**First Time At Auction**

Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Manabi Province, Bahia culture, ca. 500 BCE to 500 CE; Manteno culture, ca. 600 to 1533 CE. A fabulous pair of mold-made, pottery figures, both shown standing and elaborately dressed, wearing collar necklaces, anklets, bracelets, and bifurcated headdresses. The Manabi redware figure holds both hands on his stomach, as his large head faces forward, displaying ovoid eyes, a triangular nose, and prominent ears. Alternatively, the Manteno blackware figure holds his arms to his sides and presents a zoomorphic visage with a round snout, delineated nostrils, incised eyes, and a closed mouth. Size (of largest): 1.7" W x 3" H (4.3 cm x 7.6 cm); 4.3" H (10.9 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA collection; ex-Minerva Gallery; ex-Benjamin Vega, California, USA, acquired in 2006 to 2007; ex-Gene and Virginia George, brought to the USA from 1961 to 1966

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 winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#167899

Redware figure has restoration to feet and nose. Blackware figure is intact. Both have expected light abrasions, as shown. Otherwise, both are excellent with nicely preserved details.