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THBTairona Pottery Caiman Effigy Vessel
Lot 88
About Seller
Artemis Fine Arts
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
Categories
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,500 - $2,250
Starting Bid
$750
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Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $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 Fine Arts
Aug 22, 2025
Set Reminder
2025-08-22 10:00:00
2025-08-22 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa Fe, NM
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/indigenous-art---ralph-t-coe-center-santa-fe-nm-20324
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
View Full Catalog (452)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Colombia, Tairona region, ca. 1000 to 1550 CE. A fabulous pottery vessel in the form of a caiman featuring a dramatically arching body and 2 spouts - one wide and flared at the center and the other tapering at the end, doubling as the creatures tail. Supported by a pedestal base, the creature displays a padded foot at each corner and an upward facing head with a square snout of barred teeth, prominent nostrils, and stylized raised eyes. Size: 10.1" L x 6.8" W x 8.5" H (25.7 cm x 17.3 cm x 21.6 cm)
The caiman (also sometimes spelled cayman) was commonly featured in human-animal hybrid material culture of ancient Colombian artwork. The Tairona lived in circular house platforms with areas of the houses divided for labor by gender. Ceramic manufacture seems to have been the realm of the women in the household, and small burnishing stones used for smoothing the surface of pottery prior to firing have been found in their areas. Effigy jars like this one were made specifically to be placed into tombs.
Cf. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (M.2007.146.417) and University of Miami Lowe Art Museum (2001.10.07).
Provenance: private Owen collection, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA, acquired in the 1990s from a US-based dealer
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.
#190038Professionally repaired with some restoration; all done very well and difficult to notice. Small chips to rim of tapered spout and edge of base, as well as some minor nicks and abrasions as shown, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, very nice presentation with good remaining detail and rich earthen deposits throughout.Condition
- Shipping Info
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