{"product_id":"veraguas-gold-alloy-double-headed-bird-pendant","title":"Veraguas Gold Alloy Double Headed Bird Pendant","description":"\u003cp\u003ePanama Circa 500 to 1520 AD  A gold bird with spread wings, pair of talons and fan tail; co-joined heads with hook beaks;  loop hole for suspension behind;  Size 7.5 cm H x 5.5 cm W.; 2-1\/8 inches H x 3 inches W; weight 31.2g. repair as viewed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXRF elemental analysis shown in the image, revealing an alloy of gold (49.84%), copper (46.58%), silver (3.40%), and iron (0.18%), is highly consistent with pre-Columbian metallurgy, specifically matching the characteristics of tumbaga, which could vary widely but typically combined gold and copper as primary components. The presence of silver at 3.40% is also consistent with pre-Columbian metallurgy, as silver naturally occurred in gold deposits and was typically present in tumbaga at levels of 5-10%.\u003cbr\u003eThe object appears to be marked as \"Gold 11.9K,\" which corresponds to its approximately 50% gold content. The designation \"Plating possible\" on the report suggests the piece might have undergone depletion gilding, a technique commonly used in pre-Columbian metalworking to create a gold-enriched surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProvenance: From the estate of Christian Illies (1947-2014), Opelika, Alabama who inherited the collection from his grandfather, Ferdinand Grebien (1877-1976).  Christian Illies’ grandfather, Ferdinand Grebien was born in Austria in 1887 and arrived in Panama in 1911 to work on the construction of the canal. In Colon he founded Grebien, Martinz, a major private construction firm, (with more than 1000 employees) that went on to\u003cbr\u003ebuild many major institutions in Panama, including the Municipal Palace of the  District of Colon. Grebien was an avid lifelong collector of ancient Panamanian gold. We illustrate a black and white photo of Ferdinand Grebien displaying part of his gold collection at the 1964 World’s fair in NY.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Art for Eternity","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50452317208890,"sku":"16523","price":2995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0775\/5120\/6714\/files\/16523blu.jpg?v=1735683882","url":"https:\/\/howardnowes.com\/products\/veraguas-gold-alloy-double-headed-bird-pendant","provider":"Art for Eternity","version":"1.0","type":"link"}