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THBWest Mexican Pottery and Obsidian Earspools and Labret
Lot 110
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
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$600 - $900
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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, West Mexico, Colima, Jalisco, and Michoacan, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A beautifully composed group of four personal ornaments from ancient western Mexico, showcasing both ceramic and obsidian traditions from three regional cultures. At the top are two near-matching earspools from the Colima culture, molded from fine reddish clay and shaped as circular disks with raised frontal reliefs of expressive human faces wearing elaborate headdresses. Likely modeled in honor of ancestral figures or deities, the stylized visages feature parted lips and closed eyes in a state of serene contemplation. Below are two obsidian ornaments. The cylindrical plug with outward-flaring disk comes from Michoacan and is a classic example of a polished obsidian earspool. Its smooth form and subtle translucence reflect the lapidary skill long associated with Purepecha artisans. The other, a long, tapering tube with squared lip, is a rare obsidian labret from Jalisco, worn in the lower lip by individuals of high status. Size of largest (pottery earspool): 1.8" W (4.6 cm)
Together these four objects evoke the complex visual and social identities cultivated by West Mexican peoples during the Late Formative and Early Classic periods. They would have signaled rank, community, and ceremonial affiliation - petite in scale, yet rich in meaning.
Provenance: private Fort Collins, Colorado, USA collection, acquired via inheritance
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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#195569Losses to one ceramic earspool and suspension hole to other; both have been repaired with break lines visible. Light surface wear to obsidian pieces, but otherwise intact with old collection labels on one side.Condition
- Shipping Info
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