Wonderful Hopi Old Pottery Polychrome Ladle [SOLD]

This Southwest Indian Pottery ladle appears to have been designed to permit the contents of the bowl to be dispensed through the handle and out the end of the handle.  The handle is hollow and connects to the bowl where there is an opening.  Perhaps that was a way to pour the liquid in a more controlled manner.  The bowl is shaped in a way that it would be hard to pour from the edge so pouring through the handle seems quite logical.  It is likely that the idea for this vessel shape would have been inspired by a gourd.

It appears that the Hopi Pueblo ladle is from the early 1900s and does not seem to have been used.  The painted design is strong and colorful and in excellent condition.

Condition: very good condition with no significant damage

Recommended Reading:  Southwestern Pottery Anasazi to Zuni by Hayes and Blom.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery

Provenance: from a young man in Santa Fe