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THBMatched Moche Gilt Copper Earspools w/ Silver Snails
Lot 81
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:
$15,000 - $22,500
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Oct 22, 2020
Set Reminder
2020-10-22 10:00:00
2020-10-22 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Ancient & Ethnographic Art Through The Ages
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/ancient-ethnographic-art-through-the-ages-5850
Ancient art from Egypt, Greece, Italy and the Near East, as well as Asian, Fossils, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal / Oceanic, Fine art, and much more! All categories, all price ranges... all legally acquired and guaranteed to be as described or your money back. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Ancient art from Egypt, Greece, Italy and the Near East, as well as Asian, Fossils, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal / Oceanic, Fine art, and much more! All categories, all price ranges... all legally acquired and guaranteed to be as described or your money back. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (373)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Early Moche, Loma Negra, ca. 100 to 300 CE. An amazing pair of matching and incredibly large earspools with exceedingly long gilded copper tubular backings. Each gilded copper discoid form is adorned with a snail comprised of a 96% silver shell delineated in high relief and a greenstone mosaic body. Total weight: 78.7 grams. Precious Metal Composition: snail 96% silver, earspool body copper gilded with 20% gold. Size: each measures ~ 3.5" L x 2.875" W (8.9 cm x 7.3 cm); 5.875" H (14.9 cm) on included custom stand.
Interestingly, earspools such as these were commissioned by a very powerful lord who wanted to show his animal attributes. It is common to find jaguars and birds of prey depicted in earspools such as these, but we cannot help but wonder the reaction one received from being called the great "Snail Lord". He probably made decisions very slowly or was very slippery in battle. In all seriousness, the snail conveyed layers of metaphorical symbolism to the ancients of the Americas. We know that the Aztec moon god named Tecciztecatl, for example, had a snail shell on his back that was said to symbolize rebirth. The snail’s tendency to appear and disappear within its shell apparently drew parallels with the moon.
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Ian Arundel collection, California, USA, the Old Curiosity Cabinet, Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA, collected 1950-1970
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.
#108760Gilded copper shows some surface wear with scuffs to surface and minute nicks to peripheries. Otherwise both are very nice with wonderful patina. The silver snail shells present a few petite indentations and nice patina as well. Collection labels on versos of circular faces.Condition
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