Acoma Pueblo Child Size Water Jar by Marie Cimmeron

This child-size pottery jar from Acoma Pueblo was made by Marie Cimmeron. It was made from Acoma clay and designed with a profusion of Zuni Pueblo traditional pottery designs—heartline deer, fat tail birds, and large medallions. The attribution to Cimmeron is based on numerous design elements that appear on pottery known to have been made by her.

To illustrate the similarities to previous pottery by Marie Cimmeron, we cite the following examples. The horizontal design bands with a deer or antelope on the upper band and lower band are divided by a middle band featuring birds; the circular rosette is also in three sections-vertical- with alternating fine-line triangles in a vertical arrangement that divide the medallion in two equal sections; the black cloud penetrating the white slip in the medallions; the arch design hovering over the upper deer/antelope; antlers on the deer/antelope; square box on the animal's eyes; the tongue of the animals sticking out, and the vertical erect hair on the head between the antlers. These designs are evident on other pottery made by her.

Marie Cimmeron (born 1875/1885 - probably before 1937) was an Acoma Pueblo potter. Cimmeron was married to Louis Simarron, with whom she had seven children. Her grandchildren Rachel (Cerno) Concho and Joseph Cerno Sr. became notable potters. Cimmeron won first prize at the inaugural Southwest Indian Fair, which occurred in 1922. A 1929 Indian Agency report listed Cimmeron's occupation as "potter." Beyond these family connections and images of a handful of works, little has been published about Cimmeron.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Acoma Pueblo Child Size Water Jar by Marie Cimmeron is from the collection of a client of Adobe Gallery

Reference: Lanmon, Dwight P., and Francis H. Harlow. The Pottery of Acoma Pueblo, Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2013

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Acoma Pueblo, Joe Cerno, Sr., Historic Pottery, Joseph Cerno, Jr., Marie Cimmeron