Description:

Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Olmec culture, ca. 1200 to 400 BCE. A substantial serpentine celt, hand-carved in a striking mottled black and green stone with white veining. This piece has been meticulously flaked and polished to a reflective sheen, achieving an elegant, tapering form with a rounded handle and a curved blade edge. Such celts, crafted from rare and beautiful materials, were likely intended for ceremonial or funerary purposes, symbolizing status, spiritual authority, and the Olmec connection to fertility and the divine. Size: 3.5" L x 2" W x 8" H (8.9 cm x 5.1 cm x 20.3 cm); 8.5" H (21.6 cm) on included custom stand.

Celts were associated with ears of corn, the V-shape being associated with the husk from which the cob emerged. At La Venta (a coastal city near present day Tabasco), caches of celts were discovered planted vertically like miniature stelae. The blunt end of this celt would suggest a similar use, and when placed in a vertical position its appearance is much more dramatic. In this stance the celt served to define the central axis mundi and the corners of the four-sided world, regarded as a cosmic maize field.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection, acquired 2014; ex-New York Gallery, New York, New York, USA

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.

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#190025

    Condition:
  • Abrasions along the curved blade edge, and repair with stabilizing adhesive added to fill a fissure along the white striation that loops downward. Abrasion to center of celt near blunt end. Smooth and highly polished.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

SHIPPING LOGISTICS: As a courtesy to our clients worldwide, Artemis Gallery is happy to handle shipping for most lots sold, taking the hassle (and high cost!) out of having to arrange shipping on your own. Shipping costs will be added to your invoice at auction's end based on information given when you registered to bid - we strive to offer the most economical shipping costs to ensure safe transit. Our shippers of choice are DHL for International shipments and UPS for domestic shipments, but we are able to ship via other carriers at the buyer's expense as deemed necessary or by request.

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January 17, 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