Hopi Pueblo Historic Polacca Bowl, circa 1850s-1860s [SOLD]

A Rare Bridge to the Past: Hopi Polacca Polychrome (c. 1850s-1860s)

This extraordinary bowl is a significant survivor from the Polacca B Period, a pivotal era in Hopi pottery that predates the famous Sikyatki Revival led by Nampeyo.

While the Polacca style first emerged around 1740, it became the dominant utilitarian ware for the Hopi people from roughly 1800 to 1890. This specific vessel is a quintessential example of Style B, produced during the mid-19th century — a time when pottery was crafted primarily for use within the Pueblo rather than for the commercial market.

Identifying Characteristics of Style B

Several technical hallmarks confirm this bowl's mid-century classification:

Surface Texture: The exterior features the "diminutive fine crazing" (a delicate, crackled pattern in the slip) that is highly sought by collectors of historic wares.

Pigmentation: It displays a bold red underbody and a striking use of red pigment, which is encased in thick, deliberate black outlining.

The "Used" Aesthetic: Unlike modern "show" pieces, this bowl was a functional object. The interior design has been largely worn away through decades of traditional use, leaving only tantalizing traces of pattern near the rim.

Condition and Provenance: For a vessel that served a Hopi household over 160 years ago, this bowl is in very good condition. The designs remain remarkably vivid and visible. For this Hopi Pueblo Historic Polacca Bowl, circa 1850s-1860s, there is a small, singular chip on the rim, and the interior "utility wear" serves as a beautiful testament to the bowl's authentic history and soul.

Reference:  Historic Hopi Ceramics: The Thomas V. Keam Collection of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University. Edwin L. Wade and Lea S. McChesney. Peabody Museum Press. Cambridge. 1981.

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo, Fannie Polacca Nampeyo, Nellie Nampeyo Douma, Annie Healing Nampeyo, Nampeyo of Hano, Hopi-Tewa Potter and Matriarch