Featured Southwest US Olla

This has been in my wife's family since the 1950's. The previous owner was an antiquities collector. I don't think it was something expensive when they got it. From my limited knowledge, it appears to be a Zuni Olla. Does someone here know if it looks real (not fake), and if that is in fact the tribe, or whether it is from a different tribe? Is there a way to determine a date range for when it was created? Does it appear to be something made for use, or made for tourist trade? Any other useful info about it?

 

I know very little about this stuff but looks like this is an old one to me, certainly not very recent.

 

Yes, it does appear to be Zuni. The deer with the "heartline" is associated with Zuni, although the Zuni granted Lucy Lewis, the famous Acoma potter, permission to use it on her pots.

You don't indicate the size, which would be helpful in determining if it was made for actual use, or was made in a slightly smaller size for sale to collectors or tourists. If made as an actual water olla, it would probably date to the latter part of the 1800s. But by the late 1890s, commercial water buckets had replaced the pottery, and smaller versions of the traditional pottery was being made for the tourist trade.

Ollas made for use also usually showed a bit of wear and chipping around the rim, which I really don't see from the photos.

 

There is a ruler in the last photo. At its widest, it is about 11 or maybe 12 inches in diameter. The little vessel to the right in the last photo is 7 inches tall, if that gives some idea of height.

 

@smallaxe, There IS a guy on the Antiques Roadshow VERY knowledgeable with these items.....can't think of his name at the moment....will see if I can dig it up....

EDIT: His name is John Buxton, his email address is "jbuxton@arttrak.com" and he has a website as well: https://www.arttrak.com/

If you want information from him it said to email him images, with YOUR email address and he'll get back to you!! Worth a try!!! I'd say give him a few more pictures and different angles too!!

NOTE: He DOES have this image posted on his website with an interesting story to go with it....it's about 12" wide.... called a "Zuni Heartline Olla".....based on what @Taupou has said and Mr. Buxton's site, looks like you just may have the real deal!!! VERY NICE!!

 

Odd...only two photos show up on my phone. I just checked the computer version, and there it is!

 

Now on the home computer, it does look very good, and old.

But it's going to need a hands-on exam by someone who specializes in historic pueblo pottery (ca. 1600-1880), to say for sure.

Where are you located? If you live near the U.S. Southwest, or Washington D.C., that would make it easy, elsewhere, not so much. But maybe you can get some references from someone here on the forum.

 

I live in the mountain west, well north of the southwest. That's why I use the internet to research. Local experts on collectibles/antiques are rare to non-existent.

 

That might be a problem. The internet is one of the least reliable reference source when it comes to Native American items. For one thing, every piece is hand made, and therefore one-of-a-kind, and will have subtle differences that are important and can't be determined from a photo. You can't base identification just on the design or pattern, but have to be able to determine the material it's made from, which can reveal when and where it was made. That's hard to do, sometimes, from a photo.

And once someone makes a mistake in identifying an item on line, others doing "research" accept it as the truth, copy and pass on the misinformation, and soon it shows up on numerous sites, lending a false sense of authenticity. The internet is great for some areas, but until there is a "fact check" button, not so much for Native American items.

 

looks good to me too !!
Is the base indented...??
I'll bet the way the antlers are drawn...could help narrow down the maker.....they seem quite unique !!

There is good money there !!!!

 

Depending on where you are, there may be a museum in travelling distance with good Native American collections, and knowledgeable curators. The Denver Art Museum, for example, has a good collection. Museums can help authenticate an object, but they usually will not provide an estimate of value.

 

Yes, the base is concave.

 

No, but a good auction house will !!!

 

a GOOD sign !!!!!

 

Beautiful, smallaxe. I agree, Zuni, and old enough to let an expert take a look.

Perfect!

 

These are the big players in this field, in Idaho.

https://www.cdaartauction.com/

 

Here is another link to a Database from John Buxton's website where you can do a lot of your own research as well.....maybe before you go chasing around? They do want your email address....but I didn't think that was a big deal.....

https://historicpueblopotteryproject.com/access/

 

Historic period Zuni pottery is a very specialized area, quite removed from Western and American Art specialists. It would be unlikely that you'd find the person you need there.

And unfortunately, many art and antiques dealers and even Native American dealers in general, are unable to say they don't have the expertise to adequately comment on something like this. They think they do, and have confidence, but you need someone who really is an expert in the subject.

The definitive book on the topic is Historic Pottery of the Pueblo Indians 1600-1880 by Larry Frank and Francis H. Harlow. Unfortunately, Frank Harlow passed away in 2016, and Larry Frank is in his 90s (as far as I know). Frank Harlow was the specialist in historic period southwest pottery.

I'd suggest you contact the Adobe Gallery in Santa Fe. I've always found the owner helpful and 100% reliable. Here's the website: https://www.adobegallery.com/page/about-us
They should be able to help on this, and at least be able to recommend a reputable expert.

 

My faves for historic pottery in Santa Fe are Morning Star and Andrea Fisher.

 

Both are on the "must see" list every time I'm in Santa Fe!

I was going to suggest Andrea Fisher, but she does tend to have more modern and contemporary pottery (1880-present) than historic. Morning Star, and Adobe Gallery, have both.