Old West & Native American Auction
Lot 1106:
Description
This is a beautiful piece of historic Hopi or Hopi-Tewa polychrome pottery, which showcases the enduring influence of the Sikyatki Revival style popularized by Nampeyo of Hano and her descendants starting in the late 19th and early 20th century. The classic olla form, with its globular body and restricted neck, is elegantly proportioned. The black-on-tan decoration features sophisticated, stylized Sikyatki bird or seed pod motifs and geometric banding, hand-painted over a light slip on the naturally fired terracotta clay body. Likely dated 1931 (written on base) aligns perfectly with the aesthetic of this period, a time when the daughters of Nampeyo, like Fannie and Annie, were actively potting and signing pieces was not yet standardized. The signature on the base, appearing to be “T. Kida” or “T. Kela” (which is not an immediately recognized 1930s master potter in my database), may represent a lesser-documented but equally talented artist from First Mesa, or possibly a collector’s identification mark. The item is in good vintage condition, showing considerable age-appropriate wear including multiple areas of paint abrasion and scuffing on the polychrome designs, which has softened the sharpness of the pattern. Most notably, there is a small, shallow chip visible on the exterior rim. The handwritten inscription on the base is heavily faded and only partially legible. This is a genuinely compelling piece of early 20th-century Pueblo art. H 9.5″, W 8.5″, D 8.5″ From the Native American display in Donley’s Wild West Town.
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