief on each side. The serpents slither in sinuous formations, one above the other, their heads facing in opposite directions. In the Pre-Columbian world, animals were highly symbolic beings. Serpents were metaphors for rain and blood, two life-giving fluids. At the same time, they were viewed as creatures that portend great danger. Their ability to shed their skin each year, and thus rejuvenate themselves, also made them symbolic of health and renewal. A striking vessel replete with strong technique, attractive form, and layers of symbolic meaning. Size: 15.25" W handlespan x 4.25" H (38.7 cm x 10.8 cm)In their discussion of another Inca basalt vessel with snake motifs in the British Museum, Smarthistory scholars have suggested that it was probably kept in the Coricancha (Temple of the Sun) or nearby sacred buildings - most likely used to hold offerings or simply water as a means of seeing into the underworld via its reflective surface. The coiled - or in this case sinous - serpent bodies were most likely intended to resemble flowing water. (https://smarthistory.org/inka-an-introduction/) - The British Museum, "Inka stone vessels," in Smarthistory, March 1, 2017, accessed May 6, 2019, https://smarthistory.org/inka-an-introduction/. Provenance: private southwestern Pennsylvania, USA collection Condition: Normal surface wear commensurate with age. Old chips to rim, base, and high-pointed areas. Otherwise intact. Serpent forms are vivid. Label indicating "basalt" on bottom. 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. #146298
Pre-Columbian, Costa Rica, Guanacaste Nicoya Region, ca. 1 to 500 CE. A wonderful example of a stone mace head, highly polished to a sheen. This one has a cylindrical socket and one side carved into a fierce, bat-like face with huge, round eyes that would have once had inlays of precious metal, stone, or shell; the face also has human characteristics, like a pointed nose and large-lipped mouth. Two ears peek up from the top of the head. The stone is a hard, marbled grey-white with some green on its reverse side. Size: 3.05" W x 1.85" H (7.7 cm x 4.7 cm); 3.7" H (9.4 cm) on included custom stand.Based on many pottery figures from throughout the pre-Columbian world, figural maces were often symbolic objects, carried by rulers and gods as visible signs of their power. The level of craftsmanship on this beautiful piece indicates that it was worth the time put in to create it, and that a highly skilled artisan - possibly someone who specialized in making such objects - created it for someone wealthy. Perhaps this example was created for someone whose family was identified with bats or who had a special affinity for the animals. Provenance: ex-private Miami, Florida, USA collection, since 1980 Condition: Beautifully preserved with light deposits on surface. 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. #146658
Pre-Columbian, northern Chile or Argentina, Mapuche people, ca. 1500 CE. Adeptly hand-carved from a single piece of hard black basalt and meticulously polished to a nice sheen, this intimidating stone mace has three rows of pointed spikes at the upper end and a substantial handle for the user. At the top is a disc-shaped convex head that mirrors the end of the handle opposite it. The traditional weapons of the Mapuche included bows and arrows, slingshots, stone balls, and maces like this one; they used these in warfare amongst kin groups and, after the arrival of the Spanish, to fight against their conquest. Size: 9.5" L x 4" in diameter (24.1 cm x 10.2 cm)The Mapuche were a fierce people who successfully resisted numerous attempts by the Inca Empire to subjugate them - valiantly fighting the Spaniards for over 300 years. In fact, the Mapuche were so successful at repelling the Spaniards that there were areas of their land untouched by Europeans until late in the 19th century. Provenance: private southwestern Pennsylvania, USA collection Condition: A few chips to some of the points and end of the handle. Stable fissure/crack to the stone radiating from one of the chips on the handle. Expected surface wear with scuffs and abrasions. Otherwise excellent. Nice earthen deposits in recessed areas. 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. #144777
Pre-Columbian, Central Mexico, Teotihuacan, ca. 800 CE. An elegant, skillfully carved and string cut, anthropomorphic green stone figure with incised arms at sides, differentiated legs and feet, an oversized head presenting slit eyes, a triangular nose, and slit mouth - this tranquil visage is topped by a lobed coiffure or headband with incised vertical and horizontal striations. A wonderful minimalist interpretation of the human form from the ancients of Teotihuacan. Size: 4.625" H (11.7 cm); 5" H (12.7 cm) on included custom stand. Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private Florida, USA collection Condition: Small chip to left upper corner of coiffure/headband. Normal surface wear with scuffs and minute nicks commensurate with age. Scattered deposits. Slight stain from former collection label on verso of head. Old collection label on verso of right foot. 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. #146356
North America, modern-day southeastern/midwestern United States, ca. 1000 to 1500 CE. A huge black and grey chert knapped hoe or spade, with a rounded butt and a bifacial edge. The people of this region were agriculturalists, who used large stone tools like this one to sow their crops. Knapped stones are made using percussion, striking them with other stones; the process required to get them the correct shape requires training and skill. Size: 5.15" W x 12.75" H (13.1 cm x 32.4 cm) Provenance: private southwestern Pennsylvania, USA collection Condition: Intact, with rich patina on surface. 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. #146373
Europe, Acheulean tradition, found in Britain, ca. 1.6 million to 200,000 years ago. A fine, very large example of an Acheulean hand axe in the characteristic ovoid/pear shape, knapped from a red and ocher yellow chert. The Acheulean stone tool tradition, named after the location in France where tools of this kind were first identified in 1847, represented a revolution in stone tools. This was made by a homo erectus, a close ancestor of modern humans, and was made to be used in a variety of tasks - butchering and skinning game, digging in soil, and cutting trees and other plant matter. For much of human history, this was the dominant technology. Size: 4.55" W x 9.25" H (11.6 cm x 23.5 cm) Provenance: private Boulder, Colorado, USA collection; ex-private Ritter collection, Collinsville, Illinois, USA Condition: Small chip from face. Two old collection labels on surface, one on each side. 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. #145286
BEAUHARNAIS EUGENE DE: (1781-1824) French Prince, son of Josephine de Beauharnais, Viceroy of Italy 1805-14 and Grand Duke of Frankfurt. L.S., P[rin]ce Eugene, with flourish, one page, 4to, Bavaria, 24th July 1821, to an unidentified Baron, in French. Beauharnais states in part `I have received from Madame the Duchess of Raguse the stone that I asked you to place in Paris.. You did well approving a payment of a hundred francs to the house employees who peddled the stone to England.´ With blank integral leaf. Small overall age wear, otherwise about VG £150-200
Levinger & Bissinger (attributed to) Jugendstil pendant necklace, circa 1900 spray of plique à jour enamel and blue stone flowerheads enclosing an oval blue stone doublet above a baroque pearl drop on a paper-link chain (clasp deficient) the pendant 3.9cm across. Literature: For similar enamel and stone set pendants by Levinger & Bissinger see Fritz Falk, Jugendstil-Schmuck aus Pforzheim, Werner Wild Stiftung Arnoldsche, Stuttgart, 2008, pp. 226-229
A Chinese gold filigree and peach stone bracelet attributed to Lee Ching, circa 1866, the bracelet of gold filigree with entwined snakes and flowers with peach stone ovals carved with figures and flowers in a garden, the bracelet approximately 18.5cm long, in silk lined carved wood box with applied paper label 'LEE CHING Hong Kong', the box 23cm long x 5cm wide a 3cm high and inscribed in ink to base of box '12th June 1866' Lee Ching traded from 24a Queens Road, Hong Kong; 30 Old China Street, Canton; Sai Hing Kai Street, Canton & Club Street, Honam Island, Canton; and Nanking Road, Shanghai from circa 1830 to 1895. 约清1866年 金累丝嵌桃木手链
ϒA rare pair of large Chinese embellished panels with stained ivory and hardstone, late Qing Dynasty -Republican period, each of rectangular form and finely applied with stained ivory and hard stone in various shades of colours, depicting ducks and cranes playing in the lotus pond, the upper right corner inscribed with an imperial poem, both against a lacquered background of graduated blue, set into a hardwood frame fitted with brass hanger at the top, 96cm high x 26cm wide (2) 清 染色象牙百宝挂屏一对 ϒ Indicates that this lot may be subject to CITES regulations when exported. Please see our Terms & Conditions for more information.
Two Chinese soapstone seals, the conjoined seal carved with a mythical horned beast on top, its head raised and mouth wide open, revealing sharp fangs and its tongue, the long bifurcated tail curling around the back, the square seal with a hole drilled on top, both the seals are inscribed and signed Wang Daxin (1869-1924), the stone of deep caramel tones, fitted hardwood box, conjoined seal 9.5cm high x 3.9cm wide x 1.8cm deep, square seal 11.5cm high x 1.7cm wide x 1.2cm deep (2) 王大炘（款）寿山高山朱砂石印两枚
A Chinese soapstone model of a Luohan, his corpulent body draped in long flowing monastic robes opening at the chest and intricately etched at the hem with foliage on a wave ground and inlaid with semi-precious stones, his right hand raised holding an alms bowl, and left hand holding a stick, the stone of caramel colour, 7cm high x 9cm wide 寿山石罗汉
A Chinese soapstone ‘Five elders of Xiangshan’ mountain group, possibly late Qing-Republic period, the craggy boulder of flattened form, carved to the front depicting a literary gathering of scholar-officials in Mount Xiangshan, the reverse with pavilions under gnarled wutong trees, the stone of amber colour with russet and creamy inclusions, 25cm long x 10cm high, with fabric covered stand and box 晚清/民国 寿山石刻《香山五老》山水人物山子
A Chinese carved soapstone figure of a Louhan with Buddhist lion pup, the figure dressed in loose-fitted robes with incised and gilt details, both his hands holding a lion cub, the stone of red and beige tone with cloudy inclusions, 7.5cm high x 6cm wide x 3.7cm deep Compare with a similar group sold at Sotheby's, 13th May, 2009, Lot 14 寿山石鎏金罗汉
A group of four Chinese soapstone seals, comprising one seal carved in a translucent stone with one dragon and lion on square base, 7cm high, a pair of Chinese hardstone seals, of rectangular shape with dragon and phoenix finials, 8.5cm high; and a carved soapstone seal, carved in the shape of a scholar’s rock with the seal face reading Ren Jia (4) 寿山石印四件
ϒA Chinese coloured agate necklace, probably late 19th century or Republican Period, the multi-coloured pendant skilfully incorporating the brown, black and smoky white stone, the necklace composed of twenty six circular smoky-white agate beads interspersed with coral beads, overall length approximately 44cm 晚清或民国（可能） 玛瑙项链 ϒ Indicates that this lot may be subject to CITES regulations when exported. Please see our Terms & Conditions for more information.
A Chinese celadon and russet jade openwork ‘mandarin duck’ plaque, Qing Dynasty or earlier, of round rectangular shape, deeply carved with two mandarin ducks wading through tall stems of lotus leaves and flowers, the stone of celadon tone with inclusions and russets, 7.7cm long x 6.3cm wide 清或更早 青白玉镂雕鸳鸯莲池瓦子
Two Chinese soapstone seals, of square shape, one surmounted by a single-horned beast with a bifurcated tail holding a pearl, the stone of creamy tone with crimson inclusions, 6.7cm high; the other seal dated 1928 and signed Wang Fuchang (1879-1960), surmounted by two mythical beasts, the stone of creamy tone with golden speckled inclusions, 7.3cm high (2) 寿山石印两枚
A Chinese celadon and russet jade plaque, pierced in openwork with two boys and chillong amid an interwoven pattern of foliage, 7cm long x 5.5cm wide; a Chinese celadon jade ‘zigang’ inscribed plaque, carved in low relief on one side with two sages and the other side inscribed with poem, 6.3cm long x 4cm wide; and a Chinese archaic style celadon and russet jade tiger carving, the celadon stone carved in the shape of a crouching tiger, with four holes drilled on top of the jade, 4.4cm long x 2.5cm wide x 1.7cm deep (3) 青白玉镂雕和合二仙牌，青白玉子冈款牌及青白玉虎形镇
A Chinese pale celadon and russet boulder carving, 19th or 20th century, the boulder is carved to one side with a mountainous landscape scene of two scholars and their attendant below a pine tree in a boat, the reverse with a pine tree and jagged rocks, the stone is of a pale celadon tone with areas of mottled brown, green, white and russet inclusions, the jade 16.5cm high x 13cm wide x 7cm deep, carved wood stand 青白玉山子
An attractive Chinese agate snuff bottle and stopper, the rectangular bottle is carved in relief through the brown markings of the beige-toned, semi-translucent stone with a scene of a horse beneath a pine tree, 4.8cm high and three other Chinese jade snuff bottles, in tones of mottled white, celadon and brown, two with stoppers, between approximately 6cm and 7cm high (4) 玛瑙雕鼻烟壶等一组三件
A Chinese Mughal-style jadeite 'Ram's cup', the mottled white stone in the form of leaf, the openwork handle modelled in the form of a ram's head depicted turned to one side, with natural flaw running through centre of dish and other natural flaws, 10cm long x 6.5cm high x 1.2cm deep 痕都斯坦式翡翠羊杯
A Chinese gilt-decorated miniature spinach-green jade amulet, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong cyclical Yiwei mark corresponding to 1775, incised and gilt with the characters Qianlong yiwei nian zao on the cover which opens to reveal a gilt miniature standing Guanyin figure dressed in long robes, the stone of an even spinach green tone with some black speckled inclusion, 3.5cm high Compare with a similar amulet sold at Christie’s London, 7th November, 2017, Lot 237 清 “乾隆乙未年制”碧玉填金观音套盒
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