Historic Zia Pueblo Polychrome Pottery Jar with Birds and Berries [SOLD]

Occasionally a potter will innovate on traditional designs, straying not too far from tradition but enough to satisfy her artistic desires.  That is clearly evident in this Zia Pueblo pottery jar.  

The main body design is of four Zia birds, each enclosed in an area shared with branches filled with red berries.  Separating the four birds are curved arches filled with parallel lines. Zia tradition would have had the birds under rainbow arches, but it is apparent that to present the birds in large scale, there was no room for rainbow arches.

Each of the birds is orange, outlined in brown lines, with a brown face and legs.  Each has a large flowing wing and split tail feathers. They each perch on the lower framing line.

The neck design is simple and elegant, not detracting from the magnificence of the birds and berries.  There is an undulating cream color band that it topped by arched black clouds and a series of orange clouds below.  Wide double framing lines separate the neck design from that of the body. Both have a ceremonial line breaks. There is a pair of double framing lines below the body which does not have ceremonial line breaks.  Below these is an unusually wide wiped-on red band measuring about 1-½ inches.  

It appears that the jar dates to the turn of the last century.  There is no potter’s signature attached.

Condition:  this HIstoric Zia Pueblo Polychrome Pottery Jar with Birds and Berries is in very good condition with some scratches and abrasion

Provenance: from the collection of a family from Colorado

Reference: Harlow, Francis H. and Dwight P. Lanmon. The Pottery of Zia Pueblo, SAR Press, 2003

Relative Links: Southwest Indian Pottery, Zia Pueblo, Historic Pottery