This is an unusual bowl by Ida Sahmie.  It is coil-built and fully polished.  It is then painted with various clay slips and bee-weed (black).  The interior of the bowl is vertically polished and painted with clouds (black) and polished red band.  The style is inspired by the classic Navajo wedding basket.  The exterior has two handles along with the same cloud design.  The exterior is also stippled with dots. The bowl was traditionally fired and it is signed on the back, “Ida Sahmie”.  She is a daughter-in-law of Priscilla Nampeyo and Ida continues to make beautifully formed pottery with wonderfully complex designs.  She has won numerous awards for her pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market.  She is the only Navajo potter creating this unique style of ethnographic pottery.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.