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THBEarly 20th C. Asmat Skull w/ Feathers, Beads, & Shells
Lot 141a
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$5,000 - $7,500
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| $300 | $50 |
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| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Nov 14, 2019
Set Reminder
2019-11-14 10:00:00
2019-11-14 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Ethnographic | Tribal | American Frontier
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/ethnographic-tribal-american-frontier-4634
Featuring Pre-Columbian, Tribal / Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, historical examples from the Spanish, Mexican, and American frontiers, fossils, and more. All items offered for sale have been legally acquired, are legal to sell and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Featuring Pre-Columbian, Tribal / Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, historical examples from the Spanish, Mexican, and American frontiers, fossils, and more. All items offered for sale have been legally acquired, are legal to sell and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (373)
- Lot Description
Indonesia, western Irian Jaya/West Papua, Asmat people, ca. early 20th century CE. A human skull decorated with wood, feathers, shells, and beads. The eyes are stuffed with soil and sap, with cowrie shells pressed into each socket. The nose is similarly decorated with soil and sap with shells and bright red beads pressed into them, forming a hook through which a carved wooden ornament has been inserted. Shells and beads are also pressed into the palate. Around the top of the skull is a woven textile band decorated with an array of white feathers, small white and grey shells, and further red beads. The skull itself has gained an incredibly rich patina from age and handling. Size: 6" W x 5.5" H (15.2 cm x 14 cm)
The Asmat people of Papua lived a traditional lifestyle until the 1950s, although the Dutchman Jan Cartensz (1623) and the expedition of Captain Cook (1770) had very limited contact with them. Their reputation as headhunters and cannibals kept outsiders away from their land. Traditionally, the Asmat venerated their ancestors through art, including by turning their skulls into dramatically ornamented sculptures. They blocked the nasal passages and the eyes, as here, in order to prevent the invasion of evil spirits. They displayed skulls like this one in small shrines within their homes.
Provenance: private Pennsylvania, USA collection; ex-private Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA collection; ex-private Colorado, USA collection, purchased in Papua New Guinea in the 1970s to early 1980s
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.
#147694Rich patina on all surfaces, especially the wood, skull, and shell. Light wear to the feathers. The headband is not totally attached to the skull. There is no lower jaw.Condition
- Shipping Info
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