Artemis Fine Arts
presents its
Cultural Discoveries auction
, a 418-lot odyssey through human craftsmanship. The sale is anchored by a significant collection of Indigenous American art, led by a rare Mississippian stone tadpole effigy and a "Corn Goddess" vessel, both of which serve as striking remnants of pre-contact river valley civilisations.
Medieval Jewish Ritual Stone Panel Double Menorahs
Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000.
Fossilized Mammoth Tusk on Wood Base
. North America, Northwestern United States, Alaska, Pleistocene epoch (Ice Age), ca. 35,000 to 10,000 years ago. A sweeping arc of deep time made tangible, this fossilized mammoth tusk curves gracefully in a broad crescent, its surface alive with warm striations of cream, honey, and earthen brown formed through millennia of mineralization. Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000.
Japanese Kano School-Style Screen Peonies on Gold Leaf
. East Asia, Japan, Meiji to Showa period, ca. mid-19th to early 20th century CE. A remarkable six-panel folding screen (byobu) showcasing a panoramic landscape painting in the Kano School style. The composition features lush white and pink peonies, possibly red chrysanthemums, and a bamboo fence set against a flowing river and rocky outcroppings. Estimate: $6,000 - $9,000.
Inuit Walrus Ivory Chess Set, Arctic Themed Pieces
. Native American, Northwestern United States, Alaska, Inuit, ca. mid-20th century CE. A lively and imaginative walrus ivory chess set brings Arctic life to the board through a complete suite of 32 hand-carved figures, rendered in contrasting natural and honey-toned ivory with subtle inked details. Estimate: $3,000 - $4,500.
Japanese Meiji Ivory Figure - Warrior by Matsuyama
. Matsuyama (Japanese, active late XIX century). Martial Arts Warrior. Ivory and wood okimono carving, ca. 1868 to 1912. Signed in Japanese characters on inlay on base. A lively study of motion and discipline, this finely carved okimono captures a martial artist mid-gesture, his stance grounded and alert as he raises a small hand drum, perhaps poised to punctuate rhythm or ritualized movement. Estimate: $3,000 - $4,500.
1826 French Flintlock Pistol - Brass Mounted
. Western Europe, France, ca. 1826 CE. A well-proportioned flintlock pistol of classic French form, combining a smoothly contoured walnut stock with iron and brass-mounted fittings. The round iron barrel is secured by an iron nickel alloy barrel band at the fore, while the lockplate, trigger guard, and butt cap are executed in brass, now mellowed to a warm tone through age and handling. Estimate: $3,000 - $4,500.
Maya Polychrome Vessel 3 Figures, Jaguar, Snakes TL'd
. Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Maya, Late Classic Period, ca. 800 to 900 CE. A hand-built pottery bowl of squat form featuring a gorgeous register of polychrome figural and glyphic decorations. Adorning the orange-ground exterior are 3 seated figures dressed in elaborate garb - feathered headdresses, beaded necklaces, and colorful loincloths - with 2 speaking to one another in a heated exchange. Estimate: $2,400 - $3,600.
Spratling Sterling Cuff Bracelet - Rosewood Panels
. Latin America, Mexico, Taxco, ca. after 1979 CE. A bold, sculptural cuff by William Spratling, this striking bracelet pairs gleaming sterling silver with deep rosewood in a design that feels both architectural and effortlessly wearable. Estimate: $1,700 - $2,550.
Woodland Stone Double Headed Axe - "Slave Killer"
. Native American, Woodland culture, ca. 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. A formidable monolithic stone ceremonial axe head of the rare double-bladed "slave killer" type, its elongated shaft and bifurcated blade forms carved from a single piece and balanced with striking symmetry. Estimate: $1,600 - $2,400.
Late Permian Barasaurus Besairiei Fossil Slab
. East Africa, Madagascar, Late Permian to Early Triassic, ca. 259 to 247 million years ago. A compelling relic from the twilight of the Paleozoic era, this fossil slab preserves the articulated remains of Barasaurus besairiei, an early owenettid parareptile whose delicate skeleton lies suspended in stone like a quiet echo of a vanished world. Estimate: $1,600 - $2,400.
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