Colombian Gold Pendant, One of Just Four Known, Headed to Heritage Ethnographic Art Auction

Event features Property from Important New York Collection DOWNLOAD DIGITAL PRESS KIT DALLAS, Texas (June 7, 2022) — A rare Colombian Gold Pendant could fetch $200,000 or more June 15 in Heritage Auctions' Ethnographic Art: Property from an Important New York Collection Signature® Auction. The Superb Quimbaya Gold Pendant (estimate: $150,000-200,000) comes from Colombia's Cuaca Valley, and is one of the nation's finest expressions of goldwork. The presence of four suspension holes at the sides of the face – two above each ear – indicate this pendant (300-600 AD) likely was the centerpiece of a necklace, strung perhaps with gold or gemstone beads. "This is an extraordinary pendant, and it really is indicative of the quality that can be found in this beautifully curated collection," says Delia Sullivan, Director of Ethnographic and American Indian Art at Heritage Auctions. "The face is absolutely sculptural and serene, with slit eyes, a thin elongated nose and a triangular ornament beneath the nose. "The beautiful appearance is matched by the rarity of this magnificent piece. It comes from a rare group of small human Colombian face pendants, and it is believed to be one of just four such examples. One is in the British Museum, and there is another of about the same size (3-1/2 inches) in a private American collection, but it is not as beautiful as this one, and there is a fourth in the Museo de Oro, in Bogota. Considering its condition, it is very possible that this is the very best Quimbaya gold maskette in existence." Also among the Pre-Columbian highlights in the sale is a Large Teotihuacan Tripod Vessel Central Mexico, Early Classic, circa 100-400 AD (estimate: $40,000-60,000). This unusually large (diameter: 12-3/4 inches) piece's aesthetic appeal is matched by its importance: it depicts the two most important deities of Teotihuacan. It includes two carved plano-relief panels – one with a frontal view of the Great Goddess, the principal deity of Teotihuacan, with bisected goggle eyes, serpent tongue, and bird headdress; the other with a frontal view of the War Serpent with snarling face and clawed feet. Warriors on murals at the ancient city of Teotihuacan typically are shown wearing this image as a headdress. Tribal From the Democratic Republic of Congo comes an Important Kongo Yombe Seated Figure (estimate: $120,000-150,000). This large (13 inches tall) figure has been included in two important publications and the exhibitions Power and Majesty: Art of the Kongo Masters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, 2016, and The Inner eye: Vision and Transcendence in African Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2017. The main feature of the figure (c. 1900) is the extraordinary effect of the facial expression, at once intense and gentle, with an omnipresent gaze enhanced by the painted glass eyes. The sensuous lips are parted and have a hole between that was designed to hold substances believed to magically charge or empower the spirit embodied in the figure. Also offered is a Biwat Mask (estimate: $40,000-50,000), from the Yuat River in Papua New Guinea. Carved in wood with black, red-orange and white natural pigments, the figure (c. 1900) features a woven basketry flange with loops around perimeter and human hair beard at chin. The appealing face has a surreal element of a raised line swooping down from the circular eyes to end at the back of the ears. In very good condition; pigments faded on the forehead and much of the white missing, minor losses to the back perimeter. Indian A Large Sikyatki Polychrome Canteen (estimate: $20,000-30,000) is an oversized (14-1/2 inch) is from an archeological site and former Hopi village on the eastern side of First Mesa, in what is now Arizona's Navajo County. This beautiful example is painted in red and black over a pale yellow slip. With central raised boss enclosed by frieze of geometric avian motifs. This magnificent canteen (c. 1400-1625 AD) features bird tails extending outward, marking the cardinal directions. This example includes two small handles, one on each side, and a design resembling a modern compass. Also offered is a Sikyatki Polychrome Bowl (estimate: $18,000-22,000). This basin (diameter: 10-1/4 inches) is decorated with an eagle design, painted in red and black against a creamy yellow slip. Other top lots include, but are not limited to:   •  An Olmec Reclining Figure from Las Bocas, Mexico, Early Pre-Classic Period, c. 1200-900 BC (estimate: $30,000-50,000)   •  A Huari Ceremonial Cup from Peru, c. 600-900 AD (estimate: $25,000-35,000)   •  A Important Maya Pendant – Mesoamerica, Late Classic Period, c. 600-900 AD (estimate: $25,000-35,000+)   •  An Outstanding Kongo Power Figure, nkisi - Democratic Republic of Congo, c. 1900 or earlier (estimate: $20,000-30,000) Images and information for all lots can be found at HA.com/8105. Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world's largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Geneva, Amsterdam and Hong Kong. Heritage also enjoys the highest Online traffic and dollar volume of any auction house on earth (source: SimilarWeb and Hiscox Report). The Internet's most popular auction-house website, HA.com, has more than 1,500,000 registered bidder-members and searchable free archives of five million past auction records with prices realized, descriptions and enlargeable photos. Reproduction rights routinely granted to media for photo credit. For breaking stories, follow us: HA.com/Facebook and HA.com/Twitter . Link to this release or view prior press releases . Steve Lansdale, Public Relations Specialist 214-409-1699; SteveL@HA.com