A solid gold frog, pictured right, 3 x 2 1/2in (7.5 x 6.5cm) and weighing 53gm, from the Costa Rica-Panama border region
(800-1200AD), with spiral patterning down the back, four larger spirals around the mouth, and outsize back feet in the form of flattened rectangular plaques, took an expected €11,500 (£7900).
The same price rewarded a wooden Taino potion receptacle, 3 x 9in (8 x 24cm) from what is now the Dominican Republic (1000-1500AD), with incised spirals along the sides and a Zumi bust with raised arms at each end, symbolising contact with the gods.
Textiles also featured at the sale, led by a multi-coloured Sihuas banner from Peru (300-600 A.D.), with stylised, near-symmetrical Chaman and giant phallus patterning, 4ft 9in x 5ft 11in (1.45 x 1.81m). Perhaps hindered by restoration to “around 15 per cent of the surface”, this sold short of estimate for €6700 (£4600).
The third recent sale at Drouot to major on pre-Columbian art was staged by Boscher-Studer-Fromentin (17.94% buyer’s premium) on March 5. The sale was around 45 per cent sold by volume and the only lot to sell for over €2000 was this Nayarit stylised pottery figure (Mexico, 100BC-200AD) of a kneeling woman with powerful shoulders, 18in (45.5cm) high, that made a mid-estimate €4500 (£3000).
£1 = €1.5
TRIBAL ART SALES IN FRANCE
THE 330-lot tribal art sale at Blanchet & Associés (17.94% buyer’s premium) back on January 30 featured 173 pre-Columbian pieces. These achieved a 70 per cent take-up, with a top price of €14,500 (£10,000) for a polished stone ritual Hacha from Guatemala, right, 9 1/2 x 7 1/2in (24 x 19.5cm), whose relief decoration took the form of the profiled face of a dead man, topped by the giant, curved fang of the sacred serpent.
