Two Moche High Quality Gold & Silver Tweezers (Auction 2026-05-15, Lot 45)

Sold

Pre-Columbian, Peru, Moche to Chimu culture, ca. 700 to 1450 CE. A pair of tweezers hammered and shaped from thin sheets of tumbaga, a gold-silver and copper alloy. Each piece features a folded upper section, pierced for attachment, allowing them to be worn as personal ornaments as well as functional tools. The broad, teardrop-shaped bodies taper to fine gripping ends, demonstrating careful shaping and control of the metal. Size of largest: 1.5″ L x 0.8″ W (3.8 cm x 2 cm); smallest: 0.9″ L x 0.4″ W (2.3 cm x 1 cm); silver quality: 50.8% to 56.4%; gold quality: 36.9% to 44.2% (equivalent to 8K+ to 10K+); total combined weights: 4.8 grams

Provenance: private Colorado, USA Collection

Good. Intact and stable. Dark patina and toning, with some minor surface scratches.