Zia Pueblo Pottery Tile with Deer Design [SOLD]

This polychrome pottery tile was made by an unknown Zia Pueblo potter. We estimate that it dates to the late 1920s or early 1930s. It is a well-made piece by any measure, with an appealing design placed atop a skillfully crafted rectangular clay form. The tile is nicely patinated from many years of handling and enjoyment. Two holes were drilled near the upper corners, so that the piece can be hung for display.

A curving design band winds from the upper left corner, down to the bottom, and back up to the upper right corner. A deer appears in the center, and a variety of additional elements hang down from the upper edge. All of this is completed in black and red over cream slip, which is typical for historic Zia pottery. Here, the colors are particularly bold and strong, elevating the appeal of the tile with their harmonious interplay.

"In response to tourist interest, Indians at many pueblos began turning out small pottery objects that could be transported easily and safely, and new forms were developed that appealed specifically to tourists. Zia Pueblo potters generally did not turn out the range of tourist wares that many other Pueblo potters produced, but the need to make something small enough for a tourist to carry home easily did result in an increasing number of small items that have no function other than decoration or to serve as toys. Tiles and small bowls and dishes abound, starting in the 1930s and 1940s, as do miniature Pueblo houses." [Harlow & Lanmon, 2003:26]

Condition: good condition with visible wear from handling, materials accumulated on front and back. No restoration or repair.

Provenance: this Zia Pueblo Pottery Tile with Deer Design is from a private Canada collection

Reference and Recommended Reading: The Pottery of Zia Pueblo by Francis H. Harlow & Dwight P. Lanmon. School of American Research Press, Santa Fe, 2003

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Zia Pueblo