Provenance Information

Richard Ettinghausen [1906-1979], Princeton, 1950s-1960s, by purchase; Elizabeth Ettinghausen, Princeton, 1979, by inheritance; Walters Art Museum, 2018, by bequest.

Exhibition Information

None known

Publication Information

None known

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Informed judgement that works were outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Richard Ettinghausen traveled in the Middle East in the 1950s and 1960s. This combined with the method of wrapping these works in newspapers from the 1950s and 1960s substantiate that they were collected and in the US prior to 1970. Research is ongoing for further verification.

Provenance Information

Collection of Frederick R. [1928-2007] and Jan Mayer, Denver, CO, by June 1990 [1]; Gifted to the Denver Art Museum, 2017
[1] On exhibit in Ancient Treasures of Costa Rica: Art and Archaeology of the Rich Coast, Denver Museum of Natural History, June 23, 1990 – May 31, 1991; On loan to the Denver Art Museum starting 1992

Exhibition Information

Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver, CO, Ancient Treasures of Costa Rica: Art and Archaeology of the Rich Coast, June 23, 1990 – May 31, 1991; On display in Museum's Pre-Columbian Galleries, 1993-2017

Publication Information

Lange, Frederick W. Precolombian Jade: New Geological and Cultural Interpretations. Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press. 1993.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The Mayer collection of Costa Rican art distinguishes itself from other national and international collections for the depth and breadth of cultural and artistic styles represented therein. Assembled beginning in 1966, the objects represent the developmental arc of Costa Rican ceramics, metallurgy and stone carving and stands as the most comprehensive collection of Central American material culture outside of the region. Mr. and Mrs. Mayer began lending works in this gift to the Denver Art Museum in 1992 and since loan of this work in 1992, it has been on continuous display until 2017 in the Art of the Ancient Americas galleries. This gift complements the collection of Costa Rican material, also gifted by Mr. and Mrs. Mayer with the express purpose that the objects remain together in order for scholars to appreciate fully the development of Central American art, allow work to be put in the public domain, and facilitate further research.

Provenance Information

Collection of Frederick R. [1928-2007] and Jan Mayer, Denver, CO, by 1993 [1]; Gifted to the Denver Art Museum, 2017
[1] On loan to the Denver Art Museum starting April 1994

Exhibition Information

None known

Publication Information

None known

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The Mayer collection of Costa Rican art distinguishes itself from other national and international collections for the depth and breadth of cultural and artistic styles represented therein. Assembled beginning in 1966, the objects represent the developmental arc of Costa Rican ceramics, metallurgy and stone carving and stands as the most comprehensive collection of Central American material culture outside of the region. Mr. and Mrs. Mayer began lending works in this gift to the Denver Art Museum in 1992 and since loan of this work in 1994, it has been on continuous display until 2017 in the Art of the Ancient Americas galleries. This gift complements the collection of Costa Rican material, also gifted by Mr. and Mrs. Mayer with the express purpose that the objects remain together in order for scholars to appreciate fully the development of Central American art, allow work to be put in the public domain, and facilitate further research.

Provenance Information

Charles Dikran Kelekian (d. 1982), New York; by descent to Nanette Kelekian, New York (sold 1986); [Sotheby’s, New York, May 1986 (sale no. 5464), lot no. 223/7]; sold to Ma’n Z. Madina and Marilyn Jenkins-Madina, New York (1986–2018); gift from Marilyn Jenkins-Madina to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2018.

Exhibition Information

None.

Publication Information

Sotheby’s, New York, May 1986 (sale no. 5464), lot no. 223/7.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This work was in the collection of the dealer Charles Dikran Kelekian (active 1919-1982). This work was published in 1986 when it was sold by his daughter, Nanette Kelekian, at auction at Sotheby’s New York to Maan Z. Madina and Lyn Jenkins-Madina. The work has been in the New York collection of the Madinas for over 30 years. The Maenad is a rare late antique example of a female mythological figure on bone. An adaption of work attributed to Kallimachos (ca. 410-400 B.C.E.), this iconographical Maenad type is an important aspect of the Dioyonsiac motif in late antiquity and fits with other plaques in the Museum’s collection.

Provenance Information

by 1845- collection of Thomas Ayling, R.N. (1815-1860), England (acquired while in Sandwich Islands); c. 1878 collection of Miss Ayling (late 19th century), Chichester, England (probably by descent from Thomas Ayling). -1975 collection of Dr. Kiyoshi Hosoi (d. 1975), Cornell Medical School Class of 1924, Honolulu; (1975 with Sotheby Parke-Bernet, New York, property of the late Dr. Kiyoshi Hosoi); 1975 - 1983 private American collection (purchased through Sotheby Parke-Bernet 1975 sale); (1983 with Sotheby's, New York, American Indian and Pacific Islander sale); 1983 - 2005 collection of Frieda (1921-2008) and Milton (1914-2005) Rosenthal, New York (purchased through Sotheby's 1983 sale); 2005 - 2008 collection of Frieda Rosenthal (1921-2008); (2008 with Sotheby's, New York, Collection of Frieda and Milton Rosenthal sale); 2008 - 2010 collection of Tambaran Gallery, New York (purchased through Sotheby's 2008 sale); 2010 collection of Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca (purchased from Tambaran Gallery)

Exhibition Information

Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., New York, African, Oceanic, Pre-Columbian and American Indian Art Exhibition, December 6 - December 12, 1975 [lot no. 180]

Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., New York, Sotheby's American Indian, African and Oceanic Art Exhibition, April 23 - April 28, 1983 [lot no. 108]

Sotheby's, New York, The Collection of Frieda and Milton Rosenthal: African and Oceanic Art Exhibition, October 31 - November 13, 2008 [lot no. 121]

Tambaran Gallery, New York, Adornment, Fall 2010

Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, "This is no Less Curious": Journeys Through the Collection, January 24 - April 12, 2015

Publication Information

Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc. African, Oceanic, Pre-Columbian and American Indian Art, 13 December 1975, Sale N03824 [an auction cat.]. (New York: Sotheby Park Bernet, 1975); lot no. 180, b&w illus. no. 180.

Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc. Sotheby's American Indian, African and Oceanic Art: 29 -30 April 1983, Sale N05036 [an auction cat.]. (New York: Sotheby Parke Bernet, 1983); lot no. 108, b & w. illus, no. 108.

Sotheby's. The Collection of Frieda and Milton Rosenthal: African and Oceanic Art, 14 Nov 2008, Sale N08510 [an auction cat.]. (New York: Sotheby's, 2008); lot no. 121, color illus. no. 121.

Zarember, Maureen. Adornment [an exh. cat.]. (Syracuse: Eastwood Litho, Inc. for Tambaran Gallery, 2010); ref. n.p., cat. no. 12, color illus. p. 12.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The necklace was out of the country of origin (the Sandwich Islands, now Hawai'i) by 1845, according to a carte de visite (dated c. 1878), which was attached to the necklace and details the acquisition. The carte and additional documentation are on file.

Provenance Information

Before mid-1980s, M. San Marco, Houston, Texas; by mid-1980s, sold by San Marco to Israel Pachenko, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; before 2007, sold by Pachenko to Arte Xibalba, Osprey, Florida; 2007, sold by Arte Xibalba to Douglas Deihl, Northampton, Massachusetts; 2010, gift of Deihl to the MFA. (Accession Date: September 22, 2010)

Exhibition Information

None known.

Publication Information

None known.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Objects of this sort, i.e., small bone artifacts, are relatively common when considering the scope of Chimú cultural material. Its small size, inexpensive materials and relatively low historical value make the flute's provenance difficult to trace.

Provenance Information

The Merrin Gallery, New York [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Private collection, 1991, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 2009, by gift.

Exhibition Information

No known exhibitions.

Publication Information

No known publications.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Communications between the Walters Art Museum and the donor of this gift began in November 2005.

Provenance Information

The Merrin Gallery, New York [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Private collection, 1991, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 2009, by gift.

Exhibition Information

No known exhibitions.

Publication Information

No known publications.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Communications between the Walters Art Museum and the donor of this gift began in November 2005.

Provenance Information

The Merrin Gallery, New York [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Private collection, 1991, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 2009, by gift.

Exhibition Information

No known exhibitions.

Publication Information

No known publications.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Communications between the Walters Art Museum and the donor of this gift began in November 2005.

Provenance Information

The Merrin Gallery, New York [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Private collection, 1991, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 2009, by gift.

Exhibition Information

No known exhibitions.

Publication Information

No known publications.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Communications between the Walters Art Museum and the donor of this gift began in November 2005.