Lot 83A
**First Time At Auction**
Pre-Columbian, Peru, Chimu, ca. 1100 to 1400 CE. A silver kero or drinking vessel comprised of sheet silver, hammer-molded to form a drinking cup depicting a stylized human/bird head with bold repoussé facial features and coiffure, having a flared headdress adorned with a band of circular motifs, perhaps representing corn kernels as fermented corn beer or chicha was and continues to be a favored beverage in Peru, framed by diagonally striated registers, the flat rim with a finely incised cross-hatched design. Size: 4.125" W x 9.25" H (10.5 cm x 23.5 cm)
On the back of the figure's head are two corn cobs modeled in relief, another detail that suggests this beaker was used for ceremonial chicha (corn beer) ceremonies, and that the figure may represent the corn god. A similar example is illustrated in "Rain of the Moon: Silver in Ancient Peru" (Metropolitan Museum of Art, p. 53, ill. 25) The kero form was also created by Huari and Inca cultures as well as other peoples of the ancient world. However, the indigenous of Peru created these for more than domestic purposes. Rather they were used during life and after life at funerary ceremonies that incorporated intricate religious libations and imbibing rites. To create this piece, the ancient metalsmith hammered a silver piece into a very thin sheet, approximately the size of the finished work. Then the artisan used fine-grained stone anvils and hammer stones made of hematite or green porphyry, sometimes with animal hide attached, and a wooden template was used to create the form and its repoussé ornamentation, as the metalsmith hammered the silver sheet upon the wooden template.
Provenance: Ex- Neil Becker collection, Harrison, NYC, Ex J. Carpa collection, ex Sotheby's
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#120360
- Condition: Silver sheet shows bending, several small losses, tears, and expected tarnish as shown.
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| 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 |