Pre-Columbian, Central Coast Peru, Chimu, ca. 1100 to 1470 CE. A splendid mold-made pottery vessel featuring a unique form in the shape of 6 gourds lined in 2 rows of 3 with a high arching handle and flared spout. The front 2 and back 2 display tubular connectors from which the handle rises. All presenting bulbous bodies with corseted mid-sections, the lush vegetables are decorated by a lovely stippled motif. The handle of the ancient vessel is also beautifully adorned with a pair of birds sitting on either side of the spout, each exhibiting incised feathers, annular eyes, and large beaks, while the area below the rim displays a finely rendered visage, comprised of bulging, almond-shaped eyes, a projecting, curved nose, and full lips held slightly open, all flanked by a pair of sizeable ears. Boasting a lustrous burnish atop a black glaze, this vessel is a unique example from ancient Chimu culture! Size: 5.125" L x 3.75" W x 6.5" H (13 cm x 9.5 cm x 16.5 cm)

Provenance: ex-Stein collection, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA, acquired prior to 2010

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#164295

Handle reattached with restoration over break lines. Restoration to the bottom of one gourd. Chips to rim, as well as nicks and abrasions throughout, commensurate with age. Otherwise, very nice with lovely earthen deposits in recessed areas.