Pre-Columbian, Peru, Chavin, ca. 900 to 500 BCE; Chimu, ca. 900 to 1470 CE. A remarkable pair of pottery vessels that showcase the artistry of two major Andean cultures. The first, a Chavin stirrup-spout vessel, is made of chocolate-hued clay and bears intricate stippled motifs across its rounded body, with carefully arranged dot patterns suggesting textile-like designs. The stirrup form, a hallmark of early Andean ceramic traditions, not only provided structural strength but also served as a symbolic conduit between earthly and spiritual realms. The second vessel, a Chimu blackware jar, presents an anthropomorphic visage with stylized facial features modeled in relief, framed by elaborate leaf motifs encircling the shoulder. The Chimu were masters of reduction-fired ceramics, producing glossy black surfaces that conveyed both elegance and symbolic depth. The combination of human representation with vegetal ornament reflects their artistic blending of natural and supernatural themes. Size of larger (stirrup): 4.5" Diameter x 8.5" H (11.4 cm x 21.6 cm)

Together, these vessels highlight the diversity of form and decoration across time and region in pre-Columbian Peru, uniting the early religious iconography of Chavin with the refined blackware traditions of the later Chimu.

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; stirrup: ex-Arte Primitivo, New York, New York, USA, July 26, 2024, lot 183; ex-New York City, New York, USA collection, acquired from Arte Primitivo, auction 55 lot 183; ex-Hoffman collection, Stuttgart, Germany; blackware: ex-Los Angeles Modern Auctions, Los Angeles, California, USA, July 22, 2025; ex-private California, USA collection

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#197183

Chimu has loss with chipping to spout. Chavin has bee repaired with break line visible. Both have expected surface wear and scattered earthen deposits.