Description:

Southern Africa, Zimbabwe, Shona peoples, ca. mid 20th century CE. A striking greenstone serpent, carved into a knotted, sinuous form, with one eye deeply incised and the other not present; the mouth is slightly open the tongue just barely emerging through a narrow slit carved into the stone. The large, triangular head is the focus of the sculpture, set slightly off center near the base, which is a low mound of stone. The sculpture is highly polished, so that it reflects light off of its green-toned surface. On the underside of the base, a signature is deeply incised into the stone, beginning with the capital letter "D". The Shona are a Bantu-speaking ethnic group; although today most are Christian, their pre-colonial religion saw snakes and other reptiles like crocodiles as symbols of great power. Size: 7.4" W x 11" H (18.8 cm x 27.9 cm)

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Dr Saul Tuttman collection, New York, USA

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.

#141389

  • Condition: Small chips from base. Surface wear commensurate with age including very light deposits in the lower profile areas. Signature on base is somewhat difficult to read. Collection number written in black marker on the base.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

January 24, 2019 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000