Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico
Circa 1850
Pottery, mineral pigments
Height 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm); diameter 13 in. (33 cm)
Provenance: Lancaster, Pennsylvania trade; Professor Joseph Henry, first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1846–1878
Zuni polychrome pottery of the mid-19th century is among the most distinguished ceramic traditions of the American Southwest, characterized by bold curvilinear decoration combining floral medallions, scrolling elements, and geometric banding applied in black and red on a cream slip ground. This olla dates to circa 1850, placing it within the classic period of Zuni ceramic production and among the earliest documented examples of this form in private hands. The provenance connection to Professor Joseph Henry, first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, situates the piece within one of the most significant early collections of Southwestern material assembled in the 19th century.
The vessel form is a broad-shouldered storage olla with a constricted neck, a profile characteristic of Zuni production of this period. The decoration centers on a large floral medallion on the body, surrounded by curvilinear scrolls and framed by geometric banding at the shoulder and base. Evidence of ladle wear at the interior rim and the warm surface patina confirm the vessel's age and history of use.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico
Circa 1850
Pottery, mineral pigments
Height 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm); diameter 13 in. (33 cm)
Provenance: Lancaster, Pennsylvania trade; Professor Joseph Henry, first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1846–1878
Zuni polychrome pottery of the mid-19th century is among the most distinguished ceramic traditions of the American Southwest, characterized by bold curvilinear decoration combining floral medallions, scrolling elements, and geometric banding applied in black and red on a cream slip ground. This olla dates to circa 1850, placing it within the classic period of Zuni ceramic production and among the earliest documented examples of this form in private hands. The provenance connection to Professor Joseph Henry, first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, situates the piece within one of the most significant early collections of Southwestern material assembled in the 19th century.
The vessel form is a broad-shouldered storage olla with a constricted neck, a profile characteristic of Zuni production of this period. The decoration centers on a large floral medallion on the body, surrounded by curvilinear scrolls and framed by geometric banding at the shoulder and base. Evidence of ladle wear at the interior rim and the warm surface patina confirm the vessel's age and history of use.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
