BOULDER, COLO.- Artemis Fine Arts presents End-of-Year Treasure Hunt, a carefully curated auction offering a focused selection of antiquities, Outsider Art, and folk works released at notably low reserves. The sale brings together objects of historical, cultural, and aesthetic significance, providing both established collectors and new buyers with an opportunity to acquire distinctive works across a wide geographic and chronological range. In-house shipping is available, handled with care and at reasonable rates.

Among the highlights of the auction are the following lots:


Lot 105 — 18th-century Chinese Qing blue-and-white pottery censer
Estimate: $400–600
Current bid: $250

Originating in East Asia during the Qing dynasty, this elegant porcelain censer stands on four integral legs and is decorated in classic blue-on-white with scrolling floral motifs. Designed for the burning of incense, it features square apertures above the legs to allow smoke to disperse evenly. The refined proportions and restrained decoration exemplify the aesthetic sensibilities of late imperial China. Provenance: private Los Angeles collection, acquired in the 1980s.


Lot 422 — Pair of Fred Harvey–style Southwestern silver and turquoise bracelets
Estimate: $300–450
Current bid: $225

These sterling silver cuff bracelets, inlaid with turquoise cabochons, reflect the visual language of the American Southwest in the early to mid-20th century. Their scale and construction suggest production in the Fred Harvey style, developed for the growing tourist market and characterized by machine-made techniques incorporating Indigenous-inspired motifs. Fred Harvey jewelry remains highly collectible for its historical context. Provenance: private Arlington, Virginia collection.


Lot 8 — Egyptian Coptic glass amulet with Christian monogram
Estimate: $500–750

Dating to the 4th century CE, this Coptic-period glass amulet depicts a bearded figure bearing a Christian monogram on the torso. Likely worn as a protective talisman, the object reflects early Christian devotional practices in Egypt. The cobalt-blue glass, believed in antiquity to possess curative and protective qualities, enhances its symbolic significance. Provenance: private Vero Beach, Florida collection, acquired before 2003.


Lot 193B — Pair of African Igbo spirit masks, Okoroshi Ojo style
Estimate: $600–900

Carved in dark wood, these Okoroshi Ojo masks originate from the Igbo peoples of Nigeria and date to the 19th or early 20th century. Designed to be worn atop the head rather than covering the face, the masks represent malevolent male water spirits associated with chaos, storms, and natural forces during the rainy season. Provenance includes notable New York and European collections, underscoring their historical importance.


Lot 236 — Large archaic Native American chert cutting tool
Estimate: $450–675

This substantial stone tool, flaked from creamy white chert, dates from the Archaic to Woodlands period in North America. Its serrated edges and ovoid profile suggest use in cutting or hide scraping. The object offers a compelling example of early utilitarian craftsmanship shaped by function and material. Provenance: private Parker, Colorado collection.


Lot 147 — Head of a 15th-century crowned Thai bronze Buddha
Estimate: $400–600

Cast during the Ayutthaya period in Thailand, this bronze head fragment depicts the Buddha with downcast eyes, elongated earlobes, and a tiered ushnisha, symbolizing wisdom and spiritual awareness. The finely incised crown band reflects the refined artistry of the late Ayutthaya kingdom. Once part of a larger devotional sculpture, the fragment is presented on a modern stand. Provenance: ex-Jasper, ex-Dennis Herr, and ex-Leland Mast collections.

Together, these works underscore the breadth and quality of End-of-Year Treasure Hunt, positioning the auction as a considered survey of material culture across continents and centuries, and reaffirming Artemis Fine Arts’ commitment to offering historically significant objects to an international collecting audienc