Online tribal artifacts auction begins April 14

EL CAJON, Calif. – More than 450 quality lots of tribal and Native American artifacts will come up for bid April 14. The sale's host is Helm Auction, Inc. The offerings span multiple categories and continents. All lots are on view and open for bidding at LiveAuctioneers.com and iCollector.com, plus on Helm’s site, live.helmauction.com.

Tribal Treasures Abound

Early 20th century Benin (French-speaking west African nation, near Nigeria) cat figure. Made from fine bronze alloy, 7 ½ inches tall ($300-$900).

The auction offers American Indian art, prints and paintings, prehistoric and pre-Colombian antiquities. Objects hail from North, Central and South America and Europe. The items include arrowheads, axes, discoidals, birdstones, and pipes. In addition, there are celts, masks, carved figures and other stone tools. Plus a collection of stone artifacts from the Midwestern United States and California, and Western collectibles.

Also offered are Native American and Mexican crafts, such as baskets, Navajo weavings, Pueblo pottery, beadwork, kachina dolls, silver and stone jewelry; 20th century Native American and Mexican jewelry; African artifacts, to include walking sticks, speakers’ staffs, masks, bronze sculptures and beadwork; and Polynesian artifacts, like sculptures, war clubs and shell artifacts.

Masks to Effigy Pots

Pre-Colombian items in this sale include lots 66 and 76: a quartz crystal mask and a quartz crystal bowl. Both the mask and the bowl are Mayan in origin. They are from Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, and are from the same1960s-era California collection. Furthermore ,the mask is in overall good, as-found condition and measures 6 3/4 inches by 5 inches ($500-$1,500). Furthermore, the bowl is considered to be in very good condition. It measures 4 1/2 inches by 4 1/4 inches by 2 inches ($400-$800).

A prehistoric clay pot effigy of a human head, discovered in the Southeastern United States and standing 6 1/2 inches tall, is estimated to realize $1,000 to $3,000 and is accompanied with a certificate of authenticity from Helm Auction, Inc. Also, a circa 1960s Hopi (Arizona) frog woman pot made of clay and paint, quite rare and in good condition, 8 inches tall, should gavel for $600 to $1,200.