Hopi-Tewa Small Jar with Migration Pattern [SOLD]

Elva Tewaguna Nampeyo was a granddaughter of Nampeyo of Hano and daughter of Fannie Nampeyo.  She has been gone over 30 years now so there are not many of her wares on the market, and there certainly are not many of this visual appeal.  She was an exceptional potter and her work never deteriorated later in her life when she became ill.  She certainly was one of the exceptional potters of her generation.

Elva was the mother of a family most of whom also became potters.  Her daughters were Miriam, Adelle, and Neva and her son was Elton.  Elva's siblings were also potters.  They were Leah, Harold, Tonita, Tom, Ellsworth, and Iris.

This small jar was beautifully formed of native clay from the Hopi village and all the paints are from mineral sources around the village.  There is nothing commercial used in the making of this vessel.  It was fired in the traditional outdoor firing technique practiced by Hopi-Tewa potters for centuries.  It features the traditional Sikyatki migration pattern made popular by Nampeyo and used by many members of the family - including her mother.  In fact, one of Fannie’s favorite designs was the migration pattern—supposedly delineating the migration of the Hopi people through four worlds.   It is a perfect size for those who have limited space for pottery.

Condition: original condition

Recommended Reading: Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery. 

Provenance: from a gentleman living in Colorado who collected pottery while living in Albuquerque in the 1970s and 1980s.