**Originally Listed At $400**

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A finely hand-built Colima greyware vessel in the form of a duck, large in scale with a wonderfully burnished finish - notice the burnishing marks from the stone that was used to polish it. The potter of this duckie added fabulous details such as partially perforated round eyes, feathered wings applied to each side, as well as tailfeathers. Iconographically, in the Pre-Columbian world, ducks were viewed as sacred animals of the watery realm and the sky world as they could both dive deep under water and fly long distances through the air. Duck effigies of West Mexican shaft cultures like the Colima represented species of the Anatidae family and probably acted as spirit guardians for the deceased. In addition, duck effigies were associated with fertility and rebirth. A beautiful example with nice firing clouds and manganese deposits on its surface. Size: 8.75" W x 6.25" H (22.2 cm x 15.9 cm)

Provenance: private Stagecoach, Nevada, USA collection; acquired from 1985 to present from galleries such as Arte Primitivo, Art For Eternity, Butterfields and Riverbend Gallery

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#128739

Expected surface wear commensurate with age, but generally excellent with a nicely burnished finish and scattered manganese deposits.