Lot 65a, Auction 4/12/2026: 8 Costa Rican Pottery Zoomorph Figures

$390.00

In stock

Pre-Columbian, Costa Rica, ca. 500 BCE to 1500 CE. A lively grouping of eight Costa Rican pottery zoomorph figures, featuring stylized animal forms rendered with playful abstraction and tactile simplicity. The largest example, a hollow lizard-form whistle, remains functional, its cavity and mouthpiece intact, reflecting the dual role of such objects as both sculptural and acoustic instruments in ancient Central American life. The remaining figures, including compact quadrupeds and abstracted creature forms, display characteristic features of Costa Rican ceramic traditions, where rounded volumes, punctuated openings, and simplified anatomy suggest both ritual use and a deep familiarity with the natural world. Size: 4.3″ L x 2.3″ W x 2.6″ H (10.9 cm x 5.8 cm x 6.6 cm)

Condition: Most are fragments with losses, chips, nicks, and abrasions as shown. Whistle still functions. Scattered earthen deposits throughout.

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection; ex-major gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, primarily acquired between 1985 and 2005

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

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