Laguna Pueblo Extreme Miniature Acoma-Style Wedding Vase [SOLD]

Most collectors of miniature pottery are familiar with Thomas Natseway's extreme miniature pottery items, but I am still amazed every time I see one, particularly one as fine as this Acoma style wedding vessel. To accept that he can paint a design as intricate as this in such a small scale is almost beyond belief.

Gregg Schaaf reports in his book that Natseway started his career as a reporter. While interviewing Charmae Shields at Acoma Pueblo, the two struck up a romance that ended in marriage and a career change for Thomas. His wife, Charmae, and her mother, Ethel Shields, taught him the techniques of pottery production and the rest in well known by collectors.

This small wedding vessel with a strap handle, painted with an Acoma parrot design and double polychrome rainbows, is exquisite. The painted designs are beautifully rendered. The piece is signed with the artist name and pueblo, which I had to pull out a magnifying glass to read. It is in original excellent condition.

Provenance: Estate of Evelyn and Herbert Weinstein, Santa Fe.