Mother Turtle Figurine with 3 Kids [SOLD]

This charming Mother Turtle figurine was created by Cochiti potter Buffy Cordero, granddaughter of the famed Helen Cordero.  Helen Cordero was the creator of the Mother Turtle figurine which this represents.  She said that there was a legend at Cochiti Pueblo that refers to a turtle rescuing the children in time of peril or flood and transporting them to safety.

This Mother Turtle figurine with three children huddled together astride its back is an engaging figure that brings a smile to one’s face.  It is signed Buffy Cordero Suina. To the best of my knowledge, Buffy is no longer actively making pottery.  I believe she stopped potting before Helen passed away in 1994.   

Condition: original condition

Recommended Reading: The Pueblo Storyteller: Development of a Figurative Ceramic Tradition by Barbara Babcock, et al.

Provenance: from the collection of a family from Corrales, New Mexico