Polychrome Acoma Pueblo Turkey [SOLD]

Figurine pottery has always been a tradition at New Mexico pueblos. Acoma potters seem to have been particularly fond of making turkeys and owls. Zuni potters primarily made owls, and Cochiti potters made frogs and many other animals. Potters from Tesuque, in particular, made Rain Gods. Of course, there are storyteller figurines and nacimientos made by most of the pueblo potters.

This turkey figurine is particularly well made. It is too bad that the potter did not place her name on it. It probably dates to the 1970s time period. It is in very good condition after some minor repairs made to the nose and beak. There are a few spall spots, but nothing of significance.

Turkey Facts (source: Wikipedia): A turkey is either of two living species of large birds in the genus Meleagris. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America. The other species, Meleagris ocellata, known as the Ocellated Turkey, is native to the forests of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. The Domestic turkey is a descendant of the Wild Turkey and features prominently in the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving. Turkeys are classed in the taxonomic order of Galliformes. Within this order they are relatives of the family/subfamily Tetraonidae (grouse). Turkeys have a distinctive fleshy wattle that hangs from the underside of the beak, and a fleshy protuberance that hangs from the top of its beak called a snood. With wingspans almost 6 feet, the turkeys are by far the largest birds in the open forests in which they live. As with many Galliform species the female (hen) is smaller than the male (tom or gobbler) and is much less colorful.