Lot 110
North America, Southwestern United States, New Mexico, Mimbres Valley, ca. 950 to 1200 CE. A beautiful hand-built pottery bowl decorated with an enigmatic creature that might represent a feline or racoon-like animal, painted in the center of the broad basin. The vessel rests on a rounded yet stable base, with an unpainted exterior showing light gray firing clouds and plain hemispherical walls. The interior is finished with white slip, and adorned with solid, concentric bands of red-orange pigment and stepped geometric shapes. A kill hole is placed in the center of the stylized animal - potentially a fierce puma or a mischievous coati, both known to the peoples of the southwest. The creature, with its lengthy tail, perked ears, and interior motif of interlocking lines, creates a bold and charming form. Size: 10" Diameter x 4.5" H (25.4 cm x 11.4 cm)
The Mimbres people occupied the mountain and river valleys of southwestern New Mexico; the name we know them by is from the Spanish word for the willows that grew alongside the river valleys. The artists responsible for creating pottery vessels like this were women, and the remains of many Mimbres women have been found in burial sites accompanied by pottery making tools.
This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full printed and bound report will accompany the item upon purchase.
Please note this item may fall under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and may not be eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.
Provenance: private Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, USA collection; ex-Artemis Gallery; ex-private Niwot, Colorado, USA collection
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.
#188968
- Condition: Restoration to center kill hole area and overpainting to animal body. Hairline fissure radiating from kill hole to rim. TL hole near exterior base and second TL hole on exterior rim. Overall beautiful preservation of motifs and light firing clouds.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 27.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| 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 |