Posted 9 years ago
mtnclimber…
(44 items)
Just started collecting Indian Pueblo pottery. Purchased at recent estate sale, not much information was available from auction house.
Only info, Kokopelli is 6 3/4" wide, 1 1/2" high, with ridged (corrugated?) back.
'Bird' design is 6" wide, 2 1/2" high.
Can you assist with Pueblo name(s)? Age of piece(s) (decade)? What type of bird in white glazed bowl? Another other information would be appreciated.
The bird is a Zia bird, and the black rim is also characteristic of Zia pots like this, so I'd say that pot is Zia style, at least. The definitive identifying feature of Zia pottery is the clay itself, which is tempered with basalt. If you can detect any tiny black basalt specks in the clay body, that would confirm it's Zia. And probably mid-20th century, based on the black color of the bird. Earlier birds were almost always red.
The corrugated bowl with the Kokopelli is difficult to identify based on the photo, which makes it really hard to judge the color of the clay. It doesn't look "right" somehow, but the fact that it is corrugated shows that whoever made it was a fairly competent potter. It's not easy to get the coils even and the corrugation uniform. It isn't in the style of any particular pueblo, however. Acoma potters, more than any other, tend to use Kokopelli designs, but the clay color doesn't look like Acoma (unless it's a photo problem.) The use of Kokopelli imagery it isn't real common, except on low-end factory souvenir items. Use of the image on modern pueblo pottery is a relatively recent practice.
Spot on. I was able to identify Zia bird after my posting. Confirmed with basalt specks. New information, red birds always on older pottery.
As for the Kokopelli photo, pottery piece is very dark. My guess is more recent in age.
thanks for the quality and timely response...
There's a book I always recommend to people interested in pueblo pottery: "Southwestern Pottery, Anasazi to Zuni" by Allan Hayes and John Blom.
If you don't already have it, it should be your next purchase! It's often available on eBay and elsewhere, there's a paperback version, and it will more than pay for itself over and over...plus it's the best single reference I've found on the subject. (No, no connection with the authors, it's just a great book!)