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Pottery |
Please contact us at 480.481.0187 or kgs@kinggalleries.com for information and availability of the pottery featured below.
Last Update: Thursday, May 08, 2008
Click on any of the images to see them larger!
San Ildefonso Pueblo __________
Blue Corn (1921
- 1999) - San Ildefonso
Here are three smaller pieces by Blue Corn from the 1960's. Blue Corn was known for her unique designs and finely painted pottery. They are each tightly painted and are simple but elegant examples of her pottery skill. The plate on the left is buff on red with a star pattern and ray emanating from the star. The plate in the center has a wide feather pattern as the design. It is an early piece, as it is both signed and dated (1954) on the back. It is highly polished and has a beautiful form, with a slight turn to the rim. The final piece is a small bowl with a fineline checkerboard snow pattern. Each piece is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.
Left: Red Plate 4" diameter $450.00 - SOLD
Center: Black Plate w/ Feather Pattern 5" diameter $550.00
Right: Black bowl with snow pattern 3"w x 2.25"h $350.00
Blue
Corn (1921 - 1999) -
San Ildefonso
Blue Corn began to make pottery in the 1950's. Her early pieces were the typical black-on-black style found at San Ildefonso at the time. Blue Corn was a revivalist, focusing on red pottery and then on polychrome pottery. It was in the non-black pieces that she truly earned her fame. This water jar is a larger piece of her work, and it is spectacular in coloration! Red is always the most difficult color of clay to fire, as it tends to hold the smoke and discolor easily. This jar has some slight color variations, but variances from red to near light brown, which are striking! The pattern is a feather design, descending down from the neck to the shoulder. There are cloud pattern below the feather design. This jar is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Blue Corn has been featured in books such as "The Legacy of Generations", and her work can be found in the permanent collection of numerous museums, including the Heard Museum, the Wheelwright Museum and others.
7"w x 8"h
$4000.00 - SOLD
Popovi
Da (1923 - 1971)
- San Ildefonso
Popovi Da was a son of potter, Maria Martinez. While he worked with her, he also created a few pieces on his own. It is not often that we come across pieces of his alone, but this feather plate is a beautiful example of the precision of his painting. The polishing has a high shine in contrast to the matte of the feather pattern. Much of his own work was smaller pieces, but each is dated on the back in the clay. This plate is signed, "Popovi Da 1065", which means it was made in October, 1965. The plate is in very good condition and definitely an exciting addition to any collection!
6.25" diameter
$7200.00
Tony Da
(1940 - 2008) - San
Ildefonso
It is always exciting here at the gallery two have one piece by Tony Da available, let alone two! Tony is the son of noted potter Popovi Da, and the grandson of Maria Martinez. His pottery career spanned only about one decade, from the late 1960's to about 1980. He was among the first to begin etching into the surface of the pottery (sgraffito), adding stones, hei-shi and then began creating all matte carved vessels. His pottery today is considered to be among the most sought after by collectors of pueblo pottery. These two bowls are both from the early 1970's. He did not do as many black pieces as he did red or matte, and Richard Spivey, who wrote the books on Maria Martinez, has said that he only did black pottery until his father Popovi Da passed away in 1971. Both pieces have a gunmetal firing and both have a "black and tan" firing. The bowl on the left has an etched water serpent as the design with four inset pieces of turquoise. The bowl on the right has a deer hoof pattern etched into the clay with the tan area creating its own design space. Both pieces are in amazing condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. What a stunning and important additions to any collection!
Left Bowl with Avanyu & Turquoise 4.75"w x 3"h - SOLD
Right: Bowl with Seed Pattern 3.75'w x 2.75"h - SOLD
Carlos
Dunlap (1958 -1981) - San Ildefonso
Carlos Dunlap is certainly one of the important San Ildefonso potters of the 1970's. He learned to make pottery from his mother, Carmelita Dunlap, and he was renown for his innovative shapes and designs. This is one of the few plates we have seen of his work. While it is more common to find his black ware or brown ware vessels, polychrome pieces such as this plate are very unusual. What makes Carlos's work so significant is designs and their movement and flow on the piece. This plate is a spectacular example, as he has refrained from dividing the plate into four equal sections, but instead they are of various sizes, and each with a different design. In an era when the symmetry of Maria's pottery designs were the standard, Carlos was able to find his own distinctive voice in the clay. This plate is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Bowls of this size are always a find and certainly in this condition, an important addition to any collection!
14" diameter
$4000.00
Carlos
Dunlap (1958 -1981) - San Ildefonso
Carlos Dunlap is certainly one of the important San Ildefonso potters of the 1970's. He learned to make pottery from his mother, Carmelita Dunlap, and he was renown for his innovative shapes and designs. This terraced bowl is painted using numerous clay slips to create the colorations. The shape is a terraced bowl, which is derived from traditional shapes. The design are water, lightning and prayer feather patterns. While we see more of the polished black and brown fired vessels, it is not often that we see his polychrome pottery. This type of work is always demanding of time both in finding the clays, painted and firing. The bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Bowls of this size are always a find and certainly in this condition, an important addition to any collection!
10"w x 10"h
$4500.00
Carlos
Dunlap (1958 - 1981)
- San Ildefonso
Carlos Dunlap was among the most creative potters working at San Ildefonso in the 1970's. His work focused on traditional black-on-black pottery, as well as polychrome painting. However, it is the scale of much of his work, and that of his mother, Carmelita, that is so striking today. Many of his pieces were the size of this bowl, and much larger. This bowl has a traditional feather pattern on two sides, and then an almost contemporary style of painting on the other two sides. The piece is well polished and in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.
12"w x 10"h
$3600.00
Carmelita Dunlap
(1925 - 2000) and Carlos Dunlap (1958 - 1981) - San Ildefonso
Carmelita Dunlap was a niece of Maria Martinez, and was known for her large sized pieces of pottery. In the 1970’s, so collaborated frequently with her son, Carlos. At the time, Carlos was considered to be one of the innovators, especially with firing techniques as well as polychrome painting of designs. This jar is a wonderful example of their work. It is painted with classic wind and rain patterns and is a larger sized pieces as well. However, it is the coloration of the brown, which today seems more common, which was considered “cutting edge” at the time. This bowl is in excellent condition with no restoration or repair. Work by Carmelita and Carlos is an exciting addition to a collection and an important step in the history of Pueblo pottery.
8”w x 8”h
$2800.00 - SOLD
Erik
Fender - San Ildefonso
Erik Fender is the son of Martha Appleleaf and the grandson of noted potter Carmelita Dunlap. Erik combines classic San Ildefonso imagery with his own creative style. As well, with these two pieces, he has utilized a green slip, which is in contrast to the black polished surface. On the left, the jar has a painted avanyu (water serpent) as the main design above the shoulder. Near the base, it is matte, and has a series of green painted geometrics. The jar on the right has a central section which is polished and painted with a green clay slip to create a feather pattern. Along the neck and the base, it is a matte clay, with petroglyph geometrics as the designs. It is a strong visual contrast of the matte to the polished surfaces. Erick has won numerous awards for his pottery and continues to be one of the young innovators from San Ildefonso pueblo!
Left: Jar w/ Avanyu 5"w x 5"h $600.00
Right: Jar w/ Feather Pattern 5"w x 5"h $600.00
Erik
Fender - San Ildefonso
Erik Fender is known for his highly polished pottery, innovative forms and use of traditional designs. This stunning oval bowl has two water serpents encircling the area above the shoulder. Below are a series of rain, bird and feather patterns. The matte painted part is from a green clay, which is a perfect contrast to the highly polished black. The green clay is one of the signatures of his pottery.
7"w x 4"h x 6" long
$700.00
Erik
Fender
- San Ildefonso
This is a striking jar from Erik Fender. It is one of his polished polychrome vessels, with the cream fully polished and then the design is painted over the polished surface. However, it is the initial shape which gives this piece such a striking appearance, with the narrower base and sharp shoulder which turns up to the rim. The design from the neck to the shoulder has a series of feathers and there are also San Ildefonso style birds painted between the feather sections. The birds and feathers are highlighted with natural green clay slip. Around the body of the jar is a water serpent (avanyu), which encircles the piece, and is also highlighted by the green clay slip. This is a fantastic balance of design, form, matte and polished surfaces. Erik is a grandson of noted potter Carmelita Dunlap, and the son of Martha Appleleaf. He has won numerous awards for his pottery and continues to be one the young innovators in native clay!
8.5"w x 7.5"h
$1200.00
Martha Appleleaf
Fender - San Ildefonso
Martha is a daughter of noted potter Carmelita Dunlap and the mother of Erik Fender. Following in the footsteps of her mother, she creates larger sized pieces of pottery with classic designs. This jar is a dynamic vessel with polychrome painted designs. Around the neck of the jar are bird and figurative imagery. There is a water serpent (avanyu) encircling the shoulder of the jar and near the base are classic circular patterns. The jar has a polished cream slip and there is some slight slip crackling. The painted sections are matte black and red. It is an elegant shape and painted with a complicated design. Martha has won numerous awards for her work and each piece reflects her high level of quality and classic style of pottery.
11"w x 14.5"h
$1500.00
Cavan
Gonzales - San Ildefonso
As the great-great-great grandson of Maria Martinez, Cavan seems to bring a new voice to his illustrious families pottery tradition. This jar is an outstanding example of his black on black style of pottery. The bowl has been painted with a traditional feather pattern and sections with a kiva step design. It is the firing which makes this jar come to life, as it has a gunmetal appearance, which creates a perfect background to enhance the painted design. The rim has been re-heated to create a two tone effect. What may be difficult to see in this image is that the rim is more of a red than just a brown, typical in the two-tone process. While a pottery may control many aspects of their art, the traditional firing techniques often have their own unique results. That is especially true here with the gunmetal coloration and the red rim! Cavan has also added one final touch to the piece, below the shoulder, is a single section etched into the clay, with an old style butterfly as the design...just perfect.
7"w x 6"h
$2000.00
Cavan
Gonzales - San Ildefonso
Being the great-great-great grandson of Maria Martinez, and the son of Barbara Gonzales reflects deeply in the pottery of Cavan Gonzales. He learned not only from his prestigious family, but also studied ceramics at Alfred University. The core of his pottery is his ability to combine stunning designs and classic forms. It is his polychrome pottery which brings to life his painting talent. This jar is one of the largest pieces of his work which we have had in the gallery. It is a classic form with a wide shoulder and a long, sloping neck. In complement to the large size of the piece are the dramatic and masculine designs. The traditional San Ildefonso cloud patterns encircle the shoulder of the piece. Along the neck are feather, cloud and rain patterns. The red in a native clay and the black is a combination of mineral and vegetal slips. Looking at this piece certainly brings the viewers mind back to the early work of Julian Martinez (Maria's husband) and how elegantly he painted her pottery. Cavan has won numerous awards for his work and is featured in museums world-wide. Work of this size and striking beauty is a testament to his skill as both a potter and an artist and is a spectacular addition to any collection!
10"w x 12.5"h
$4400.00 - SOLD
John
Gonzales - San Ildefonso
John Gonzales is one of the few potters who is able to make such spectacular plates. This piece has an offset medallion with a feather pattern and an inset piece of coral. Above the medallion is a "shooting star" of turquoise with an avanyu etched into the clay, surrounded by shell hei-shi beads. The remainder of the plate is a matte black. John was one of the first artist who did a show with us at King Galleries, over 10 years ago, and his work has continued to be of innovative content and creative style!
9" diameter
$900.00 - SOLD
John
Gonzales - San Ildefonso
John Gonzales is masterful at making plates! This is one of his larger pieces, and beautiful in the balance of the various colors and designs. There are two etched and polished water serpents (avanyu) in bands along the top and bottom. The connect to two medallions, each etched with a circular series of feathers. The bands and the medallions are surrounded by inlaid turquoise hei-shi beads. The remainder of the plate has a tan matte clay slip, in contrast to the other polished and colored surfaces. John was one of the first artist who did a show with us at King Galleries, over 10 years ago, and his work has continued to be of innovative content and creative style!
16" diameter
$1600.00
Rose
Gonzales (1900 - 1989) - San Ildefonso
Rose Gonzales was one of the early innovators of deeply carved pottery at San Ildefonso pueblo in the 1930's. However, she also did painted pottery in addition to the carved pieces. This is a classic example of her carved pottery. The shape of the jar is one of her typical forms, with a sharp shoulder rising to the neck. The design on this jar is unusual, as it is a bird wing pattern, and almost seems reminiscent of earlier Hopi designs. Her carving is shallow but clean and perfectly proportioned to the shape of the vessel. The bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.
5.5"w x 5"h
$950.00 - SOLD
Kathy
Gutierrez - San Ildefonso
Kathy Gutierrez is a daughter of noted potter Helen Gutierrez. Kathy is well known for her highly polished pottery and use of traditional designs. This bowl is a stunning example of her pottery, with a highly polished red surface and a matte painted design.
4.25"w x 3.25"h
$300.00
Margaret Lou Gutierrez (b. 1934) - San Ildefonso
Margaret Lou Gutierrez is a daughter of noted potter Tonita Roybal and the mother of potter Elvis Torres. Her mother passed away when she was only ten, and in 1971 she began to make pottery with the encouragement of her father, Juan Roybal. Her piece combine many of the early designs of her mother along with elegant shapes and precision painting. This a group of several miniatures of her work. They reveal a variety of her forms and classic San Ildefonso designs. They are each highly polished, elegantly formed and beautifully painted. While Margaret Lou makes fewer pieces today, her work reveals the important continuation of her family legacy in clay.
Left: Bowl with Cloud Pattern 2.75"w x 2"h $125.00 - SOLD
Center Left: Jar with Feather Pattern 2.25"w x 2.75"h $150.00
Center Right: Bowl with Snow Pattern 4"w x 3"h $200.00 - SOLD
Right: Jar with Triangular Designs 2.25"w x 2.25"h $125.00
Adam
Martinez (1904
- 2000) & Santana Martinez (1909 - 2002) - San Ildefonso
This is an elegant form by Santana & Adam. Adam was a son of noted potter, Maria Martinez. Santana was from the Roybal family, noted for their paintings and she also painted Maria's pottery in the 1950's. Santana & Adam worked together on their own pottery from the 1950's through the 1990's. This jar has a classic water jar form and an avanyu (water serpent) as the design. It is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. This jar was originally made in the late 1980's.
4.5"w x 4.5"h
$900.00 - SOLD
Anita
Martinez (d. 1992) - San Ildefonso
It is not often that we come across work by Anita Martinez, the daughter of Santana & Adam Martinez and the mother of Barbara Gonzales. This bowl is simple in form, yet STUNNING in the the firing! It has an amazing gunmetal coloration on about three-quarters of the bowl. The first picture above shows the gunmetal color. The bowl has a kiva step rim and a simple, round form. One of those few pieces where "less is more" is definitely true. Anita made a both black-on-black pottery and plainware pieces. This bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.
5"w x 3.5"h
$800.00
Maria
Martinez (1887 - 1980) - San Ildefonso
It is not often that we get in such early piece by Maria Martinez. This jar is signed, "Marie", which indicates that it was made in the 1920's. These are the first pieces which she signed before beginning to use the "Maria & Julian" signature. The early work also seems to be experimental, with attempts at a variety of results from polishing, painting or firing. This jar was made by Maria, and the water serpent was painted in the entire area between the rim and the shoulder by her husband, Julian. The shoulder itself has a somewhat sharp edge as it turns downward. The entire piece is highly polished and has a "near-gunmetal" appearance from the firing. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Early works by Maria. It is not often we see such great pieces as this jar in such wonderful condition and classic execution of design.
7"w x 5.5"h
$3300.00
Maria Martinez (1887
- 1980) - San Ildefonso
It is not often that we get in such early piece by Maria Martinez and one that is so unique, large and in such fantastic condition! This jar is from the earliest time period of her signed work, about the late 1920's. This piece is singed "Marie", although it is still made by Maria and painted by her husband, Julian. Their early work is often the most exciting in both form and design. The shape of the jar is classic for her early work, with the wide shoulder and long sloping neck. What makes the jar unique is both the design and the firing. The design is the classic horned water serpent which encircles the bowl. However, note in the second picture that there are a group of clouds painted along the tail of the avanyu. This is something which was experimental in the design early on, but which is rarely seen in any later work. As for the firing, this jar was fired at a high temperature, which has given it a gunmetal appearance. Unlike the later pieces Maria made with her son Popovi Da, the early gunmetal vessels achieved this coloration from the intense heat of the firing. This jar is in fantastic condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. It is amazing to see a piece of this caliber and age survive in such great condition! Any pieces by Maria in this size and condition are certainly an important addition to any collection! For more information on Maria Martinez, Richard Spivey's book, "The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez" is certainly the authority on her pottery.
8.5"w x 12.25"h
$21,000.00 - SOLD
Maria
Martinez (1887-1980) - San Ildefonso
This bowl is a classic example of Maria's pottery from the 1930's. At this time while Maria was making and polishing the pottery, her husband, Julian did the painting of the designs. This bowl has water serpent (avanyu) as the design. Compare the avanyu on this piece to the one above and note how the image has become larger and more fluid on the bowl. Note how perfectly it is placed to extend from the rim to the shoulder. The bowl itself is a classic form which Maria often made for her pottery. . The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay "Maria + Julian". It is in very condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.
6"w x 4"h
$2800.00 - SOLD
Maria
Martinez (1887-1980) - San Ildefonso
This bowl is a classic example of Maria's pottery from the 1950's. At this time while Maria was making and polishing the pottery, her daughter-in-law Santana painted the designs. This jar is a wonderful shape with a sharp shoulder curving up to the neck. The designs on the jar area a combination of narrow feathers and a unusual pattern which can be seen in the second image. This pattern is based on a very early version of the avanyu. It can be seen in the Richard Spivey book on Maria Martinez (p.12). Maria and Julian used this imagery early in their career, but then it was rarely seen after that. It is exciting to see a later piece with this innovative design! Note as well the firing, as this bowl has wonderful gunmetal appearance, which is a perfect contrast to to the matte designs. The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay "Marie + Santana". It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Such creative designs on equally elegant forms are among the most exciting of Maria's pottery and certainly are where she earned her fame!
6"w x 5"h
$4800.00
Maria
Martinez (1887 - 1980) - San Ildefonso
This is a classic bowl from Maria Martinez. Maria was among the most renown Pueblo potters of her era. Along with her husband, Julian, she developed the "black-on-black" style of painting on polished pottery. After the death of her husband, she worked with her daughter-in-law, Santana. The shape of this jar is "classic" Maria Martinez, with the wide shoulder and the gently curing neck. The feathers are painted from the rim to the shoulder. The three bands around the shoulder signify that Santana did the painting. On the bottom it is signed in the clay, "Maria + Santana". This piece is typical of her work from the late 1950's. Note as well that the coloration on this piece is nearly a gunmetal in its overall appearance. It is certainly a classic example of her pottery! The jar is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.
7"w x 6"h
$6800.00 - SOLD
Maria
Martinez (1887 - 1980) - San Ildefonso
This open bowl is from the 1950's, and was made by Maria Martinez and her daughter-in-law, Santana. It is signed on the bottom, in the clay, "Marie + Santana". The bowl is fully polished and has stunning appearance! Technically, this is one of the most difficult bowls to make, as it fully polished on the inside and the outside. The high polish and near-gunmetal in the firing (take a closer look at the first image), reveal the simple elegance of this piece! This bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. This is certainly an exciting piece by Maria Martinez, and a visual expression of her impact and creativity in Pueblo pottery!
9.5"w x 3.75"h
$4400.00
Maria
Martinez (1887-1980) - San Ildefonso
NEW
This is a beautiful early plate by Maria Martinez and her son, Popovi Da (1923-1971). Maria made the plate and then it was painted by Popovi Da. He is often considered one of the finest and most innovative painters on pottery at San Ildefonso. They only began to date their pieces in about 1960, so this is an early example of their work from the late 1950's. The plate also has a water serpent (avanyu) as the design. Note that there are four humps to the serpent, creating a squared-off design within the circle of the plate. After the mid-1960's, Popovi Da began painting his avanyu with six humps, rounding out the design on the plates. The "four hump" pieces are more unusual and in many ways more visually distinctive. The piece is signed in the clay on the bottom, "Maria / Popovi". This piece is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. There are some very light scratches on the surface, which can be seen in the above image when it is enlarged. However, the contrast of the beautiful firing and tightly painted designs more than compensates for these slight imperfections.
6.25" diameter
$3300.00
Maria
Martinez (1887-1980) - San Ildefonso
NEW
This small bowl is an unusual piece by Maria Martinez and her son, Popovi Da (1923-1971). The bowl is beautifully formed with a sharp shoulder. What makes it so unusual is both the design and the firing. The bowl was painted by Popovi Da and has an intricate plant, feather and kiva step pattern. While there are many pieces with classic designs, it is the unusual imagery of bowls such as this which are a testament to Popovi's skill as a painter! Popovi Da is often considered one of the finest and most innovative painters on pottery at San Ildefonso. When he began to work with Maria, she would make and polish the pottery, while he would do the painting. They only began to date their pieces in about 1960, so this is a piece of their work from about the middle of their time working together as Popovi Da passed away in 1971. This plate is singed in the clay, "Maria / Popovi" with the date of 768 (July, 1968). The firing on this bowl is an amazing full gunmetal appearance! It creates a strong contrast to the matte of the painted designs. This bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Finding piece by Maria and Popovi of such elegance of design, high shine and in such great condition is always exciting and a great addition to any collection!
5.25"w x 4"h
$6500.00
Desideria
Montoya Sanchez (1889 - 1982)
- San Ildefonso
Desideria was a sister of noted potter Maria Martinez. Her work is similar in style and her painted designs are often among the most creative of her era. This round bowl is highly polished and has a near gunmetal appearance from the firing. The pattern is a cloud design which encircles the shoulder of the piece. It is in very good condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. It is a stunning example of her creativity, form and design.
8"w x 6"h
$2000.00
Russell
Sanchez - San Ildefonso
Russell Sanchez is known for his creative use of natural colored clay slips for his pottery. This jar is a beautiful example of his skill at utilizing different colored clay slips and contrasting carved and etched designs. The brown area has male and female deer as the etched designs. On the opposite side are carved feathers in a black micaceous clay slip. The area below the shoulder is designed with cloud and rain designs. The lid is polished and has a carved shell with a black micaceous clay slip. Russell's pottery can be found in numerous museums, including the Heard Museum and the Denver Art Museum. Russell was also featured in the Fall 2007 issue of Native People's Magazine.
4"w x 5"h (w/ Lid)
$4800.00
Rusell
Sanchez - San Ildefonso
This is a very simple, but elegant jar from Russell. The jar has a feather pattern carved into the clay. It has been slipped with a mauve or purplish colored clay. The lid and the base are fully polished red. It has a gentle contrast of matte and polished surfaces. Over the past two years he has won him "Best of Pottery" at Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Indian Market! Russell's pottery can be found in numerous museums, including the Heard Museum and the Denver Art Museum. Russell was also featured in the Fall 2007 issue of Native People's Magazine.
4.25"w x 4.75"h
$2800.00
Russell
Sanchez - San Ildefonso
Russell Sanchez is among the most creative and innovative potters working today. He learned to make pottery from his aunt, Rose Gonzales. This jar has three sets of feathers etched into the clay. Between the feather motifs are three Lone Mountain turquoise stones. The area around each stone has been highlighted to reveal the green colored clay slip used to polish the surface of the bowl. Around the shoulder are three bands of inlaid shell and turquoise hei-shi beads. The polishing is simply exquisite on this bowl, and the simplicity of design a perfect contrast to the shine. Russell's pottery can be found in numerous museums, including the Heard Museum and the Denver Art Museum. Russell was also featured in the Fall 2007 issue of Native People's Magazine.
3.75"w x 4"h
$3600.00 - SOLD
Russell
Sanchez - San Ildefonso
Russell Sanchez is certainly one of the creative innovators of Pueblo pottery today. He learned to make pottery from his aunt, Rose Gonzales. This jar is stunning in both form and design. First the shape is elegant with a narrow base rising up to the rounded top. It is always impressive to think that pieces with such delicate form are coil built! The top has a classic San Ildefonso water serpent as the design. This area has been highlighted to make it tan, in contrast to the gunmetal firing below the shoulder. What is striking is the use of square pieces of Lone Mountain Turquoise, which is inlaid around the shoulder of the jar. The rounded squares blend perfectly with the shape of the bowl. Over the past two years he has won "Best of Pottery" at Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Indian Market! Russell's pottery can be found in numerous museums, including the Heard Museum and the Denver Art Museum. Russell was also featured in the Fall 2007 issue of Native People's Magazine.
4"w x 4.5"h
$4200.00 - SOLD
Russell
Sanchez - San Ildefonso
Over the past several years, Russell Sanchez has worked to create some large vessels of amazing intricacy and complexity. This jar is one of his most elaborate to date. Note first the size and that a bowl this round it has an amazing volume of space that it takes up! The bowl itself is polished tan at the bottom and then polished red around the center. Separating these two sections is a black micaceous band bordered on each side by hei-shi beads. The red section around the body of the jar is etched with a classic horned water serpent or avanyu. The eye of the avanyu is a piece of Lone Mountain turquoise, a stone of beauty and also rarity in this size! Above the polished section are three bands of matte clay surrounded above and below by bands of turquoise hei-shi beads. The neck of the bowl is deeply carved with a feather pattern. Each feather is carved at an angle, creating a slight shadow on the one next to it. Looking down from the top it almost seems to remind the viewer of a feather plate by Maria Martinez. The feathers are slipped in a black micaceous clay, so they seem to shimmer in the light. The lid is in perfect proportion to the bowl itself. It is one of the first lids where he has added hei-shi beads to the bear itself! The bear is a highly polished red and there are shell and turquoise bands across its back. Looking at a piece of this elegance and complexity there is that moment when the viewer just has to pause and take it all in. Few potters are capable of pieces of such elegance and perfection, even fewer have the artistry and vision to even create the concept. This is certainly a dynamic vessel! Russell's pottery can be found in numerous museums, including the Heard Museum and the Denver Art Museum. Russell was also featured in the Fall 2007 issue of Native People's Magazine.
9"w x 10"h (w/ lid)
$16,000.00 - SOLD
Russell
Sanchez - San Ildefonso
This is a fantastic piece from Russell from around 2000. It is was originally purchased from the gallery and has come back to use from that collector. It was one of the largest pieces we had of his work at the time, and it is a beautiful form. The bowl is slipped with a micaceous clay, giving it a near metallic appearance. Above the shoulder is an etched water serpent encircling the bowl. Below the shoulder are a series of circles, which were meant to have a universal representation. The elegance of the from is further enhanced by the bear lid, which seems to be looking down at the water serpent and the universe around it. Note the simple and beautiful piece of turquoise which Russell inlaid into the eye of the avanyu. This is a dramatic and elegant piece of Russell's pottery, and certainly a fantastic addition to another collection!
10"w x 9"h (w/ lid)
$5500.00
Juan
Tafoya (d. 2006)
- San Ildefonso
This bowl by Juan Tafoya is a great example of his classic black on black style of pottery. The feather pattern is tightly painted around the entire bowl. The matte is a beautiful contrast to the high polished surface. This bowl is from the early 1990's and it is in perfect condition.
4.5"w x 3"h
$375.00
Tse-Pe
Gonzales (d.) - San Ildefonso
This two seedpots by Tse-Pe are from the early 1980's. Tse-Pe was the son of noted potter Rose Gonzales and she taught both him and his wife, Dora, to make pottery. Both pieces are exceptional examples of his innovative designs and use of stones and color in his pottery. The first piece combines polished, sgraffito and inlaid elements. About three-quarters of the vessel is polished. The remained is designed with a figurative face and a sun-face. The face of the figure has been "two-toned" so that it is brown and black. Tse-Pe inlaid with turquoise and shell. The figure is facing a sun-face design, which has an inlaid coral hei-shi bead extending out from the surface of the clay. The second piece has a polished section with a bear and sunface as the design. The bear and sun are highlighted with a pink colored clay slip and there is a turquoise inset into the back of the bear. The opposite side has a flute player etched into the clay, surrounded by a micaceous clay slip. Tse-Pe was certainly an innovator for his time, and was featured in 1976 in the pivotal book, "7 Families in Pueblo Pottery". This seedpot is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair, and definitely an important addition to any collection!
Left: Seedpot with Figure and Sun 3"w x 3"h $850.00
Right: Seedpot w/ Bear and Flute Player 3"w x 2.75" $850.00 - SOLD
Dora Tse-Pe - San Ildefonso
Dora learned to make pottery from her mother-in-law, Rose Gonzales. She continues in a similar style of carving on her pottery to this day. This jar is a wonderful example of how she blended her own style with that of Rose. The long neck jar with the sharp shoulder is a very typical shape for Rose's pottery. Dora has taken this form and given it a kiva step design on the neck. The neck is also micaceous clay slipped while the remainder of the jar is fully polished. The avanyu is carved away near the shoulder, almost in relief. There is a single piece of turquoise added to the eye of the avanyu. Typical of Dora's pottery the shape, polish and carving are all outstanding and nearly perfect. Dora has won numerous awards for her work and can be found in numerous books, including "The Art of Clay" and "Legacy of Generations".
5"w x 6.75"h
$2400.00 - SOLD
Dora
Tse-Pe - San Ildefonso
Dora learned to make pottery from her mother-in-law, Rose Gonzales. She continues in a similar style of carving on her pottery to this day. These three exceptional pieces of her pottery, each varied in style. The first bowl is subtly carved and has a single stone inset into the clay after the firing. The area around the stone has been re-fired to create the tan coloration. In the center is a plate, with a carved water serpent (avanyu) as the design. It is highly polished and has a single inset piece of turquoise for the eye. The band around the rim is a micaceous clay slip. The bowl on the right is highly polished black and has a tan two-tone medallion with an inset piece of turquoise. Simple and beautiful! Dora has won numerous awards for her work and can be found in numerous books, including "The Art of Clay" and "Legacy of Generations".
Left: Bowl with Carved Half Circle 3"w x 2.5"h $800.00
Center: Plate w/ Carved Avanyu 8.5" diameter $1800.00
Right: Bowl w/ Turquoise Stone 3.5"w x 3.25"h $1000.00
"Crafted
to Perfection" by Sheila Hoffman NEW
It is not often that we can recommend a new book on Pueblo pottery with such enthusiasm. This book by Sheila Hoffman provides a scholarly approach to Native pottery, along with wonderful artist biographies. The book is basically a catalog from the Rockwell Museum for their current exhibit: "Crafted to Perfection, the Nancy and Alan Cameros Collection of Southwestern Pottery". We had the opportunity to be at the opening of this exhibit in Corning, NY, and it is breathtaking! The book itself has very good photography and great presentations of the artwork. There are biographies of numerous potters from virtually every pueblo. This book is a MUST for any collector of Pueblo pottery. For an excerpt from the book, click here.
192 pages, hard cover
$40.00