Description:

**First Time At Auction**

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A brilliant orange spondylus shell carved into the form of a caiman, the body curving with the shape of the shell so that it appears to be flexing its spine. Incised details flesh out the animal, displaying how the artist has taken advantage of the natural material. The Colima would have known that the caiman was a powerful animal - even able to kill the jaguar. Images of the animal in ancient Mesoamerica were associated with the idea of the tree of life, and have been found at Tikal and Templo Mayor. Size: 1.3" W x 6" H (3.3 cm x 15.2 cm)

Provenance: private southern California, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s to mid-1980s

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#140887

  • Condition: Light deposits on surface. Form is clear.

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December 20, 2018 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$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