Hopi pottery

[kwelliott14]

Hi supposedly the lady that owned this used to trade stuff with the Hopi. How can I tell if it's authentic and what would it be worth? Thanks

 

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[pickaway]

Can you make out the writing on the bottom of it? Looks like a black signature or a collectors mark, might help...

 

[CreekSide]

Do you think it might have been repaired? I’ve never seen a pot with the base like that.

 

[pickaway]

The bottom part is corrugated, not repaired, I dont recall the Hopi doing corrugated pottery like that, used to be a site on the net the guy had all southwest pottery pictured dated named I'll see if I can find the site for you.

 

[pickaway]

https://swvirtualmuseum.nau.edu/wp/index.php/artifacts/pottery/

couldnt find that site, maybe this site can help send them a pic, good luck

 

[unclemac]

this pot was coil made on a basket form.

 

[pickaway]

this pot was coil made on a basket fo

this pot was coil made on a basket form

Can you explain what you mean by coil made on a basket form? most pottery was made by coil method corrugated just means leaving the construction coils untouched and then manipulating exposed coils to make a rough surface, the top part of this pot was smoothed bottom is corrugated , not saying you are wrong im no expert and its how we all learn, imo the pot is prolly mexican it looks good in ways then looks off in ways definately the bottom looks like it was in desert conditions,

 

[CreekSide]

this pot was coil made on a basket form.

So is that a normal process for making a pot? I’ve never seen this before

 

[BAW]

This is not a traditional Hopi style. Rather, it is made in the style of the second phase of the Basketmaker culture of the American Southwest. The bottom shows that it was formed in a coiled or "two rod and bundle" basket. A original specimen of this type would date to about 400 or 500 AD. This one is obviously not that old. It was probably made by a modern-day potter who wanted to re-create an ancient style.

 

[CreekSide]

This is not a traditional Hopi style. Rather, it is made in the style of the second phase of the Basketmaker culture of the American Southwest. The bottom shows that it was formed in a coiled or "two rod and bundle" basket. A original specimen of this type would date to about 400 or 500 AD. This one is obviously not that old. It was probably made by a modern-day potter who wanted to re-create an ancient style.

Great information I appreciate that

 

[pickaway]

This is not a traditional Hopi style. Rather, it is made in the style of the second phase of the Basketmaker culture of the American Southwest. The bottom shows that it was formed in a coiled or "two rod and bundle" basket. A original specimen of this type would date to about 400 or 500 AD. This one is obviously not that old. It was probably made by a modern-day potter who wanted to re-create an ancient style.

Thanks for the info,i'll look up rod and bundle basket, southwest pottery is mind boggling

 

[unclemac]

So is that a normal process for making a pot? I’ve never seen this before

well, it is an easier way to make one without a wheel. you make coils of clay and stack them, in this case they used a bowl shaped basket as a base and built it up layer by layer. they smoothed out the top coils but not the bottom. I am not sure this basket would hold water very well.

 

[BAW]

In answer to questions from Pickaway and Creekside - This pot was made by a rather unique method, which so far as I know, was used mainly by the Basketmaker culture. This culture got it's name because in it's earliest phase they did not make pottery, but used baskets exclusively. The assumption is that they eventually started lining some of their baskets with mud to make them more efficient for parching seeds. Unfired clay liners have been found having clear markings showing that they had been pressed into a basket while wet Eventually they discovered (possibly by accidentally dropping one in the parching fire) that firing clay pottery made it hard enough to use without being supported by basketwork. Apparently they still started their pots by pushing the clay into a basket and built it up by hand after they reached the top edge of the basket. At the time this innovation occurred, the Basketmakers were making coiled baskets. That is what Unclemac was probably referring to, not necessarily to the coil method of pot making, but to the method of building a pot inside a coil basket.

 

[pickaway]

In answer to questions from Pickaway and Creekside - This pot was made by a rather unique method, which so far as I know, was used mainly by the Basketmaker culture. This culture got it's name because in it's earliest phase they did not make pottery, but used baskets exclusively. The assumption is that they eventually started lining some of their baskets with mud to make them more efficient for parching seeds. Unfired clay liners have been found having clear markings showing that they had been pressed into a basket while wet Eventually they discovered (possibly by accidentally dropping one in the parching fire) that firing clay pottery made it hard enough to use without being supported by basketwork. Apparently they still started their pots by pushing the clay into a basket and built it up by hand after they reached the top edge of the basket. At the time this innovation occurred, the Basketmakers were making coiled baskets. That is what Unclemac was probably referring to, not necessarily to the coil method of pot making, but to the method of building a pot inside a coil basket.

Thanks ive never heard of that method,Ive heard of the basketmaker culture, Southwest Pottery is amazing with all the types styles etc. The anasazi pottery amazes me also I found some black and white shards in Arizona years ago.

 

[Clay Diggins]

I've handled 100's (maybe thousands?) of Hopi pots. No Hopi made this example.

 

[Charl]

https://swvirtualmuseum.nau.edu/wp/index.php/artifacts/pottery/

couldnt find that site, maybe this site can help send them a pic, good luck

I know the site you’re referring to, it was the best. Unfortunately, it vanished a few years ago.

 

[kwelliott14]

This is not a traditional Hopi style. Rather, it is made in the style of the second phase of the Basketmaker culture of the American Southwest. The bottom shows that it was formed in a coiled or "two rod and bundle" basket. A original specimen of this type would date to about 400 or 500 AD. This one is obviously not that old. It was probably made by a modern-day potter who wanted to re-create an ancient style.

How can you tell it's not that old? I know nothing about pottery so I'm just curious. Thanks

 

[BAW]

On magnifying the images one can see minute scratches made when the pot was scraped and thinned during the construction process, as well as sharp grains of the sand that was used to temper the clay protruding from the surface. None of this would be present if the pot were really 1500 years old. It shows no signs of ever having been used or buried; rather it looks like it has sat on a shelf since the day it was made. It is not smoke-blackened or even dirty.

 

[magua]

You probably have something that was made by a native American and sold at a roadside stand. Nearly every reservation has hundreds of small stands that you pass through on your way in and out of the areas. Many using bits and pieces of their culture to make the pottery. Not many used genuine, authentic practices, and they take modern shortcuts for obvious convenience reasons.

You probably have something that was made by a native American on a reservation, modern, probably a small artist who makes just a few items. Nothing worth $1 million or any other amount that’s gonna allow you to retire but something unique and enjoyable.