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THBFine Valdivian Limestone Owl Plaque
Lot 45a
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
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$3,000 - $4,500
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| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
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| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Jul 25, 2019
Set Reminder
2019-07-25 10:00:00
2019-07-25 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Pre-Columbian | Tribal | Ethnographic
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/pre-columbian-tribal-ethnographic-4291
Featuring ancient and ethnographic art from around the world, including Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Ethnographic, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Fine Art, much more. Many Oceanic pieces from an important Tucson, Arizona collection, first time at auction!! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Featuring ancient and ethnographic art from around the world, including Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Ethnographic, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Fine Art, much more. Many Oceanic pieces from an important Tucson, Arizona collection, first time at auction!! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (363)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Earliest Horizon, Valdivian culture, ca. 2300 to 2000 BCE. A finely-carved limestone plaque depicting a highly-abstract owl with folded wings, petite legs, a trapezoidal head with square-form eyes, and a delineated neck line just above a downward-pointed triangular beak. The avian details are deeply carved with strong straight and angular lines along the obverse face, and the verso is unadorned. The aesthetic is remarkably in line with the penchant for minimalism that appeals to our modern sensibilities and, yet, bespeaks of the ancient world. Size: 5.7" W x 8.2" H (14.5 cm x 20.8 cm); 8.625" H (21.9 cm) on included custom stand.
Ancient stone stelae from Ecuador, like this example, are some of the oldest stone sculptures known to exist in the Americas, dating as far back as 3500 BCE. Certainly each stele is unique; however, they do share a few common characteristics. They are usually carved from a pearly grey stone and are for the most part "blockish" in form, though this example shows rounded contours. The four most prominent themes of ancient Valdivian artistry include owls like this example, the "serpent/arrow," the sun chart, and the star chart.
The owl was widely symbolic in the Pre-Columbian world. Owls were considered to be of shamanic importance by many, guiding humans on their journeys to other worlds, the divine, and death. In some cultures, an anthropomorphic owl represents a warrior of great prominence or a god of war. As a nocturnal bird of prey, the owl was also associated with night hunters, darkness, and even the underworld itself.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private Patrick Hardy collection, Texas, USA
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.
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#146360Head reattached to neck with some stabilization material along break lines. Minor abrasions and nicks to obverse, peripheries, and verso, with light encrustations. Light earthen deposits throughout.Condition
- Shipping Info
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