Description

This is an exceptionally fine Acoma polychrome olla, dating from circa 1900-early 1920s. It was traditionally formed from native clay with ground pottery shard temper, coated with a rag-wiped white slip, and has a painted orange/red neck interior, and orange/red underbody with concave base, typical of Acoma pottery of that period. The continuous design was painted in orange/red and black on a cream slip. The body of the jar is globular with a double line on the edge of the neck.  Double framing lines outline the separate panels of decoration on the body which is a complicated mix of geometric fine lines of triangles and diamonds on orange pigment. The colors have faded with time and use.

The rim top is the typical orange vegetal paint and the double framing lines are worked in black, which is really dark brown and made from wild spinach that has boiled down. None of these double framing lines have ceremonial breaks. This work of art has a wonderful semi-gloss patina to the slip. Although the rim is not perfectly round, the painting is precise and clearly the work of an early outstanding artist.

Condition: Fine -original condition with no cracks or chips, but has paint is faded due to the type of materials used (vegetal and mineral paints)  and  its age.
Provenance: Originally purchased from Charlie Eagleplume Gallery in Colorado in the early 1960s by my parents.