Description:

This stunning greenstone pendant, hailing from Costa Rica's Caribbean Watershed and dating to the Linea Vieja Period III (500 BCE - 500 CE), represents the iconic "Beak-bird" style unique to this region. Masterfully carved in profile, the bird features a strikingly long, spiraling bill—a distinctive form often seen in this cultural tradition. Created from a single piece of greenstone, the artisan used advanced techniques, such as a string saw with plant fibers or animal skin and abrasive materials, to shape the bill's intricate spiral. A drilled hole at the neck allows for suspension, suggesting this piece was once proudly worn as a pendant.. Size: 1.5" W x 1.8" H (3.8 cm x 4.6 cm)

A similar greenstone bird pendant can be found at Dumbarton Oaks under accession number PC.B.255. Another bird pendant hammered $6,931 (now equivalent to $11,400.77) at Christie's New York on November 12, 2004 (lot 87, Live Auction 1537, "Important Pre-Columbian Art A European Private Collection").

Provenance: private Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA collection, acquired 1969 to 1970; ex-Dr. Jorge Lineas, San Jose, Costa Rica

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.

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#187824

  • Condition: Light surface wear as shown, but otherwise intact and in excellent condition with smooth surfaces. Wearable as a pendant.

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January 9, 2025 8:00 AM MST
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 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000