Hopi-Tewa Polychrome Seed Jar by Mark Tahbo [SOLD]

This beautiful seed jar was made in 1995 by Hopi-Tewa master potter Mark Tahbo. Intricacy and elegance, in both form and design, define Tahbo's visual aesthetic. Remarkably, each example offers something unique, and most manage to do so while referencing ancestral motifs in some way.

With this Hopi Pueblo pottery vessel, Tahbo offered a modern variation of the type of seed jar that was often made by Nampeyo of Hano and her predecessors. Tahbo chose a flat rim, rather than the slightly upturned rim that appears on most historic examples. The end result is a sleek and stylish vessel. Its slip coloration is beautiful, varying from neutral tan to warm orange, offering an additional level of visual depth to the jar.

A thin band of maroon circles the jar, splitting twice into a square, within which a checkerboard pattern appears. Hooks emerge from each corner of the square, reaching up toward the rim and down over the shoulder. An additional element appears twice, at the halfway points between the two squares. It incorporates a more traditional group of motifs, and includes hooks, though these are in light red and continue into tight spirals.

The bottom of the jar is signed Mark Tah-vo and dated 95.

Mark Tahbo (1958-2017) was a Hopi-Tewa potter and a member of the Tobacco Clan. He began potting actively in 1978. He came from a long line of outstanding potters, the most famous of whom was his great-grandmother Grace Chapella. Grace Chapella, of course, is famous for living to 106 years and continuing to make pottery past her 100th birthday. His siblings were potters too. Mark made extremely thin-walled vessels and polished them to perfection. His designs were executed with remarkable precision. Because of his fine workmanship, he received numerous awards at the Heard Museum Annual Indian Fair and the annual Santa Fe Indian Market. In 1991, he won the Overall Prize at Indian Market. In 1992 he was awarded Best of Division at the Heard Museum Indian Fair. Awards continued to be presented to him throughout the rest of his career. Mark passed away on December 22, 2017.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Hopi-Tewa Polychrome Seed Jar by Mark Tahbo is from a private collection

Recommended Reading: Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf

TAGS: Hopi-Tewa, Grace Chapella, Hopi Pueblo, Alma Tahbo, Pueblo Pottery, Nampeyo of Hano, Mark Tahbo