Provenance Information

With Brian T. Aitken (1952-2009) [Acanthus Gallery], New York, New York.

Exhibition Information

MCCM Permanent Collection Galleries, October 29, 2019 - August 2020
MCCM Permanent Collection Gallery, October 2, 2023 - Present

Publication Information

Zoe Kotitsa, "Metal-Coated Pottery in Macedonia in Late Classical and Hellenistic Period," in Topics on Hellenistic Pottery in Ancient Macedonia, 109-25, ed. Stella Drougou, et al (Athens: Archaeological Receipts Fund, 2012), 108, note 4.
Dyfri Williams, "Gilded Pottery and Golden Jewellery," in The Macedonians in Athens, 322-229, ed. Olga Palagia and Stephen V. Tracy (Oxford: Oxbow Books, 2016), 227, figure 1.

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

Acquired by the museum in 2003.

Provenance Information

Robert Louis Huber (Huber Primitive Art), Dixon, IL, by 1982; Purchase Frederick R. [1928-2007] and Jan Mayer, Denver CO, August 1982 [1]; Gifted to the Denver Art Museum, 2017 [1] Loaned to the Denver Art Museum starting 1992

Exhibition Information

On display in Museum's Pre-Columbian Galleries, 1992-2007

Publication Information

Lange, Frederick W. , ed. Ancient Treasures of Costa Rica: Art and Archaeology of the Rich Coast. Johnson Publishing Company, Boulder, Colorado. 1990., Lange, Frederick W., ed. Costa Rican Art and Archaology: Essays in Honor of Frederick R. Mayer. University of Colorado, Boulder. 1988., Tillett, Alice. Sacred Symbols of Life and Death in Costa Rica. In "Costa Rican Art and Archaeology: Essays in Honor of Frederick R. Mayer," edited by Frederick W. Lange, pp. 47-64. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. 1988., Tillett, Martha Alice Chiles. Signs and Symbols of Preclassic Nicoya. University of Texas at Austin. 1988.

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

January 2007 ((Artemis Gallery Ancient World Art, Lafayette, Colorado); [1] January 2007, Private collection, Washington. D.C.; [2] Gift to Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Richmond, Virginia, June 17, 2020. [3]

[1] In the object file, there is a bill of sale and certificate of authenticity dated January 30, 2007. An earlier collection is listed as “Ex-private AZ Collection” with no further information or verification.
[2] Private Collection of Bruce Young, Washington, D.C.
[3] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.

Exhibition Information

No information currently available.

Publication Information

No information currently available.

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

There was an understanding between the museum and donor prior to 2008, as asserted by both Mr. Young and curator at the time, Dr. Margaret Mayo, and as documented in museum records. VMFA undertook additional due diligence, with Mr. Young's permission, by contacting the Italian Ministry of Culture in September of 2019. VMFA sent the Ministry all available records and images on the known modern history of this object and asked if there might be further information on this object or if the museum should contact anyone else for further information. The museum received a response from the Italian Ministry of Culture in October of 2019, stating that the Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale undertook an investigation and determined that they currently had no objections to the museum accepting this donation.

Provenance Information

November 2003 (Charles Ede, Ltd., London); [1] November 2003, Private collection, Washington. D.C.; [2]; Gift to Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Richmond, Virginia, June 17, 2020. [3]

[1] Published in Charles Ede Ltd. Antiquities Catalogue 174 (November 2003), no. 28.

[2] Private Collection of Bruce Young, Washington, D.C.

[3] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.

Exhibition Information

No information currently available.

Publication Information

Charles Ede, Ltd., Antiquities Catalogue 174 (London, Nov. 2003), no. 28.

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

There was an understanding between the museum and donor prior to 2008, as asserted by both Mr. Young and curator at the time, Dr. Margaret Mayo, and as documented in museum records. VMFA undertook additional due diligence, with Mr. Young's permission, by contacting the Italian Ministry of Culture in September of 2019. VMFA sent the Ministry all available records and images on the known modern history of this object and asked if there might be further information on this object or if the museum should contact anyone else for further information. The museum received a response from the Italian Ministry of Culture in October of 2019, stating that the Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale undertook an investigation and determined that they currently had no objections to the museum accepting this donation.

Provenance Information

Ex coll. Nicholas Pisaris, Venezuela and United States, collected ca. 1968-1975.

Exhibition Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been exhibited.

Publication Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been published.

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

Donor was living and working in Venezuela in the 1960s and 1970s. We have receipts and documentation that support he was collecting in good faith, but we are unable to match the documents to specific objects.

Provenance Information

From personal communication: Mr. Alan Grinnell purchased the object from individuals or dealers in Panama prior to 1982. No additional provenance information is reportedly available from Mr. Grinnell.

Exhibition Information

N/A

Publication Information

N/A

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

N/D

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

According to LACMA and AAMD guidelines, if the provenance of a proposed acquisition does not clearly indicate that the antiquity in question was outside its country of origin prior to 1970, the museum may determine to proceed with the acquisition based on an analysis of the benefits and risks, and in accordance with AAMD’s guidelines for the publication of the object and the provenance information known about it, with an explanation of the basis for the museum’s decision. Generally, LACMA believes that, absent evidence of looting or illegal export of any antiquities, but given incomplete provenance establishing that the objects were outside their source countries prior to 1970 and prior to any applicable foreign patrimony laws, it is in LACMA’s and the public interest to accept such objects for the purpose of bringing them into the public domain, caring for them and publishing them, both for scholarly purposes and for the purpose of providing notice to any party, including source countries, that may have a claim or information relating to the provenance of the objects.

Provenance Information

c. 1961/before c. 1975 – 2008 collection of Thomas Carroll (b. 1919), Chevy Chase, MD (acquired in Latin America while stationed with the Food and Agriculture Organization, UN (1958-1961) or while working on assignment with the Inter-American Development Bank (1961-1984)); 2008 collection of Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca (gift of Thomas Carroll)

Exhibition Information

Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, A New World: Pre-Columbian Art from the Carroll Collection, March 29 – June 15, 2008

Publication Information

Scott, John F. and Laura Johnson-Kelly. A New World: Pre-Columbian Art from the Carroll Collection [an exh. cat.]. (Ithaca: Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, 2008); ref. p. 139, color illus. p. 139, cat. no. 236.

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 donor pledged part of his collection, including this object, to the museum prior to 2008, as per correspondence between the donor and the museum dated 2005, on file. The object was acquired by the donor between the 1960s and early 1970s, while stationed in or on assignment to Latin America.

Provenance Information

n.d.-by 2013 collection of Hiromu Honda, Japan; (by 2013 with Noriki Shimazu, Osaka (on consignment from Honda collection)); 2013 collection of Zetterquist Galleries, New York (purchased through Noriki Shimazu); 2013 Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca (purchased from Zetterquist Galleries)

Exhibition Information

n/a

Publication Information

n/a

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

It is not clear that this object was ever in an archaeological context, and it is the type of object that may have been exported to Japan early on.

Provenance Information

Acquired by Münzen und Medaillen (Dr. Herbert Cahn) in Basel, Switzerland, from a European Private Collection prior to 1972; acquired by Ms. Ariel Herrmann from Münzen und Medaillen, Basel, Switzerland, in 1972; given to The Metropolitan Museum of Art by Ms. Ariel Herrmann in 2014.

Exhibition Information

None.

Publication Information

None.

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 has provenance established to at least 1972. This is a beautifully tooled example of a Roman plate that demonstrates the skills of the carvers of the 1st to 2nd century. Such luxury vessels were intended for display rather than use and were rare in ancient times, and few have survived. The rarity of this piece is made all the more apparent by its well-preserved condition.