The Historic Era In Southwest Pottery

My main interest is in Pueblo pottery of the historic era, the late 15th century up to just before WW II, or to about 1930.  This is before pottery was signed by the maker, a quality that occurs roughly after WW II.  My interest in this type of pottery stems from my interest in primitive peoples and how they manifested their lives into their utilitarian objects of use.  Everything around the tribes, the sky, the soil, the rocks, the water, was integrated into their lives in a way that we no longer relate as a culture.  The pottery they made was of the earth and carried with it the richness imparted by these substances.  So there is a soulfulness found in this earlier pottery and it can be seen as well as felt.

 

Early Zuni bowl circa 1830 with red base and indented rim, 2 abstract rain bird designs make up its interior.

 

 

Pottery As An Outcome Of Its Environment

The shape of historic pottery is the culmination of how the pottery was used.  Jars to carry water, or ollas, were not only indented on the bottom to conform to one’s head, but the sensuous shape of the body mimicked the human form and so the contours of the jar worked with the movement of its carrier.  This sensuous form was mostly lost once the pottery was no longer needed to carry water but was instead to be sold at the railroad station to tourists.  That extra attention for molding the pottery to their body was no longer needed, not once the jar itself became a commodity.

 

The sensuous form of this mid 19th c. Zia Trios polychrome water jar makes it perfect for carrying on top of one’s head.

 

The Shape Of Pottery Canteens

Pottery canteens are made differently depending on how they will be used. The large Hopi canteens with flat bottoms were meant to mostly rest in one spot before they were carried back and forth to the source of water.  Smaller canteens are more rounded and might be hung on the wall, or attached to a sash or belt around the body for transport.  These as well have a flatter base, but not as flat at the largest canteens.  Small Navajo tobacco or gun powder canteens are slender and symmetrical, to be held in ones hand or put into a bag or pocket to be carried. These are more like jewels, or jewelry to be admired up close.

 

Acoma canteen circa 1930 showing a mostly round form except for the small, flat area at the base for resting.

 

What Pueblo Was That Jar Made In?

It’s taken me 30 years to begin to feel comfortable naming which Pueblo has made any given pottery piece.  This is not an easy feat.  The ones I learned first were the ones I liked the most, and that was Hopi and Zuni.  There’s something about that warm, honey colored, buttery slip on Hopi wares that I fall for.  The Zuni jars have such a beautiful shape, especially the water jars, and I love the great contrast between the white background slip and the polychrome colors of black and red on top.

 

Zuni kiva bowl for tourist trade, showing the strong impression of colored forms on top of the white slip.

 

My next favorite are Cochiti pottery pieces. Here, the warm grey background slip is a great setting for the black designs on top.  Cochiti designs are so interesting, often meticulously crafted.  Acoma is also a favorite of mine, but only if we go to the later 19th century or earlier.  The earlier Acoma jars, including the Acomita ones, can be spectacular.  Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo) is a long favorite for their beautiful simplicity. With these jars there are no designs other than banding of colors created by slip and perhaps finger impressions to make indentations.  My most favorite of these are the red tops above a lower tan stone polished finish.

 

Early Ohkay Owingeh bowl, circa 1880, showing black fire clouds over the stone polished tan slip, along with a deep red banded rim.

 

For all of these types of jars, what makes them all the more beautiful is their having been used for decades and thus their development of warm, rich, and worn patinas.  Not only has the potter created a wonderful, utilitarian object, but the use of this object soaks up the love and handling and this, too, too comes across in the piece.

The best way to learn where pottery is made is to explore the ones you like the most, and from there build your knowledge. Get some good books and read what makes your favorite Pueblo pottery be the way it is. Qualities such as the type of clay, the type and color of slip and, of course, form are all critical aspects of understanding a jar.  Once you know one, you can start expanding as your interest grows and you can use what you learned about your first love to be the guidelines for the newer loves that show up down the line.

 

The Modern Pueblo Pottery Era

Most all of the Pueblos create contemporary pottery.  Amazing pieces are being made with a skill and creative bent rarely seen in the historic era.  These modern pieces are sold more for their individual look and creativity  than as utilitarian pieces as the historic ones were made.   My primary love of Pueblo pottery are the historic pieces because they were meant to be used, and not to be put on a shelf for the look, even thought this is how we treat them now.   These earlier jars show much more than a look, as their use and patina convey that humans used them as everyday life necessities. This use carries a feeling, even if felt in a more subliminal way.  While we as Euro-Americans no longer make our own tools, we are still close enough to that era for us to feel the difference.

 

Zuni olla by Anderson and Avelia Peynetsa, 12″ tall, circa 2023

 

What is Pueblo Pottery Worth?

Historic (1600 to 1930), Pueblo pottery reached its peak in value during the 1990s and while its value after this date gradually began falling, I feel like we have turned the corner and are now seeing an uptick in historic pottery values.   The best pieces typically do not loose a lot of value, but the mid range material took a bigger hit after 2000. A historic Pueblo jar that might have sold for $12000 in 1990 may now go for half that value, if not even less depending on the details.

 

Pottery for Rituals/Ceremonies for Repatriation

While some pottery was made for ritual or ceremonial purposes, most pottery of the Southwest was made for trade or for sell as a tool for carrying water and food products.  The ceremonial pieces are much more rare, and these pieces are prime candidates for repatriation to their respective tribe.  For example, kiva bowls were used inside the kiva for ceremonial activities and were never meant to be sold to the outside world.  Nonetheless, the outside world gathered these relics as they were being offered in the later 19th and early 20th centuries to collectors and museums.  Now many of these pieces are being returned to the tribes due to both active laws and common sense to return a missing item important to a culture.

 

Values of Utilitarian Pueblo Pottery

With the values of bowls and water jars falling since around 1990, now is a great time to start collecting these wares.  Values have dropped low enough and long enough for those interested in high quality historic pottery to make excellent finds and a lower cost.

The topic of values for historic Pueblo pottery is so large that it’s impossible to give a good sense of what one might pay for a jar or bowl.  I can say that Pueblo pottery made before 1900, in the 19th century, is starting to rebound as long as the piece has strong eye appeal and is in excellent condition.

The pottery that consistently brings stronger values would include Zuni, Hopi, Acoma, Cochiti,Tesuque, Santa Ana, San Ildefonso and Laguna. The pottery with mid level values would include Santo Domingo, Zia, Ohkay Owingeh, Isleta, Taos, Picuris, Maricopa.  The weakest pottery for value would be those pieces made for tourist trade after World War I, or after 1920 and especially during and after World War II, or after 1945.  These pieces of pottery tend to be heavier, more quickly made and without the care previously meant for the utilitarian wares meant for within the Pueblos.

 

Historic Named Potters add Value

Most buyers of art are used to associating an artist’s name with the piece.  This is true with Pueblo pottery as well, but there is only a short list of famous potters that bring dependable value. Two of the most famous historic potters include Nampeyo of Hano (Hopi) and Maria Martinez (San Ildefonso).  Most all other historic pottery is not named and the buyer has to seriously consider the important attributes that may make it worth while to invest in an anonymous piece.

 

Hopi jar most likely by Nampeyo of Hano, but there is no signature, so we go mostly by form, design and quality of execution.

 

Jar by Maria Martinez, San Ildefonso Pueblo, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

 

The Four Elements That Determine the Value of Pottery

The most important aspects that help to predict the value of a historic piece of pottery would be its age, its form, its design and its condition.   The earlier the jar, the more the money, especially if one is talking at or before 1860.  The shape, or form, is critical, as here we see the indigenous skill in making a shape that works for its function.  A sensuous form brings more money than a piece that appears awkward or clumsy.  The design on a jar is highly related to its age, as designs have been studied enough to be associate with particular periods.  Getting to know these designs helps you to make a better choice on value for what you are interested in.

 

Condition is Critical

Finally, condition is very important with pottery.  This does not mean the jar needs to be perfect, but a broken jar that is completely restored will bring a fraction of its value were it not broken.  Early jars, before 1870, are allowed a certain amount of damage, especially to the rim, as they show that the jars were actually used by the tribe and this quality adds value.  Old chips to the rim are much easier to tell than new chips.

 

An early Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) bowl, circa 1840, with old chips to the rim.

 

Zuni water jars often have damage at the rim from the ladle wear from dipping for water.  This is what I call satisfying damage.  This wear adds a layer of soulfulness to a piece of pottery.  If one were to completely restore the rim and make it perfect, than one sees or feels much less soul.  Pueblo restored pieces can help increase the value of a jar.  An early Pueblo fix with pine pitch, or a hide wrapped around the rim to secure a crack typically brings more value due to the historic attention paid to the piece.

 

zuni water jar
Early Zuni olla or water jar circa 1870, showing rim wear from ladle damage. This is what I call satisfying damage…

 

If a jar has one or a few hairline cracks and the jar is early and has great form, I have no problem and would typically value this jar as if it were fine.  I would rather see the hairline cracks than have been completely restored and painted over to match.  To me, this over restored quality reduces the value of the same jar just left alone.  The important thing is to have the cracks stabilized, but not overpainted.

 

Acomita water jar, circa 1940. The fine, hairline crack can be seen running down from the rim. This crack has been stabilized but is not hidden, showing a bit of the history in the making.

 

 

 

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