BOULDER, COLO.- Artemis Fine Arts will launch its Native American | Ethnographic | Ancient Art auction on February 13, 2026, at 9:00 AM (GMT-6) in Boulder, Colorado, bringing together a wide-ranging selection of legally acquired works spanning Native American, Pre-Columbian, Oceanic, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern, Asian, and ethnographic art.

The sale offers collectors an opportunity to acquire objects that bridge daily life, ceremony, and artistry—many drawn from long-held private American collections.

Ancestral Pueblo ceramics lead the highlights

Among the most anticipated lots are several exceptional works attributed to the Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) cultures of the American Southwest, prized for their disciplined geometry and expressive forms.


Prehistoric Anasazi Black-on-White Stirrup Spout Vessel

Ca. 1000–1250 CE
Estimate: $1,500 – $2,500

This sculptural stirrup spout vessel exemplifies the balance of function and design that defines Ancestral Pueblo ceramics. Its rounded chamber is wrapped in bold black-on-white zigzag and triangular motifs, forming serrated bands that evoke mountains, woven textiles, or rhythmic landscapes.

The arched stirrup handle rises elegantly to a short spout, creating both a practical pouring system and a commanding silhouette. Measuring 6.5 inches in diameter and 7.6 inches high, the vessel comes from a private Denver collection, acquired prior to 2002.


Prehistoric Anasazi Black-on-White Duck Effigy Vessel

Ca. 700–950 CE
Estimate: $1,800 – $2,700

Equally captivating is a duck effigy vessel, modeled as a plump waterfowl with a rounded body and short neck. Dense painted dots suggest feathers in motion, while looping motifs and geometric accents provide a bold graphic finish.

Duck effigies are among the most sought-after forms in Ancestral Pueblo pottery. Water birds held symbolic resonance in arid landscapes, often associated with fertility, seasonal rains, and renewal. With balanced proportions and confident decoration, this example stands as an early and charming interpretation of sacred everyday life.

Southwestern artifacts and beadwork

The auction also includes assemblages that illuminate daily practices and trade networks across the American West.


Anasazi Nevada artifacts: beads, pottery sherds, and points

Ca. 1200–1500 CE
Estimate: $800 – $1,200

Collected in Clark County, southern Nevada, this group includes shell beads, stone projectile points, marine shells, and painted pottery fragments. The presence of marine materials highlights long-distance exchange networks, while lithic and ceramic pieces reflect regional craftsmanship. The artifacts are presented in a modern Riker display case suitable for study or exhibition.


Anasazi stone and shell beads with pottery spindle whorl

Ca. 1000–1300 CE
Estimate: $700 – $1,050

A strand of assorted stone and shell beads, centered by a pierced pottery spindle whorl, offers insight into textile production and adornment. The inclusion of the spindle whorl connects the object directly to weaving traditions that were central to Pueblo life.

Obsidian blades from northern California



Six Native American obsidian blades

Ca. 5000 BCE–1700s CE
Estimate: $800 – $1,500

This group of six obsidian blades reportedly discovered near Clear Lake, California, reflects millennia of toolmaking traditions. Obsidian from the Clear Lake volcanic field—including Borax Lake and Mount Konocti—was widely traded across Native California.

The region has long been home to Indigenous communities including the Pomo, Wappo, and Yuki peoples, who relied on the lake’s abundant resources. The sharp volcanic glass blades testify to both technological ingenuity and expansive trade networks.

Ancient stone grinding tools


Native American stone grinding tools

Archaic to Early Woodland Period, ca. 6000 BCE–500 CE
Estimate: $400 – $600

Rounding out the Native American highlights is a large “nutting stone” with shallow depressions, accompanied by a smaller palm-sized stone. Thought to have functioned as portable mortars for grinding nuts and seeds—or possibly for polishing tools or aiding fire-making—these stones offer a tangible link to some of the earliest subsistence practices in North America.

A global sale with wide scope

While Native American works anchor the auction, the broader sale includes Pre-Columbian, Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern, Asian, and fine visual art objects—reflecting Artemis Fine Arts’ continued emphasis on cross-cultural collecting.

With estimates ranging from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, the February 13 sale offers entry points for emerging collectors as well as opportunities for seasoned buyers to deepen their holdings in ethnographic and ancient art.