Description:

Pre-Columbian, Northern Peru, Vicus culture, ca. 200 BCE to 600 CE. A delightful pottery whistling vessel presenting a tapered midsection and 2 convex, circular faces - 1 capped by a conical spout and the other by a zoomorphic creature resembling a bird - all enveloped in vibrant red slip with liberal remains of black and beige striated patterns. The charming avian sits with wings tucked, displaying an ovoid body and tubular legs, each bent at the knee for both talon-like feet to rest on the vessel. His round head showcases huge, bulging eyes above a lengthy beak with a prominent basal knob. A slender, strap handle connects the verso of the zoomorph to the spout and a slender hole below the bird's head allows the vessel to produce a high-pitched whistle when blown into. Size: 7.5" L x 6.5" W x 9.2" H (19 cm x 16.5 cm x 23.4 cm)

Provenance: private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection, aquired before 2010; ex-Heritage Auctions, New York, New York, USA, 2010 December New York Signature Pre-Columbian Art Auction #6056, lot #56353

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#170298

  • Condition: Still functions as a whistle. Professionally repaired with restoration over some break lines and others visible. Expected nicks and abrasions, as shown. Otherwise, excellent with liberal remains of pigment.

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August 18, 2022 8:00 AM MDT
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Artemis Fine Arts

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