Taos Pueblo Micaceous Used Bean Pot [SOLD]

Both Picuris and Taos potters are famous for their micaceous pottery vessels. The native clay of both these Tiwa Pueblos in the northern part of the State is infused with mica and gives a beautiful luster to the finished vessel.  It is difficult to distinguish between pottery of the two pueblos as the style, vessel shapes, and overall look are the same for vessels from both pueblos.

This bean pot with a single handle is unsigned but is certainly the work of an excellent potter. Beautiful fire clouds accent the sparkle of the mica. The bean pot demonstrates considerable use over an open flame. The bottom of the pot is dark from the heat of the flame. Bean pots often are set over an open flame on a wood burning stove.

Condition: even though this bowl shows considerable use it is in very good condition and is an excellent example of a traditional pot used in a traditional manner.

Provenance: From the estate of Transcendental artist Florence Pierce of Albuquerque who passed away in 2007 at the age of 89. She was best known for luminescent paintings made of pigmented resins on reflective surfaces. Her interest in abstraction began in the 1930s when she was an associate of the Transcendental Painting Group. The New York Times called her “the doyenne of abstract art in the Southwest” following her art exhibit in New York City in 2006.

Recommended Reading: Pueblo Pottery of the New Mexico Indians: Ever Constant, Ever Changing by Betty Toulouse