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A large Historic Hopi "Red Polychrome"
style pottery jar by Fannie Polacca Nampeyo or Lena Chio Charlie, c. 1930’s
This is a truly superb, impressively large historic Hopi jar, one of the finest we have ever seen in 35-plus years, the work is simply outstanding in every respect, and, in our view, the jar is from the inspired mind and talented hands of one of two of the finest potters in the entire distinguished Nampeyo family, Nampeyo’s youngest daughter, Fannie Polacca Nampeyo (1900-1986) or Nampeyo’s Grand-daughter or niece, (historic accounts of their relationship differ) Lena Chio Charlie (1888-1978).
We believe that the jar could have easily been made by either of these exceptional potters for several reasons; both of them originally learned the art of pottery-making from Nampeyo herself and Nampeyo's eldest daughter, Annie, and were both thus completely steeped from the very beginning in the Nampeyo family pottery traditions, techniques and styles. The “Red Polychrome” form of Hopi pottery is a distinctly Nampeyo family tradition as Nampeyo and Annie originally revived and refined the form in the very late 19th Century based on various ancestral Hopi-area pottery types which used white outlining of design elements against darker colored backgrounds. These types include Homolovi Polychrome, Show Low and Four Mile Polychrome and Bidahochi Polychrome as can be seen below.
Too, both of these potters were equally highly skilled and completely capable of making the most beautifully formed and superbly painted vessels including larger ones such as this jar. Both potters worked in very close conjunction with Nampeyo herself directly and intimately for many years assisting her in forming and polishing her vessels and particularly in painting them for her. Fannie did this regularly in the earlier years, 1915-1925, and especially so during Nampeyo’s recurring bouts of the debilitating eye disease trachoma. Nampeyo and Fannie’s close relative, Lena Charlie, who was also known as “Corn Woman” became Nampeyo’s primary pottery painting collaborator in the late 1920’s through the 1930’s after Fannie stopped assisting her Mother due to other obligations.
Since both Fannie and Lena were Hopi Corn Clan members, both potters could and did use a corn ear insignia to sign their pottery. As can be seen here, their personal renditions of the corn ear are fairly different as can be seen below, Fannie’s corn ear is generally more detailed, more rounded and more floral in its presentation while Lena’s is more angular, linear and stylized and sometimes has a trail of corn pollen at the bottom. The corn ear signature on this particular jar has elements of both potters, but it is somewhat more indicative of Fannie’s depiction in our estimation.
At left, Homolovi Polychrome jar, c. 1400 A.D. At center, “Mrs. Nampeyo, an acknowledged best Hopi Indian
woman Pottery maker, 1st Mesa, Hopiland, Ariz. Sichomovi” by R. Raffius, 1905. Note the large "Red Polychrome" type jar to Nampeyo's right in this historic photograph. At right, Show Low Polychrome jar, c. 1375 A.D.
Left photo source and © Fine Arts of the Southwest, Inc. Center photo source and © Keystone-Mast Collection, UCR/California
Museum of Photography, University of California, Riverside. Right photo source and © Fine Arts of the Southwest, Inc.
At left, Fannie Nampeyo's "corn ear" signature. At right, Lena Chio Charlie's "corn ear" signature.
At center, the corn ear signature on this jar which, in our view, more resembles that of Fannie Nampeyo.
Left photo source and © John Moran Auctions. Right photo source and © Adobe Gallery.
The jar measures a very impressively sized 10” in height and is 13” in diameter. It is in remarkably excellent original condition overall with no cracks and no chips, particularly so for its near century of age. A thorough examination of the vessel under Ultraviolet light reveals no restoration or overpainting in evidence. There are a few small scuffs on the jar here and there. The jar is signed with either Fannie Nampeyo’s or Lena Charle’s Corn Ear insignia on the bottom.
No matter which of these highly-skilled Nampeyo family potters made it, this is an unusually large, rare and outstanding masterpiece-quality Hopi Red Polychrome jar by an outstanding Nampeyo family potter with a marvelous Nampeyo family-style painted design in remarkable original condition.
Quite the Nampeyo pottery package!
Price available upon request
