One of the most striking characteristics of Pueblo Indian pottery is its variety. Variations of texture, color, form and style of decoration seem to be almost endless. This diversity is one of the qualities of Pueblo Indian pottery that tends to appeal to collectors—even a small collection can have amazing variety.
The rich differences that attract more seasoned collectors of pottery can be overwhelming to someone looking at Indian pottery for the first time. By understanding reasons for the variety in pottery, a person may be better able to understand that there is no easy formula to selecting one piece over another–and it is perfectly all right simply to buy what you like.
Several factors contribute to the diversity of Native American pottery. These can be lumped into three basic categories: materials, traditions, and innovations.
Materials
The makers of traditional pottery tend to use materials local to their own Pueblo. Acoma is known for its white clay and slip; Zia is recognized for red clay; Hopi for yellow ware; etc. The use of local materials greatly increases the amount of time required to make a pot. The Pueblo potter does not go to the store to buy prepared clay, tempering material, glaze, or paint. The potter must go to the source to dig the clay from the ground. Time is also spent gathering the tempering, slip, and paint materials. Even fuel for the fire must be gathered and dried. Impurities are removed by hand before the clay can be ground on a metate (stone). Paints are also prepared by hand by grinding rocks or clays that produce different colors or boiling plants to produce black carbon paint.
Traditions
Pueblo traditions also contribute to the variety. While each village has its own tradition concerning what a pot should look like, the pottery from pueblos that use essentially the same materials and techniques can look quite different. Potters from San Ildefonso usually use matte paint on a highly polished background, while Santa Clara potters often carve a design into the surface of the pot, giving a bas relief effect. Cochiti and Santo Domingo potters use a black carbon paint which requires a special slip material that prevents the use of fine lines in the decoration. Furthermore, Santo Domingo potters are not permitted to use certain designs with religious meanings on their pottery, while Cochiti potters have fewer restrictions.
Innovation
The final factor that contributes to the variety of Pueblo Indian pottery is individual innovation. It is this factor that makes contemporary pottery such an exciting art form. Artists in virtually every one of the pottery-making Pueblos are reinterpreting traditional forms, creating new styles, or even reviving old ones. Ivan Lewis at Cochiti revived a figural tradition of the 19th century, while his wife Rita added her own interpretation to the 20th Century storyteller. (The storyteller is a seated adult figure with two or more children. The adult’s mouth is usually open, telling a story.) The work of some potters is strongly influenced by more than one culture.
Once some of the reasons for the extensive variety of southwestern Indian pottery are understood, acquiring a collection or a single pot will be less intimidating . . . and the pottery can be enjoyed for that very quality of diversity. You will also feel more comfortable in making decisions as to what to buy. One of the greatest joys of collecting is finding the passion. And that passion should be involved even if the collection will never consist of more than one or three pieces.
Adapted from an article appearing in The Collector’s Guide to Santa Fe and Taos by Robert F. Nichols, authority and collector of Indian Pueblo pottery and owner of the Robert Nichols Gallery in Santa Fe.
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1940s Polychrome Basket Shaped Pot
$260 Add to cart -
Acoma owl
$600 Add to cart -
Alice Cling Kiva Step Jar
$350 Add to cart -
Alice Cling Kiva Step Jar
$425 Add to cart -
Alice Cling Tall Jar
$650 Add to cart -
Anderson Peynetsa Olla
$1,400 Add to cart -
Anderson Peynetsa Storyteller Owl
$1,100 Add to cart -
Angie Yazzie Melon Bowl
$2,000 Add to cart -
Angie Yazzie Micaceous Rectangular Bowl
$2,700 Add to cart -
Avanyu Cream on Red Bowl
$480 Add to cart -
Black Melon Bowl
$395 Add to cart -
Bobby Silas Polychrome Dough Bowl
$1,100 Add to cart -
Bobby Silas Polychrome Olla
$900 Add to cart -
Brown and Cream Geometric Olla
$1,100 Add to cart -
Buff on Red Pot
$100 Add to cart -
Buffalo Figure
$40 Add to cart -
Buffy Cordero Storyteller
$1,600 Add to cart -
Carlos Dunlap Rare Polychrome Olla
$4,500 Add to cart -
Carmel Lewis Heart Line Deer Bowl
$525 Add to cart -
Carmelita Dunlap Black on Black Geometric Jar
$2,500 Add to cart -
Carmelita Dunlap Geometric Black on Black Jar
$990 Add to cart -
Caroline Carpio Summer Clouds Bowl
$450 Add to cart -
Carved Black Ware Bowl
$750 Add to cart -
Carved Red Ware Seed Bowl
$250 Add to cart -
Chase Kahwinhut Earles Caddo Long Necked Globular Jar
$700 Add to cart -
Chase Kahwinhut Earles Traditional Brown Bottle
$600 Add to cart -
Clarence Cruz Black Micaceous Water Jar
$900 Add to cart -
Clarence Cruz Large Incised Micaceous Bowl
$900 Add to cart -
Clarence Cruz Micaceous Pitcher
$400 Add to cart -
Cliff Roller Carved Black Ware Jar
$1,100 Add to cart -
David K. John Mixed Media Wall Plaque
$300 Add to cart -
David K. John Pottery Yei Figure Wall Mask
$300 Add to cart -
Debbie Clashin Hopi Prayer Jar
$2,400 Add to cart -
Debbie Clashin Hopi Small Bowl
$475 Add to cart -
Dee Setalla Polychrome Jar
$1,700 Add to cart -
Dee Setalla Scalloped Polychrome Bowl
$3,000 Add to cart -
Dolores Lewis Lightning Design Seed Pot
$450 Add to cart -
Dolores Lewis Polychrome Bowl
$900 Add to cart -
Dolores Lewis Turtle Figure
$125 Add to cart -
Dominique Toya Black Swirl Seed Pot
$1,500 Add to cart -
Dominique Toya Micaceous Swirl Bowl
$1,100 Add to cart -
Dominique Toya Polished Red Seed Jar
$900 Add to cart -
Dominique Toya Red Polished Seed Jar
$1,500 Add to cart -
Dora Tse-Pé Avanyu with Turquoise Inset
$1,800 Add to cart -
Eagle Feather Pot
$420 Add to cart -
Elizabeth and Marcellus Medina Lidded Pot
$500 Add to cart -
Elizabeth and Marcellus Medina Seventy-Two Birds of Zia Olla
$3,800 Add to cart -
Emma Chino Frog Seed Pot
$600 Add to cart -
Emma Chino Polychrome Olla
$800 Add to cart -
Emma Lewis Polychrome Bowl
$900 Add to cart -
Erik Fender Black on Red Plate
$1,500 Add to cart -
Erik Fender Gun Metal Finish Jar
$1,800 Add to cart -
Erik Fender Gunmetal Finish Avanyu Bowl
$500 Add to cart -
Erik Fender Large Black on Black Bowl
$1,600 Add to cart -
Erik Fender Polychrome Lidded Olla
$2,500 Add to cart -
Erik Fender Silver Lidded Jar
$2,000 Add to cart -
Evelyn Cheromiah Polychrome Jar
$950 Add to cart -
Featherwoman Polychrome Jar
$1,800 Add to cart -
Fine Line Spherical Seed Pot
$280 Add to cart -
Franklin Peters Polychrome Thin Wall Acoma Pot
$850 Add to cart -
Franklin Peters Thin Walled Polychrome Bowl
$650 Add to cart -
Franklin Peters Traditional Parrot Design Olla
$2,400 Add to cart -
Frogwoman Hopi Wedding Vase
$2,400 Add to cart -
Garrett Maho Grandmother Jar
$4,000 Add to cart -
Gerald Pinto Elemental Pot
$200 Add to cart -
Geraldine Sandia Black on Red Seed Pot
$360 Add to cart -
Geraldine Sandia Feather Design Bowl
$110 Add to cart -
Geraldine Sandia Miniature Feather Design Bowl
$110 Add to cart -
Geraldine Sandia Ovoid Jar
$300 Add to cart -
Geraldine Sandia Seed Pot
$220 Add to cart -
Glendora Fragua Sgraffito Dragonfly and Flower Pot
$1,500 Add to cart -
Glendora Fragua Shadowbox Pottery Sculpture
$850 Add to cart -
Glendora Fragua Square Corn Maiden Jar
$750 Add to cart -
Glendora Fragua Stylized Metallic Fish Vase
$950 Add to cart -
Gloria Gachupin Zia Olla
$680 Add to cart -
Goat Figure
$45 Add to cart -
Grace Navasie Hopi Polychrome Pot
$800 Add to cart -
Grandfather Owl
$100 Add to cart -
Grandfather Owl
$100 Add to cart -
Helen Cordero Storyteller
$7,500 Add to cart -
Helen Gachupin Large Zia Polychrome Olla
$2,500 Add to cart -
Historic Hopi Tourist Bowl
$250 Add to cart -
Historic Flower Design Jar
$350 Add to cart -
Historic Moccasin Candlesticks
$700 Add to cart -
Historic Polychrome Canteen
$750 Add to cart -
Historic Polychrome Olla
$2,800 Add to cart -
Historic Red Ware Small Olla
$700 Add to cart -
Historic Square Top Bowl
$100 Add to cart -
Historic Tourist Pot
$50 Add to cart -
Historic Tularosa Swirl Bowl
$275 Add to cart -
Ivan Lewis Polychrome Stew Bowl
$550 Add to cart -
Jamie Peynetsa Polychrome Seed Pot
$400 Add to cart -
Jane Baca Black Angel
$225 Add to cart -
Jason Ebelacker Carved Tall Neck Jar
$1,250 Add to cart -
Jason Ebelacker Large Carved Lidded Cylinder
$6,000 Add to cart -
Jeff Roller Carved Jar
$4,000 Add to cart -
Jeff Roller Ceremonial Naming Bowl
$950 Add to cart -
Jeff Roller Sara Fina Shaped Brown Water Jar
$4,800 Add to cart -
Jordan Roller Brown Sgraffito Bowl
$650 Add to cart -
Juanita Fragua Melon Pot
$400 Add to cart -
Juanita Fragua Polychrome Bird Plate
$125 Add to cart -
Juanita Fragua Shallow Bowl
$400 Add to cart -
Julie Gutierrez Sgraffito Rosettes with Turquoise
$500 Add to cart -
Karin Walkingstick Daisy Sgraffito Jar
$1,100 Add to cart -
Kathleen Wall Koshare With Watermelon
$700 Add to cart -
Kimo DeCora Owl Effigy Pitcher
$450 Add to cart -
Lasiloo Olla
$900 Add to cart -
Lee Ann Cheromiah Olla
$625 Add to cart -
Lee Ann Cheromiah Polychrome Olla
$800 Add to cart -
Lonnie Vigil Micaceous Jar
$4,500 Add to cart -
Lonnie Vigil Red Jar
$350 Add to cart -
Lorraine Williams Tall Necked Jar
$500 Add to cart -
Lowden Story Bowl
$475 Add to cart -
Lucy Leuppe McKelvey Horned Toads of the Red Antway Chant Pitcher
$1,500 Add to cart -
Lucy Leuppe McKelvey Whirling Mountainway Rainbow Goddess
$3,200 Add to cart -
Lucy Lewis Polychrome Bowl
$1,800 Add to cart -
Lucy Lewis Traditional Polychrome Bowl
$1,200 Add to cart -
Marcella Yepa Carved Ribbed Vase
$600 Add to cart -
Marcella Yepa Flared Rim Jar
$900 Add to cart -
Margaret Tafoya Carved Jar
$7,500 Add to cart -
Margaret Tafoya Olla
$15,000 Add to cart -
Marianne Navasie Squat Polychrome Olla
$700 Add to cart -
Marie Martinez and Santana Bear Paw Black Ware Bowl
$990 Add to cart -
Marie Martinez Large Olla
$18,000 Add to cart -
Marie Z. Chino Lightning Pot
$2,400 Add to cart -
Marie Z. Chino Owl Figure
$1,100 Add to cart -
Martha Appleleaf Fluted Rim Bowl
$1,200 Add to cart -
Martha Appleleaf Green on Black Feather Design
$800 Add to cart -
Maxine and Dominique Toya Collaboration Jar
$2,200 Add to cart -
Maxine Toya Double Singers
$1,600 Add to cart -
Maxine Toya Large Owl Pottery
$650 Add to cart -
Maxine Toya Medium Owl Pottery Figure
$550 Add to cart -
Maxine Toya Town Crier
$1,600 Add to cart -
Merton Sisneros Grandfather Owl
$100 Add to cart -
Merton Sisneros Grandmother Owl
$100 Add to cart -
Micaceous Bear and Drum
$140 Add to cart -
Micaceous Bowl
$150 Add to cart -
Micaceous Fetish Bowl
$360 Add to cart -
Miniature Buff on Red Pot
$100 Add to cart -
Miniature Polychrome Bowl
$55 Add to cart -
Myron Sarracino Tula Rosa Swirl Pot
$600 Add to cart -
Myrtle Cata Olla
$950 Add to cart -
Nacimientos Set
$650 Add to cart -
Nancy Ann Chilli Yazzie Yeibichai Jar
$250 Add to cart -
Nancy Youngblood Miniature Carved Vase
$1,250 Add to cart -
Owl Family
$370 Add to cart -
Paqua Naha Rare Large Cylindrical Vase
$3,000 Add to cart -
Polychrome Bowl
$1,000 Add to cart -
Polychrome Bowl
$55 Add to cart -
Polychrome Olla Miniature
$50 Add to cart -
Polychrome Seed Pot
$530 Add to cart -
Polychrome Seed Pot
$230 Add to cart -
Polychrome Stew Bowl
$260 Add to cart -
Pumpkin Rattle
$70 Add to cart -
Pumpkin Rattle
$70 Add to cart -
Rafaelita Aguilar Black on Black Olla
$1,100 Add to cart -
Rafaelita Aguilar Black on Black Wedding Vase
$600 Add to cart -
Rafaelita Aguilar Dough Bowl
$1,600 Add to cart -
Red Swirl Design Bowl
$220 Add to cart -
Rita Lewis Storyteller
$500 Add to cart -
Rita Lewis Storyteller with Four Babies
$1,250 Add to cart -
Rita Lewis Storyteller with Four Babies
$600 Add to cart -
Rita Manygoats Horny Toad Wedding Vase
$230 Add to cart -
Rose Chino Heartline Deer Bowl
$1,150 Add to cart -
Rose Gonzales Black on Black Bowl
$350 Add to cart -
Rose Gonzales Carved Black on Black Jar
$900 Add to cart -
Rose Gonzales Long Necked Carved Jar
$1,200 Add to cart -
Russell Sanchez Lidded Pot
$4,200 Add to cart -
Samuel Manymules Kiva Step Jar
$950 Add to cart -
Samuel Manymules Pinion Pitch Pot
$2,200 Add to cart -
Samuel Manymules Piñon Pitch Melon Jar
$900 Add to cart -
Santana and Adam Feather Black Ware Bowl
$1,400 Add to cart -
Sara Fina Tafoya Olla
$18,000 Add to cart -
Sharon Stevens Black and White Fine Line Storage Jar
$3,800 Add to cart -
Sharon Stevens Polychrome Fine Line Storage Jar
$3,200 Add to cart -
Small Black Plate
$75 Add to cart -
Small Frog Figure
$30 Add to cart -
Small Polychrome Bowl
$150 Add to cart -
Small Stylized Bird Olla
$460 Add to cart -
Sofia Pino Medina Polychrome Olla
$1,400 Add to cart -
Stetson Setalla Hopi Bowl with Nature Designs
$800 Add to cart -
Stetson Setalla Scalloped Rim Rabbit Clan Bowl
$700 Add to cart -
Teresita Naranjo Carved Black Ware Bowl
$1,800 Add to cart -
Teresita Naranjo Carved Red Ware Bowl
$2,800 Add to cart -
Tomasita Montoya Carved Red Ware Bowl
$200 Add to cart -
Toni Roller Traditional Carved Jar
$5,500 Add to cart -
Traditional Seed Pot
$220 Add to cart -
Turtle Figure
$40 Add to cart -
Wedding Vase
$300 Add to cart -
Winter Owl
$100 Add to cart -
Young Owl
$100 Add to cart