Hopi Tewa Historic Pottery Seed Jar with ZZZZ Design Style [SOLD]

This is truly an exceptional Hopi-Tewa historic pottery seed jar, meaning that one wants to pick it up and hold and feel the piece. There is an energy to some pieces that begs one to hold it. The very well polished finish to this jar is evidence that it has been lovingly held by others many times.

Unlike so many Hopi-Tewa pottery vessels, this pottery seed jar does not feature the stylized bird design or the migration pattern one sees so often. This is a refreshing, simple repetitive design throughout the entire design surface. It contains dark brown mineral painted designs without the use of red. It is so simple in style that it is absolutely beautiful and a delight to see.

The painted design consists of brown triangles surrounding the rim which connect to similar brown triangles near the lower framing line.  The connection is a square containing facing stepped designs. The unpainted area between adjoining designs resembles a Z configuration, however, that is not the design but the result of the design.

On the underside, written by hand in ink is the notation: Hopi 4/14/18. That is probably a notation written by the original purchaser of the piece, presumably in 1918. The jar is in excellent condition, evidencing the normal amount of wear of a piece that has 100 years of existence.

Condition: this Hopi Tewa Seed Historic Pottery Jar with ZZZZ Design Style has normal wear patterns

Provenance: from the collection of a family in the process of downsizing its collection.

Recommended Reading: THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY—1911-1912

Relative Links: pottery, Hopi Pueblo, historic pottery