Cedar Mesa? Mesa Verde? | ||
| Native American Antiques637 of 1909 |  |  |
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Posted 8 years ago
katherines…
(247 items)
So CanyonRoad will probably tell me this is a souvenir pot as it is signed John Dineh. But who produced it, Cedar Mesa, Mesa Verde, somebody else? It was such a handsome pot and so well made I couldn't resist it. Thanks for looking.
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Thanks for the love, aura, SEAN68, vetraio50, and blunderbuss2. :)
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The dark fire clouds indicate that this was traditionally fired, so that would rule out it being made by one of the factories like Cedar Mesa, Mesa Verde, or Ute Mountain.
I can't tell from the photos if it is actually a hand coiled pot, though, or if it is a purchased greenware bowl that has been incised and then fired traditionally. The shape, and the slightly indented bottom, make me lean toward the latter.
The way it is signed also is not the way a standard factory pot would be made. In this case, "John" is probably the potter's last name, "Dineh" would mean "Navajo" in their language. There are several Navajo potters with the last name John. Most seem to make etched or horsehair pots, using purchased ceramic forms. And some have worked for Cedar Mesa.
But yes, like virtually all Native American southwest pottery, it was made for the souvenir market. However, souvenir pottery can represent all ranges of quality and craftsmanship.
CanyonRoad, you confirmed what I suspected and as always added valuable information, thank you. I'd read that Cedar Mesa did hire a handful of Native American artisans to decorate some pots, which were of a higher quality. Possibly that's what I have here, greenware pot decorated by a Navajo artisan whose last name is John. Thanks so much! :)