Chimu Carved Wood Lidded Box | Diamond Lattice Design
Pre-Columbian, Peru, Chimu, Chan Chan type, North coast, 1000 CE. A rectangular lidded box cut from dense hardwood and covered, lid and all four walls, in low relief carving. The design runs as an overall lattice of diamonds and crossed bands, each field packed with concentric ring circles and framed by sawtooth borders, with a single stepped diamond reserved at the center of each face. Traces of red and white pigment survive in the recesses, heightening the geometry. The rim of the lid is notched with a dentil band, and paired perforations along the back edge once carried a cord hinge. A prestige container of this kind likely held small valuables, textiles, or ritual paraphernalia belonging to a person of rank. Size: 9" W x 4" H x 5.5" D (22.9 cm W x 10.2 cm H x 14.0 cm D).
Wooden objects of this quality survive from the Peruvian north coast only because of the extreme aridity of the desert littoral, where the Chimu built Chan Chan, a capital of nine monumental adobe compounds spread across some twenty square kilometers near modern Trujillo. The stepped diamond and lattice vocabulary carved here is the same repertoire that Chimu artisans pressed into adobe friezes, wove into tapestry, and hammered into sheet metal, a shared design grammar that moved freely between media and marked goods produced under elite patronage.
The concentric ring motif, cut with a compass-like tool or hollow drill, is a diagnostic feature of north coast woodwork and recurs on staffs, spindle whorls, and ear ornaments from the same horizon.
Provenance: Ex. private American collection. Ex. Ferdinand Anton collection, 1960’s.
SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.
Item #
73211
Condition
The right front corner of the lid is chipped, and a 3” sliver along the back edge of the lid has been cleanly reattached, otherwise intact.
Buyer's Premium
30%
Sale price
Estimate
Reserve
Time, Location
Auction House
Pre-Columbian, Peru, Chimu, Chan Chan type, North coast, 1000 CE. A rectangular lidded box cut from dense hardwood and covered, lid and all four walls, in low relief carving. The design runs as an overall lattice of diamonds and crossed bands, each field packed with concentric ring circles and framed by sawtooth borders, with a single stepped diamond reserved at the center of each face. Traces of red and white pigment survive in the recesses, heightening the geometry. The rim of the lid is notched with a dentil band, and paired perforations along the back edge once carried a cord hinge. A prestige container of this kind likely held small valuables, textiles, or ritual paraphernalia belonging to a person of rank. Size: 9" W x 4" H x 5.5" D (22.9 cm W x 10.2 cm H x 14.0 cm D).
Wooden objects of this quality survive from the Peruvian north coast only because of the extreme aridity of the desert littoral, where the Chimu built Chan Chan, a capital of nine monumental adobe compounds spread across some twenty square kilometers near modern Trujillo. The stepped diamond and lattice vocabulary carved here is the same repertoire that Chimu artisans pressed into adobe friezes, wove into tapestry, and hammered into sheet metal, a shared design grammar that moved freely between media and marked goods produced under elite patronage.
The concentric ring motif, cut with a compass-like tool or hollow drill, is a diagnostic feature of north coast woodwork and recurs on staffs, spindle whorls, and ear ornaments from the same horizon.
Provenance: Ex. private American collection. Ex. Ferdinand Anton collection, 1960’s.
SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.
Item #
73211
Condition
The right front corner of the lid is chipped, and a 3” sliver along the back edge of the lid has been cleanly reattached, otherwise intact.
Buyer's Premium
30%
Sale price
Estimate
Reserve
Time, Location
Auction House
