Date: Fri 13-Nov-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: SHIRLE

Quick Words:

Weschlers

Full Text:

Deacessioned Tribal Art Affordable At Weschler's

By Rita Easton

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Tribal works of art were the subject of an October 3

auction held by Weschler's, hosting a gallery three quarters full of mostly

"buyers, not just spectators," Bill Weschler noted.

More than 130 lots from various owners were offered, with over 80 lots

deaccessioned from the Baltimore Museum of Art to benefit it acquisition fund.

Highlights, primarily from the museum, were a variety of Costa Rican volcanic

stone metates, standing figures, carvings, tripod pottery vessels, pottery

bowls and whistles, with estimates ranging from a low of $100/300 to

$1,5/2,500.

Also sold were pottery items from Columbia, Peru, Guatemala, and Mexico.

African works of art included a selection of masks, sculptures, stools, and

beaded works from Congo, Nigeria, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mali, Ivory Coast,

Liberia, Sudan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Benin. The event brought a net of

$40,400.

Fetching the high bid of the day was a lot featured on the catalogue cover, a

Costa Rican vessel with orange/red slip decoration in the form of a jaguar

standing upright on its hind legs, the forepaws resting on its knees, a vessel

on its back, which brought $3,600. The circa 800 to 1,000 AD piece, which

stood 13« inches high, was estimated at $1,5/2,500, and went to a collector.

A Plains Indian beaded and fringe hide pipe bag, with a low estimate of

$400/600 due to some losses, realized $2,900, going to a dealer. The lot,

which was worked in red, green, blue, and white beads with colored porcupine

quills above the fringe area, was covered in a pre-auction story published in

the Washington Post "Style" section.

A Costa Rican standing male figure, 19 inches high, circa 1,000 to 1,500 AD,

went out at $850, at the low end of the estimate; a large Cameroon helmet mask

from the Kom tribe, 18« inches high, wearing a two tier headdress, thought to

be early Twentieth Century , estimated at $1/1,500, was a bargain at $300; an

Ivory Coast standing Dan female figure, of carved wood, estimated at

$800/1,200, realized $700; and a Nigerian standing female figure from the Igbo

tribe was affordable at $100.

A Costa Rican volcanic stone "jaguar" metate, circa 800 to 1,500, achieved

$650; a Columbian gold figural pendant from the Masuka area, circa 1,300 to

1,500 AD, cut from a sheet of gold in the form of a stylized human figure with

an elaborate headdress, six inches long, sold at $650; and a Costa Rican

"alligator" effigy vessel which bore more of a resemblance to a fat animal

sitting on its haunches, circa 800 to 1,550 AD seven inches high, went out at

$400.

Ceremonial bowls in various sizes, some painted, standing on tripod legs with

rattles inside six inches in diameter on the average, made within the range of

$150 to $350/400.

"Overall, it went well," Weschler said, "with a good buying crowd. Generally

the lots were in good shape. The museum got back only one unsold piece."

Prices quoted do not reflect a required 15 percent buyers premium.