Description:

Pre-Columbian, Peruvian Coast, Chancay Culture, c. 1200 CE. The Chancay peoples appreciated llamas for their utility as well as endearingly contrarian personality. The llama was the only domesticated animal of the ancient Americas that served as a beast of burden. This llama effigy is elegantly simple in form and decoration, as is characteristic of Chancay artistry. Its body assumes the shape of a sweet potato with one end turned up to represent a tail and the other extended to represent the head and neck. The cone-shaped legs are short by design, ideal for supporting this fragile ceramic form. The form is slip-decorated in a black on cream background with details indicating a striped saddle blanket and spotted coat. While this llama is far from a realistic interpretation of this animal, the artisan did care to indicate its male genitalia discretely represented on the underside of the piece. 7-1/2"L x 4-1/4"T x 2-3/4"W Ex-George Martin Collection, Georgia, USA All items in this auction are legal to buy/sell under U.S. statute covering cultural patrimony per United States Code 2600, CHAPTER 14 -- CONVENTION ON CULTURAL PROPERTY, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

  • Condition: Small chip on tail. Normal surface wear. Intact and excellent.

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March 14, 2014 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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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 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000