A PRE - COLUMBIAN AZTEC PITCHER, " BLACK - ON - ORANGE " TYPE, POSTCLASSIC MEXICO
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:31745 | Material: Pottery |
| Aztec Postclassic Central Mexico: Rare due to massive destruction by Spanish. | Provenance: Ownership History Available |
A Supeb Pre-Columbian Aztec Pitcher, “Black-On-Orange”Style, Postclassic ca. A.D. 1400-1500.
Auction estimate: $1, 500-$2, 000. This beautifully painted pitcher, known as the “black-on-orange” design, was created and used within the Aztec world in Mexico, and dates to the Postclassic Period of the pottery tradition of Central Mexico, ca. A.D. 1400-1500 . This elegantly decorated pitcher is highly refined in contrast to Aztec pottery of an earlier pe...riod, which was artistically a much cruder version. The pitcher is adorned with three registers of complex geometric forms spiraling into fork-like ornamentation, and fine-line abstract motifs possibly representing reptilian and symbolic entities. Ancient deposits of manganese oxide and evidence of great age are visible in various locations over this important object. FSA:EA
Note: Few of this type of vessel survived due to the massive destruction of pottery and other cultural property by the Spanish. Comparisons: Similar examples of this type of Aztec pottery are located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. These vessels were made by hand, as the Aztecs had no pottery wheel.PROVENANCE: This pitcher was acquired from the La Jolla, California David & Ursula Fairchild Collection of Pre-Columbian Art. This collection was formed during the 1960s-’70s. This object was formerly in the collection of the Stendahl Gallery in Hollywood, California during the 1950s & 1960s, and has their inventory number inscribed on the base: “5597”. The pitcher was subsequently acquired by Val Verde Frontier Village in Donna, Texas, and sold to the Fairchilds during the early 1970s. This figure was formally appraised by Stendahl Gallery, Hollywood, California in 1982 at $750. It was listed as being from Cholula, Pueblo, Mexico. A copy of the appraisal page of the object will also be available to purchaser.Our low overhead allows us to offer quality objects at well below market prices. Every object is sold with an unconditional guarantee of authenticity, which never expires. This figure may be viewed by appointment in the Los Angeles or South Orange County area.
Height: Approx. 9.5 in. (24.1 cm.); Width: 8 in. including handle. (20.3 cm.).
Condition: This pitcher is intact and in good condition for a 700 year old object, with very old repairs near the spout and on the handle, and minor signs of wear near the base.
About Anthropos Fine Art
Founded in 1976 in the Los Angeles area as the Anthropos Gallery, specializing in Ancient and Tribal sculpture from the Old as well as the New World: Egyptian, Mediterranean, Pre-Columbian, and North American Indian and Eskimo Art, we are now exhibiting at the brick and mortar location of 860 Glenneyre Street, Suite 2, in Laguna Beach, California 92651. Appointments are always best for specific viewings.
Our primary focus is on the art of the western coastal regions of North America: the ancient sculpture of West Mexico, the antique art of the Pacific Northwest Coast, the art of the early California cultures, and the related Art of the Southwest. We also feature selected Egyptian and Mediterranean antiquities from our collection. We are members of ATADA (Antique Tribal Art Dealers Association), based in Santa Fe, NM, and L.A. Tribal (Los Angeles, CA) and are committed to scholarship and the highest ethical standards. We are always seeking quality works of art.
