Nampeyo Inspired Hopi Seed Jar with Birds by Mark Tahbo [SOLD]

In reviewing past purchases from Mark Tahbo (1958- 2017), I noticed that every seed jar shape vessel we have purchased from him over the past few years has been different. Some are taller than others, some shorter, some wider, some narrower, some with rising shoulders, some with almost flat tops. This is an excellent indication that Mark is not copying himself time after time but is truly creating something new with each adventure. He puts his creative effort into each individual vessel.

This vesel is signed on the bottom with MARK TAHBO and his hallmark pipe symbol (Tobacco Clan) and dated '16 (2016).

Another innovation by Mark is his choice of clay. The artists at Hopi have a choice of clay from the Jeddito region, just behind the village of Polacca, or Sikyatki clay from the prehistoric ruins so important to the career of Nampeyo. In this jar, Mark selected clay from Jeddito which fires to a beautiful orange blush.

It has even been speculated that the vessels of gold that the Spaniards were looking for could easily have been the beautiful gold-color prehistoric Jeddito wares. (Hargrave)*

This seed jar is low and wide with an almost flat top that rises just so slightly to a rim that curves upward. A wide black framing line just below the rim and another one just below the mid-body set the boundaries for the design. Mark chose two different birds — which he described as a Quail (see top knot) and a Falcon (see beak). On the two birds he colored a single tail feather with a blue/white clay he discovered at the Awatowi ruins at Hopi. The designs that alternate between the pair of birds is a more traditional rendering of the Sikyatki split tail feather seen on pottery by Nampeyo which she reintroduced from Sikyatki wares.

The orange color in the bodies of the birds is from a clay source and the dark burgundy seen in the split tail designs is from a rock. This combination of paints is not something most Hopi potters employ. Mark is unique in experimenting with sizes, shapes, clays, designs, colors and any other variation he envisions.

*American Southwest Virtual Museum, Northern Arizona University.

Condition: this Nampeyo Inspired Hopi Seed Jar with Birds by Mark Tahbo is in original condition

Provenance: Mark delivered this jar to us at Adobe Gallery on 02 February 2016 in person. He discussed the jar in detail with us explaining the clays and designs. We sold the jar a week later to a client from whose estate we now have it back.

Recommended Reading: Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf

TAGS: Hopi-Tewa, Grace Chapella, Hopi Pueblo, Alma Tahbo, Pueblo Pottery, Nampeyo of Hano, Mark Tahbo