Mojave Tribe Standing Male Pottery Figurine with Beaded Necklace [SOLD]

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Artist Previously Known
  • Category: Figurines
  • Origin: Mojave Tribe
  • Medium: lay, fabric, beads, hair, yarn
  • Size: 10” tall
  • Item # C4127A
  • SOLD

If one person could be credited as the catalyst for making Mojave pottery figurines a known and respected Native American collectible, it would be Santa Fe ceramist and author, Rick Dillingham.  Something about these figurines captured his interest and he spent years searching for them and building up a collection for his pleasure. His interest probably developed when he took a ceramics class with Mojave native Elmer Gates in 1975.

Over a number of years, Rick amassed a collection of 214 items of Mojave pottery—human figurines, animal figurines, pitchers, cooking and eating vessels, spoons, scoops, pipes and other shapes.  His collection represented most shapes made by Mojave potters and made it valuable for future study by academics. With this in mind, and a desire that the collection not be broken up, he left the entire collection to the School for Advanced Research, Indian Arts Research Center, Santa Fe.

A few of these figurines escaped his attention and were collected by Chuck and Jan Rosenak, noted authors and Navajo folk art collectors.  The Rosenaks were attracted to them because of their folk art nature. When the Rosenaks moved from Santa Fe to Florida in 2004, Adobe Gallery acquired their collection of 10 Mojave male and female figurines.  At that time we sold the 10 figurines to a client in New York. He has now passed away and we have them back from his estate.

This one originally from the Rosenak collection is a very erect standing male figurine.  He wears a fabric skirt cinched around his waist with red yarn. His necklace was fashioned from beautiful blue venetian beads.  His hair is secured with a red fabric headband. For security, a metal stand is provided.

Condition: Both arms have been broken and glued back in place.  The left leg has been broken in two areas and glued back in place.  No filler material was used, only glue.

This Mojave Tribe Standing Male Pottery Figurine with Beaded Necklace probably dates to the mid-1900s. It is not signed with the name of the maker.

Condition: Both arms have been broken and glued back in place.  The left leg has been broken in two areas and glued back in place.  No filler material was used, only glue.

Provenance: from the estate of Henry Christensen III of New York who had purchased it from Adobe Gallery in 2004.  Adobe Gallery had previously acquired it from the Chuck and Jan Rosenak folk art collection.

Reference: Mojave Pottery, Mojave People—The Dillingham Collection of Mojave Ceramics by Jill Leslie Furst

Relative Links: pottery figurinesRick Dillingham, MojaveElmer GatesChuck and Jan Rosenak, Navajo

Close up view of the face of this Mojave pottery figurine.

Artist Previously Known
  • Category: Figurines
  • Origin: Mojave Tribe
  • Medium: lay, fabric, beads, hair, yarn
  • Size: 10” tall
  • Item # C4127A
  • SOLD

C4127A-figurine2.jpgC4127A-large2.jpg Click on image to view larger.