Unsigned
Nampeyo Vase
4 1/2"
H x 9" D
Note: This fascinating piece
of material culture comes from an estate colletion - having been
passed down from generation to generation. It was originally
acquired by a relative of the seller who worked for the railroad
around the time Nampeyo was producing pottery under the direction
of J.W. Fewkes. While this piece cannot be directly attributed
to Nampeyo with 100% certainty - it bears the wear and tear typical
of a piece from that time period and resembles the size and style
she was known for.
Nampeyo was born at Hano Pueblo,
which is primarily made up of descendants of the Tewa tribe who
fled west to Hopi lands after the Pueblo Rebellion of 1680. Her
mother, Ootca-ka-o was Tewa; her father Qots-vema, from nearby
Walpi Pueblo, was Hopi.
Nampeyo was considered one of the finest Hopi potters. Nampeyo
learned pottery making through the efforts of her paternal grandmother.
In the 1870s, she made a steady income by selling her work at
a local trading post operated by Thomas Keam.
She became increasingly interested
in ancient pottery form and design, recognizing them as superior
to Hopi pottery produced at the time. Her second husband, Lesou
(or Lesso) was employed by the archaeologist J. Walter Fewkes
at the excavation of the prehistoric ruin of Sikyátki
in the 1890s. Lesou helped Nampeyo find potsherds showing the
old forms and Fewkes produced detailed illustrations of reconstructed
pots.
Nampeyo developed her own style based on the traditional designs.
Her work was purchased for the Smithsonian Institution and by
collectors worldwide. In 1904 and 1907, she produced and sold
pottery at the Grand Canyon lodge owned by the Fred Harvey Company.
She and her husband traveled to Chicago in 1898 and 1910 to display
her work.
Nampeyo began to lose her sight in 1925, but continued to form
and shape pots by touch. These later pots were painted by members
of her family, including her four daughters, who also became
well-known potters. She worked with clay until her death in 1942.
