Description:

Pre-Columbian, Northern Peru, Inca, ca. 1438 to 1533 CE. A wonderful redware vessel in the form of a catfish, with a long body, a horseshoe-shaped head presenting beady eyes and an open mouth that reveals many teeth delineated in low relief, fins delineated in high relief, and a tall spout with a bowl-shaped mouth emerging from the back. The surface boasts a rich russet red hue and is covered with black dots, while the underside is a creamy beige. Inca peoples who lived near the coast enjoyed fish in their diets. Using reed boats known as caballitos de tortora (little reed horses) so named for the straddled manner in which they are ridden, fisherman caught sea bass, tuna, salmon, sardines, anchovies, shellfish, as well as sea catfish (Galeichthys peruvianus). Size: Size: 10.125" L x 4.25" H (25.7 cm x 10.8 cm)

Provenance: private Hidden Valley Lake, California, USA collection, purchased September 5, 2019; ex-Artemis Gallery; ex-private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Dr. Fischer collection, Germany

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.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#170701

  • Condition: Intact with only minor surface wear. Hole at one tip of the tail suggests this was a whistling vessel.

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April 14, 2022 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$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