Live
May 14, 10:00AM EDT

Pre-Columbian Art, Featuring the Collection of Ruth Begun

Auction ended

Featured Items

94 Results
Sort by
  • Pre-Columbian Pottery Seated Figure, Possibly Nayarit
    Estimate
    $200 - $300
    Lot 49

    Pre-Columbian Pottery Seated Figure, Possibly Nayarit

    Est.
    $200 - $300
  • Nayarit Chinesco Redware Kneeling Figure
    Estimate
    $500 - $700
    Lot 50

    Nayarit Chinesco Redware Kneeling Figure

    Est.
    $500 - $700
  • Nayarit Pottery Figures
    Estimate
    $150 - $300
    Lot 51

    Nayarit Pottery Figures

    Est.
    $150 - $300
  • Veracruz "Sonriente" Pottery Figure and Head Fragment
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 52

    Veracruz "Sonriente" Pottery Figure and Head Fragment

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Veracruz Guardian Pottery Figures
    Estimate
    $150 - $300
    Lot 53

    Veracruz Guardian Pottery Figures

    Est.
    $150 - $300
  • Veracruz "Sonriente" Pottery Head
    Estimate
    $150 - $300
    Lot 54

    Veracruz "Sonriente" Pottery Head

    Est.
    $150 - $300
  • Pre-Columbian Pottery Priest and Priestess, Possibly Veracruz
    Estimate
    $200 - $400
    Lot 55

    Pre-Columbian Pottery Priest and Priestess, Possibly Ve...

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • Veracruz "Sonriente" Standing Figure
    Estimate
    $300 - $500
    Lot 56

    Veracruz "Sonriente" Standing Figure

    Est.
    $300 - $500
  • Veracruz Mother and Child Whistle
    Estimate
    $300 - $400
    Lot 57

    Veracruz Mother and Child Whistle

    Est.
    $300 - $400
  • Veracruz Pottery Heads
    Estimate
    $150 - $300
    Lot 58

    Veracruz Pottery Heads

    Est.
    $150 - $300
  • Veracruz Pottery Figures
    Estimate
    $150 - $300
    Lot 59

    Veracruz Pottery Figures

    Est.
    $150 - $300
  • Veracruz Pottery Head and Figure
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 60

    Veracruz Pottery Head and Figure

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Pre-Columbian Pottery Figure, Possibly Veracruz
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 61

    Pre-Columbian Pottery Figure, Possibly Veracruz

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Pre-Columbian Jade Carvings
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 62

    Pre-Columbian Jade Carvings

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Pre-Columbian Carved Stone Amulet
    Estimate
    $75 - $150
    Lot 63

    Pre-Columbian Carved Stone Amulet

    Est.
    $75 - $150
  • Pre-Columbian Jade and Pottery
    Estimate
    $75 - $150
    Lot 64

    Pre-Columbian Jade and Pottery

    Est.
    $75 - $150
  • Pre-Columbian Style Carved Stone Mask
    Estimate
    $75 - $150
    Lot 65

    Pre-Columbian Style Carved Stone Mask

    Est.
    $75 - $150
  • Selection of Pre-Columbian Fragments Mounted to Board
    Estimate
    $75 - $150
    Lot 66

    Selection of Pre-Columbian Fragments Mounted to Board

    Est.
    $75 - $150
  • Pre-Columbian Pottery Dogs
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 67

    Pre-Columbian Pottery Dogs

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Pre-Columbian Pottery Figures, Plus
    Estimate
    $100 - $300
    Lot 68

    Pre-Columbian Pottery Figures, Plus

    Est.
    $100 - $300
  • Pre-Columbian Pottery Heads, Plus
    Estimate
    $75 - $150
    Lot 69

    Pre-Columbian Pottery Heads, Plus

    Est.
    $75 - $150
  • Pre-Columbian Pottery Fertility Figure, Plus
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 70

    Pre-Columbian Pottery Fertility Figure, Plus

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Pre-Columbian Pottery Head Fragments
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 71

    Pre-Columbian Pottery Head Fragments

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Jalisco Redware Female Figure
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 72

    Jalisco Redware Female Figure

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Jalisco Pottery Male Fertility Figure
    Estimate
    $150 - $300
    Lot 73

    Jalisco Pottery Male Fertility Figure

    Est.
    $150 - $300
  • Jalisco Redware Pottery Seated Figural Vessel
    Estimate
    $200 - $400
    Lot 74

    Jalisco Redware Pottery Seated Figural Vessel

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • Jalisco Standing Pottery Female Figure
    Estimate
    $400 - $600
    Lot 75

    Jalisco Standing Pottery Female Figure

    Est.
    $400 - $600
  • Jalisco Redware Pottery Seated Dwarf
    Estimate
    $200 - $300
    Lot 76

    Jalisco Redware Pottery Seated Dwarf

    Est.
    $200 - $300
  • Pre-Columbian-Style Pottery Effigy Figures
    Estimate
    $150 - $300
    Lot 77

    Pre-Columbian-Style Pottery Effigy Figures

    Est.
    $150 - $300
  • Pre-Columbian Style Pottery Figural Vase
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 78

    Pre-Columbian Style Pottery Figural Vase

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Mayan Pottery Flute
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 79

    Mayan Pottery Flute

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Chontal Mayan or Olmec Jade Mask Pendant
    Estimate
    $200 - $400
    Lot 80

    Chontal Mayan or Olmec Jade Mask Pendant

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • Mayan Pottery Whistle
    Estimate
    $200 - $400
    Lot 81

    Mayan Pottery Whistle

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • Mayan Effigy Pipe
    Estimate
    $100 - $300
    Lot 82

    Mayan Effigy Pipe

    Est.
    $100 - $300
  • Mayan Pottery Figures
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 83

    Mayan Pottery Figures

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Mesoamerican Pottery Head
    Estimate
    $150 - $300
    Lot 84

    Mesoamerican Pottery Head

    Est.
    $150 - $300
  • Mesoamerican Pottery Figures, Plus
    Estimate
    $150 - $300
    Lot 85

    Mesoamerican Pottery Figures, Plus

    Est.
    $150 - $300
  • Teotihuacan Pottery Figures
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 86

    Teotihuacan Pottery Figures

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Mexican or Ecuadorian Pottery Head
    Estimate
    $100 - $300
    Lot 87

    Mexican or Ecuadorian Pottery Head

    Est.
    $100 - $300
  • 20th Century Mexican Pottery
    Estimate
    $25 - $50
    Lot 88

    20th Century Mexican Pottery

    Est.
    $25 - $50
  • Pottery Torso Signed A.H. Heller
    Estimate
    $25 - $50
    Lot 89

    Pottery Torso Signed A.H. Heller

    Est.
    $25 - $50
  • Chupicuaro Pottery Figures
    Estimate
    $200 - $400
    Lot 90

    Chupicuaro Pottery Figures

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • Carved Stone Mask, Probably Aztec
    Estimate
    $150 - $300
    Lot 91

    Carved Stone Mask, Probably Aztec

    Est.
    $150 - $300
  • Seated Pottery Fertility Figure, Possibly Aztec
    Estimate
    $100 - $200
    Lot 92

    Seated Pottery Fertility Figure, Possibly Aztec

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Guerrero Mezcala Stone Mask
    Estimate
    $400 - $600
    Lot 93

    Guerrero Mezcala Stone Mask

    Est.
    $400 - $600
  • Guerrero Stone Mask
    Estimate
    $200 - $400
    Lot 94

    Guerrero Stone Mask

    Est.
    $200 - $400

Auction Description

Pre-Columbian Art, Featuring the Collection of Ruth Begun by Cowan's Auctions

Included in this auction is a fine selection of pre-Columbian pottery, jade, and stone. The Collection of Ruth Begun is the culmination of a lifetime passion for pre-Columbian artwork, and features wonderful examples of Veracruz, Nayarit, and Jalisco pieces, including a redware Chinesco kneeling figure. Also featured are fine polychrome pottery vessels and carved stone and jade amulets.  

There is no in-person bidding for this auction. Live bidding will occur online or over the phone. You can register to phone bid on Cowan’s website or by calling 513-871-1670. Absentee bids will be accepted on Cowan’s website or Bidsquare.com

There is no preview for this auction. If you would like to look at an item in person at Cowan's Cleveland location, please contact the Cleveland office to set up an appointment by emailing lauren@cowans.com with the lot number of the piece(s) you would like to examine. Appointment times are limited and will be granted on a first come, first serve basis.

Auction
May 14, 2018 10:00 am ET

Contact
Lauren Casale
lauren@cowans.com

Buyer's Premium
23% for all bids placed online

Read more
Cowan's Auctions
United States

dawnie@cowans.com

Phone:+15138711670

Buyer’s Premium

Start Premium (%)
$0 28.00
$250,001 23.00
$3,000,001 15.00

Bid Increments

Start Increments ($)
$0 $25
$500 $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

Shipping Info

Once payment is received, shipping can be arranged directly with the following recommended Cleveland area shippers. You may contact the Cleveland office to arrange a pick-up time (cleveland@cowans.com, or 216-292-8300) or the main office to make other arrangements (513-871-1670).

The UPS Store
1284 Som Center Road

Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
Phone: (440) 461-5605
Fax: (440) 461-6654
Email: store0226@theupsstore.com

Falls Pack & Ship
46 Chagrin Plaza

Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
P: (440) 247-9340 
Email: fallspaknship@gmail.com

 

Read more

Terms & Conditions

By registering and bidding in an auction conducted by Cowan’s Auctions, Inc. (“Cowan’s”), Bidders (whether present in person, by telephone, by agent, by written or telephone absentee bid instruction, or through a live internet connection) agree to be bound by these terms. These are the complete and only terms and conditions on which all property is offered for sale. Cowan’s retains the right to bar any Bidder from participating in any auction and to exclude or reject any bid. 

1) ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS. Bidding on any item, whether in person, by phone, by absentee bid or via a live internet auction indicates the Bidder’s agreement to be bound by these Terms and Conditions for Bidders. Any right of Bidder under this agreement shall not be assignable and shall only be enforceable by the original buyer. The rights and obligations of the parties shall be governed by the laws of the state of Ohio. All Bidders submit to the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in Hamilton County in the State of Ohio.

2) REGISTRATION. All Bidders must register their name, permanent street address (no P.O. Boxes), and telephone number prior to the auction. Unless known to Cowan’s, all registrants are required to present two forms of identification, at least one of which must include a current photograph. Bidders may be required to present a valid credit card. By registering with Cowan’s or submitting an absentee bid form, registrant authorizes Cowan’s to obtain a copy of his or her consumer credit report and authorizes Cowan’s, at its sole discretion, to use the information contained therein to make business decisions regarding the registrant’s participation in the bidding process.

3) TERMS OF SALE. Announcements made the day of auction take precedence over any previous communication. The auctioneer reserves the right to withdraw any lot at any time before its final sale and to reject any bid for any reason. The highest Bidder for each lot acknowledged by the auctioneer shall be the “buyer”. If any dispute arises as to any bidding, or between two or more Bidders, at the sole discretion of the auctioneer, the successful Bidder will be determined or the disputed lot shall be put up again at the last undisputed bid and resold.

4) BUYER’S PREMIUM. (a) Buyer’s Premium for live “Antique and Modern Firearms” auctions; the Auctioneer will collect and retain from the Buyer, as additional commission, a premium equal to 17.5% the Sale Price of each Lot up to and including $500,000, plus 10% of the amount by which the Sale Price exceeds $500,000.
(b) Buyer’s Premium for all other auctions the Auctioneer will collect and retain from the Buyer, as additional commission, a premium equal to 20% the Sale Price of each Lot up to and including $500,000, plus 15% of the amount by which the Sale Price exceeds $500,000.
(c) Buyer’s Premium for online, timed and other third-party bidding platforms may vary.

5) ESTIMATES AND RESERVES. Presale estimates are intended to be guides and may or may not reflect the ultimate hammer price of a lot. Cowan’s retains the right to change estimates on any lot up to time of sale. A reserve is a confidential minimum price agreed upon by the Seller of the lot and Cowan’s. In the case of reserved lots, the Seller has authorized Cowan’s to bid on Seller’s behalf until the reserve price is reached. In no case will the reserve be higher than the low presale estimate. Unless otherwise stated, Cowan’s standard house reserve on all property at auction is one-half of the low estimate.

6) WARRANTIES AND DISCLAIMERS. Cowan’s makes a limited warranty only to the original buyer of record concerning the authenticity of each lot for a period of 14 days after Bidder’s receipt of the purchased lot. If a buyer is not satisfied that the lot purchased is genuine, the buyer may, at his or her own expense, obtain the opinion of two mutually agreed upon recognized experts in the field of the disputed lot. If these experts determine that the item is not genuine, the buyer’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the rescission of the sale and refund of the amount paid for the item. It is specifically understood and agreed that the rescission of the sale and refund is exclusive and in lieu of any other remedy which might otherwise be available as a matter of law or in equity, and such remedy is conditioned upon the buyer returning the property in the same condition as at the time of sale. Cowan’s shall not be liable for any incidental or consequential damages. All sales are final, with no returns or refunds except as provided in this limited warranty.

Except as provided in the immediately preceding paragraph, EVERY LOT IS SOLD “AS IS”, without any representations or warranties by Cowan’s or the Seller as to merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, condition or value of the property, or the correctness or completeness of the catalog or other description of the property, and no statement, whether written or oral, shall be deemed such a representation, warranty or assumption of liability. Cowan’s makes no representation or warranty that the buyer of manuscript material, photographs, prints or works of art will acquire any copyright or reproduction rights. Cowan’s does not guarantee the working order of any clock, watch, electronic or mechanical device. Dimensions given in the catalog descriptions may be approximate.

7) INSPECTION. Prospective buyers are advised to personally examine any lots in which they are interested prior to the auction. All lots are available for inspection prior to the auction. Condition reports for most items can be found online at Cowan’s website, www.cowans.com, and prospective Bidders are encouraged to contact Cowan’s directly for additional information regarding the condition of any lot. Cowan’s does not warrant the condition of any item. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.  Buyers interested in the condition of an item are encouraged to contact Cowan’s and, to the best of our ability, we will document for the prospective Bidder the condition status on any lot. Condition is always a subjective evaluation and final responsibility rests with the buyer to assess the condition of any item sold by Cowan’s.

8) DEFINITIONS OF AUTHORSHIP:

“By” or “Maker/Artist” — in our opinion, the work is by the artist or maker stated
“Attributed to” — in our opinion, the work is probably, but not definitely, by the artist or maker stated
“Signed” or “Marked” — in our opinion, the signature or mark is that of the stated artist or maker
“Bearing the signature (or mark) of” — in our opinion, the signature or mark is probably, but not definitely, that of the artist or maker stated
“Circle of” — in our opinion, the work is of the period and by an artist or maker closely associated with the stated artist or maker
“School of” — in our opinion, the work is by a pupil or follower of the stated artist or maker
“Manner of” — in our opinion, the work is of the period and done in the style of the stated artist or maker
“After” — in our opinion, the work is a copy of a work by the stated artist or maker

ABSENTEE, TELEPHONE AND INTERNET BIDDING

Absentee and telephone bidding is offered as a free service to our customers and prospective Bidders. Cowan’s shall not be responsible for any errors or failures in executing bids, either absentee, telephone or via the internet. Cowan’s cannot warrant or guarantee any phone or absentee bids made or altered on the day of the auction. All bids must be placed in U.S. Dollars and reflect the bid increments as defined by the Auctioneer.

9) ABSENTEE BIDDING. Absentee bids are accepted via phone, fax, email and on Cowan’s website. Such bids will be posted with the time and date of arrival, with ties being awarded to the earliest Bidder. Absentee bids that are faxed or emailed to Cowan’s need to be in the office at least 2 hours before the sale begins.

An absentee Bidder unknown to Cowan’s may be required to submit a bank letter of credit prior to the auction, or, using a credit card, deposit with Cowan’s a fee equaling 30% of the absentee bid.

All absentee bids are executed competitively by a member of the auction staff. The auction staff will try to purchase the lot for the lowest price possible and will bid up to the amount designated by the absentee Bidder only if necessary. Cowan’s does not accept “buy bids,” or absentee bids which have no limit. In the event of a tie bid between a floor and an absentee Bidder, the floor bid will be honored.

10) TELEPHONE BIDDING. Bidding live via the telephone is available on a first come, first served basis. In order for Cowan’s to efficiently serve the needs of those who wish to bid by phone, please note the following:
(a) To participate in the auction by telephone, potential Bidders must complete and sign the bid form and check “I WISH TO BID BY TELEPHONE” for the designated lots. Potential Bidders may also reserve a phone line on Cowan’s website. If faxing or emailing requests for phone bidding, they need to be in Cowan’s office 2 hours before the sale begins. Once the auction begins, bids left on Cowan’s website or emailed may not be retrieved by the staff.
(b) As a registered telephone bidder, Bidders are aware the bidding begin at the minimum of one half of the low estimate.
(c) Telephone Bidders are advised to indicate an “insurance bid”, which amount will become an absentee bid, pursuant to the absentee bidding process set forth above, if Cowan’s cannot reach the Bidder by telephone for a particular indicated lot. 
(d) Telephone Bidders must disable any caller ID or other call blocking mechanism.
(e) Cowan’s sells about 100 lots per hour, so telephone Bidders should plan accordingly. Cowan’s will attempt to reach each telephone Bidder, but Cowan’s is in no way responsible for missed calls.

11) INTERNET BIDDING. Internet bidding is available through our website; additionally, Cowan’s may post certain auctions on Bidsquare (bidsquare.com) or Proxibid (proxibid.com). There may be terms which apply solely to internet bids that should be reviewed online at the time of sale. Cowan’s is not responsible for any failure to execute a bid and shall have no liability to any Bidder for any technical or other failure associated with an internet auction.

12) BIDDING INCREMENTS. The following increments are used at the auction. Absentee bids must fall within these increments. Cowan’s will automatically adjust any absentee bid to the closest increment if the bid falls outside the published range of increments.

For Bids Falling Between     Bidding Increment
$0-500                                     $25  
$501-1,000                              $50  
$1,001-3,000                           $100  
$3,001-5,000                           $250  
$5,001 and up                         $500 or at the discretion of the auctioneer

Cowan’s reserves the right to modify increments at any time during the auction.

AFTER THE AUCTION

13) BUYER’S RESPONSIBILITY. Upon the fall of the hammer, title to the offered lot shall pass to the buyer and the buyer immediately (a) assumes full risk and responsibility for the lot, including liability for loss or damage and (b) is liable for payment of the Purchase Price (as defined below) to Cowan’s. It is the buyer’s responsibility to ask specific questions on condition related concerns prior to the auction. Cowan’s will not rescind sales with buyers that have disputes regarding firearm’s bore condition.

14) PURCHASE PRICE AND PAYMENT. The “Purchase Price” for each lot shall equal the hammer price, buyer’s premium, sales tax and, if applicable, all packing, handling, insurance and shipping costs. Buyers who are present at the auction must pay the full Purchase Price at the time of the sale. Buyers who bid by telephone, by internet, or who are absentee Bidders will be invoiced within 5 days after the close of the auction and must pay the full Purchase Price for each purchased lot within 14 days after the date of the auction. No property will be released by Cowan’s unless the Purchase Price has been paid in full and the payment has cleared.

Payments must be made with cash, personal or traveler’s check or credit card or wire transfers. Bidders from outside the continental United States are required to pay via wire transfer unless previously known to Cowan’s.  For Fine Jewelry, Coin and Currency, and Fine Silver auctions, Bidders previously unknown to Cowan’s may purchase up to $1,000 via credit card with the remaining balance settled via cash, personal or traveler’s check or credit card or wire transfers.

PLEASE NOTE: A surcharge of 3% will be assessed to all credit card transactions. This surcharge is not greater than our cost of acceptance.

Institutional billing may be available, and should be arranged prior to the auction.

Cowan’s may impose late charges of 1.5% per month (or the highest interest rate allowed) on any amount owed to Cowan’s that remains unpaid after 30 days. Buyer shall be liable for any collection costs or attorney’s fees incurred by Cowan’s to collect payment, to the extent permitted by law.

15) SALES TAX. Buyers are required to pay any applicable state and local sales tax.

16) SHIPPING. At the request of the buyer, Cowan’s will authorize the shipment of purchased items usually within two weeks after payment has been received. Shipment is generally made via UPS or Fed-Ex Ground.  Unless buyer gives special instructions, the shipping method shall be at the sole discretion Cowan’s Auctions. Cowan’s is in no way responsible for the acts or omissions of independent handlers, packers or shippers of purchased items or for any loss, damage or delay from the packing or shipping of any property.

ADVICE TO INTERNATIONAL BUYERS. Cowan’s will not ship any package containing a firearm to any location other than within the United States. Buyers outside the United States must make their own shipping arrangements taking full risk for the transportation of any firearm.

Property made of or containing certain plant or animal materials, such as coral, crocodile, ivory, whalebone, baleen, tortoiseshell, etc., may require a license or certificate before exportation from the United States and importation to another country. If a purchase contains these materials, the Buyer must check the government wildlife import requirements in the countries from which and to which the item is being shipped prior to bidding. Since the export and import licenses are independently issued by the countries of origin and destination, obtaining one does not guarantee that you can obtain the other. Purchasers are responsible for making timely payments on items won at auction, even if a license is delayed or denied.

17) SHIPPING CHARGES. Buyers are required to pay for all packing, shipping and insurance charges. Overseas duty charges are the responsibility of the successful Bidder. Be aware that for larger and/or valuable items, shipping charges can be substantial.

18) REMOVAL AND STORAGE OF PROPERTY AND CANCELLATION OF SALE. It is the responsibility of the Buyer to remove purchased property. If purchased property has not been removed, or Cowan’s has not received shipping instructions within 90 days after the auction date, Cowan’s may, at its option, cancel the sale, retaining as liquidated damages any payments made by the buyer, and/or resell the property at auction or by any other commercially reasonable means, for the account and at the risk of the buyer, and in such event, buyer shall be liable for the payment of all deficiencies plus all of Cowan’s costs, including but not limited to storage and costs of both sales. This right of cancellation is in addition to any and all other remedies available to Cowan’s. 

Copyright © 2018 Cowan’s Auctions