A Fine & Rare Pre-Columbian Colima Warrior/Dancer Whistle Figure, ca. 300-100 BC

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

A Fine & Rare Pre-Columbian Colima Warrior/Dancer Whistle Figure, ca. 300-100 BC:
$495.00

A Fine & Rare Pre-Columbian Colima Standing Whistle Figure of a Warrior/Dancer, Late Preclassic, ca. 300 B.C. to 100 B.C.

This rare hollow ceramic standing figure, buff with vestiges of red pigment and the patina of great age overall, dates to the Late Preclassic Period of the West Mexican Colima sculptural tradition and the Tuxcacuesco-Ortices sub-style, ca. 300 B.C. to 100 B.C. At over 7 inches high, a much larger figure than the typical sculptural whistles of this genre (usually approx. 4 inches), this standing figure\'s “goggle” eyes, thick lips, and pointed nose are set amidst a headdress which is secured by quadruple banded appliqued clay straps which surround the face and forehead, and culminate in six-straps tapering upward to a whistle mouthpiece on the top of the head. On the upper arms multiple rows of “cicatrice” are attached as is common to warriors and ceremonial dancers from this Late Preclassic period in West Mexico. This securely adorned figure, holding a ritual baton or weapon, in addition to the multiple pellets on the upper arms and dancer\'s \"wings\" on the backside of the shoulders, protective shorts, wears the trappings of both a dancer and a warrior from the archaic Colima sculptural tradition. This archaic form has sometimes been referred to, in reference books, as the \"goggle eyes\" type. FSA:EA

Comparisons: Please see \"Sculpture of Ancient West Mexico: Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, The Proctor Stafford Collection\" M. Kan, C. Meighan, H.B. Nicholson, P. 147, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles, CA, 1989 for related examples of this style of whistles from the Late Preclassic period in Colima, although this example is much larger than the normal sizes of these types of sculptures. Found near the Volcan de Colima in modern day Jalisco, Mexico, but is an intrinsic part of the Colima sculptural tradition.Provenance: This figure is from a Tucson, Arizona Collection of Pre-Columbian Art. This collection was formed during the 1960s and was passed on to the heirs during the 2000s.Our low overhead allows us to offer high quality objects at well below market prices. We collect and offer exclusively interesting ancient and tribal objects with the highest art aesthetic available in each price range. Every object is sold with an unconditional guarantee of authenticity, which never expires.

Height: approx. 7.1 in. (18 cm.).

Condition: The thumbs are fragmented behind the baton. There is an age crack in the right eye. This hollow-headed sculpture is otherwise intact and in mint condition.

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.