Vtg Tonita Nampeyo 11\" Hopi Polychrome Wedding Vase Jar w Bird Migration Pattern for Sale

Vtg Tonita Nampeyo 11\" Hopi Polychrome Wedding Vase Jar w Bird Migration Pattern For Sale

$Vtg Tonita Nampeyo 11\$
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Vtg Tonita Nampeyo 11\" Hopi Polychrome Wedding Vase Jar w Bird Migration Pattern:
$895.00

Up for sale is a vintage estate find, 1980s - 1990s era, Tonita Nampeyo (Hopi-Tewa Tribe, 1934 - 2020) fired clay polychrome wedding vase with pigments, measuring 6-7/16\" wide (20-1/4\" circumference at middle) x 11-1/4\" high with round body and elongated spouts and an elongated handle. It has a classic \"migration pattern\" painted around all sides. The rich orange and brown colors were achieved through a traditional process of pigmentation where natural vegetable and mineral dyes were used. The design was revived by Nampeyo of Hano in the late 1800s from ancient Sikyatki pottery of the 1400 - 1600 period. The design consists of interlocking bird wings and thin lines. The jar has 8 wings above the shoulder and 8 below, for a total of 16. In addition, there are all the thin lines connecting the wings. It is traditionally fired, creating light blushes on the surface. It is signed, \"Tonita Nampeyo\" along with a corn cipher for Corn Clan.

This wedding vase is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repairs. It appears the vase was originally purchased in for $860.00 back in 2001 from Andrews Pueblo Pottery in Albuquerque, NM (see photo 14). The price $850.00 was written in pencil on the base of the vase, along with LMRHO. This purchase sheet is included with the sale for provenance on the vase.

This vase comes from the Irvine, CA estate of Ann Sawyer Cleland (1928 - 2024). She and her husband worked for 20 years with Futures for Children, a New Mexico organization devoted to helping Indian children stay in school. They sponsored Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni students, all of whom graduated from high school. The sponsorship of these children led to a lifelong interest in the Southwest and Indian art and culture and they counted many Native Americans as close friends. Their collection of Native American artifacts was quite extensive and the last four (4) estate pictures above show where this vase was displayed in their home.

Two nearly identical wedding vases sold recently for $1,200.00, one at King Galleries (5-1/2\" x 11\"), and the other at Ancient Nations (6\" x 10-1/2). There was a third, smaller vase that sold at Santa Fe Art sale for $640.00 (4-1/2\" x 8-1/4\"). This beautiful piece of Hopi pottery is being offered at $959.00, slightly less than the average of all three of these sales.

Shipping to run $24.95 in the USA and $115.00 to Europe or Japan.

Good luck and God Bless!!!

Some History on Hopi Artist Tonita Nampeyo:

Born in 1934 (died 2020), Tonita was considered to be the true matriarch of the remaining Nampeyo family. She was the eldest daughter of Fannie Nampeyo and the granddaughter of the legendary Nampeyo who revitalized Hopi polychrome pottery at the turn of the last century.

Tonita stayed true to her traditional roots, and preferred to do everything the \"old way.\" Her clay was dug from deposits near her home. Tonita\'s pottery was traditionally made without the use of a wheel. The walls of the piece were built up by coiling ropes of clay on top of one another, then scraping, sanding and polishing the surface to obliterate any trace of the coils. If a design was to be painted, this was done after polishing, but before firing. The firing was mostly done outside in the open. The pots were placed on a metal grate and covered with scrap metal or large pottery fragments. The fuel, usually dried dung cakes or wood, was placed under, around, and over the pile then ignited. Generally, the fire was simply allowed to burn down.

Tonita was world-renown and appeared in nearly every publication dealing with Hopi pottery. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the globe, and she had shown and placed at nearly every major venue throughout the Southwest. Specifically, she was awarded \"Best Traditional Hopi Pottery\" at the 1984 Santa Fe Indian market and won many awards at the annual Herald Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market. Her works can be seen in Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham, The Art of the Hopi, by Jerry Jacka, and Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaff, as well as many other books.