Colombian Gold Helmet circa AD 300 - 900

Lot Closed

May 18, 07:32 PM GMT

Estimate

6,000 - 9,000 USD

Lot Details

Description

Property from the Estate of Jan Mitchell

Colombian Gold Helmet

circa AD 300 - 900

Circumference: 21 3/4 in (55.3 cm)

Diameter: 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm)

Jan Mitchell, New York, acquired prior to 1970
Thence by descent to the present owners

Julie Jones and Heidi King, The Art of Precolumbian Gold: The Jan Mitchell Collection, New York, 1985, pp. 204-205, cat. no. 61

The deep hemispherical helmet is of even section overall and perforated along the central spine with sixteen holes composed of eight sets of paired holes evenly spaced. The perforations are punched through from the interior. The exterior surface is of matte texture and the interior glows with a high sheen.

The rounded gold caps were made as part of funerary costume for important caciques, found in the Isthmus region as well as in Colombia. Some were repoussé with designs, but many were pure forms, such as this example, on which additional adornments could be placed using the perforations.