#1531 Very attractive colourful wood tray. The technique is called Rayado meaning scratched and there is a texture as well as colour to these designs. The art form, Indigenous Latin American, grew out of pre-Hispanic traditional techniques and expanded through the colonial period to today. Carlos Espejel really started to promote this art form in the 1970s and during that decade it became quite popular in Canada and the United States. This is a particularly beautiful and detailed example.
Olinalá is a remote village where most of the people are involved in this work. These artists are mostly poor and the work is not signed. The pigments usually are all natural such as tescortle for ochre, toctel for green. All layers of lacquer, whether it covers the piece completely or not must be applied separately, dried and then burnished to fix. Two colors cannot be applied at the same time close to each other because of the risk of smudging.
For decorative elements, sometimes an inlay technique is used, hollowing a slight depression to be filed by the colored lacquer. The burnishing for both affixing and polishing makes the process labor-intensive. The shining is usually done with the palm of the hand for a finer result. The entire process of applying the lacquer on a small piece can take at least twenty days and after final polishing the piece by dry for months. This tray measures 24 cm across.
#1562 Large copper art dish signed by the artist. It includes a lapis cabochon. It is 29 cm across.
#1563 Small red clay trinket box measures 5.5 x 6 cm.
#1001 Likely from El Salvador, this folk art bowl is whimsical and cheery with a bright eye-catching and traditional blue rim. It measures 13 x 30 cm.
#1117 Two bowls with fish motif in bright Central American colours. These bowls could be from El Salvador or Costa Rica. There is minor damage on the edge of the rim. I have reduced the price accordingly. They can be touched up easily given that this is in a solid area of the paint. They are 18 x 6 cm.
#1265 Chile is a producer of cobalt so it is not surprising that they would produce a line of cobalt blue porcelain. It appears to be marked “Woulind” Chile. It measures 21 x 9 cm. I have been told that many people kept their money in these.
#1315 It is hard to be sure of the name. It has wonderfully fluid colours. The vase measures 7 x 8.
#1483 This is a large South American hand made wool rug. These are typically a few hundred dollars or more so $150 is quite low. The measurements are 82 x 50 inches. This is 208 cm x 127 cm. Some people use these as a bedspread as well. the condition is perfect and it has not been used.
Latin American Items
I am going through my Central and South American and Caribbean things to find some more items to post. Please come back to see new items from time to time.