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THBRare Aztec Stone Tenon in Snake Form
Lot 220a
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:
$18,000 - $25,000
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Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
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| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $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
Oct 7, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-10-07 10:00:00
2021-10-07 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographic Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-fine-art-7537
Museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (371)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Mexico City region, Aztec, ca. 1425 to 1532 CE. A fierce grey volcanic stone architectural tenon in the form of a serpent's leering head. The stone has been carved using drills and strings, then smoothed with sandstone, so that the wide end of the tenon is the animal's head, while the narrow end is a long, thick, undecorated projection. The serpent has a curlicue nose, large eyes, a mouth full of teeth including huge fangs at the front edges, and textured scale features on the top of its head. The shape of the face is very similar to that on the famous double-headed serpent mosaic pectoral currently at the British Museum (Am1894,-.634). Size: 14.25" L x 5.5" W x 3.5" H (36.2 cm x 14 cm x 8.9 cm); 9" H (22.9 cm) on included custom stand.
In Aztec - and other Mesoamerican - iconography, the serpent is associated with fertility and water. The Nahuatl word for serpent is "coatl," and mythological serpents like the god Quetzalcoatl were believed to have the power to bridge between the different words of Aztec cosmology - the underworld, the sky, and the world of earth and water. As with many cultures around the world, their physical characteristics fascinated the Aztecs and lead them to conclude that they must have magical properties. This architectural element would have been a magnificent addition to a building in a public space in the Aztec world.
Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico USA collection, by inheritance 2016; ex-collection of Allen Davis, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, 2015; ex-Lothar-Heubel Antiques, Koln, Germany, acquired 1965
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.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#124511Stone has a lightly pitted surface from weathering. Very light encrustation in the lower profile areas. Absolutely fantastic preservation of form.Condition
- Shipping Info
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All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
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