Hopi Polychrome Seed Jar with Avian Designs [SOLD]

According to the Museum of Northern Arizona, Lena Chio Charlie’s known dates of production were 1933-1961. The Arizona State Museum states that she was a clan niece of Nampeyo of Hano and sometimes painted Nampeyo’s pottery. Other than these two comments, there is very little published information on her.  She signed her pottery with a corn symbol rather than with her name.  Many potters use hallmarks rather than personal names because of the typical Pueblo reticence to identify individuals, or because of their unfamiliarity with English script. 

Lena Chio Charlie (ca.1908-ca.1960s) Corn Woman was a member of the Corn Clan, as was Nampeyo of Hano. She was a sister of Irene Shupla and cousins of Sadie Adams, Patty Maho, Ruth Paymella and grandmother to famed Hopi-Tewa artist Neil David, Sr.

Her pottery is desirable by collectors for its very high quality and warm orange glow. Her designs are beautifully conceived and executed. She often used stippling, in the style of Nampeyo of Hano, as seen on this jar. The curved beak of the stylized bird design most likely indicates a parrot or perhaps an eagle.  She was a master potter and painter of pottery.  Her designs generally covered most of the surface of the vessel as in this jar.  Design elements abut design elements.  There is no scarcity of effort to present a beautiful finished product.

Condition: very good condition with some very minor abrasions

Reference and Recommended Reading:  Identification Marks on Hopi and Hopi-Tewa Pottery by Michael B. Stanislawski, et. al. Museum of Northern Arizona, Plateau, volume 48, No. 3-4, Spring 1976

Provenance:  from the estate of the former Chief Sunny Skies Trading Post, located on the main street in Carlsbad, New Mexico, for over 40 years and which was closed in 1977.  Chief Sunny Sky, whose other name was Clyde Hunt, was from Acoma Pueblo.  He was the son of Chief Big Snake (Edward Hunt) also of Acoma Pueblo.  This collection has remained in the family since the trading post was closed in 1977.