One of a Kind Offerings from the Fire

AUTHENTICALLY made using wild materials and practices.  

Click on photos for an enlarged view.  Items SOLD have blue text but remain posted for reference.   

Place orders through the "Contacts" page, using the product #.   Additional purchasing arrangements will be made by email.

Sales tax, shipping and insurance will be added when applicable.  All "one of a kind" pieces come with a Letter of Certification. 

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Curious about some of the attributes involved in price determination, read July 2015 article "What's it worth?" in the News tab.

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- Order of Appearance -

Ancestral Puebloan Black-on-White (both mineral and organic paint), Redwares and Greywares (Corrugation). 

Followed by High Plains Cord Impressed (Woodland and Upper Republican)

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Ancestral Puebloan Pottery 

Black-on-White

#338 Walnut Black-on-White Large Bowl

Reference: Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History

What makes this piece is the design.  Crazy.  There is a little bit of burn out(lightning) of the black paint from the super hot kiln.  The white slip, shrinking at a higher rate than the body clay, has crackled (zoom in). Intentionally left the outside rustic and rough.No cracks and rings like a bell.  4.25” x 10”

  $400

#336 Pueblo II Ladle

Reference: Private Collection

Mineral paint, more common in earlier periods, has its own set of challenges. You want it to apply evenly, you want it to stick to the slip and you want it to turn black in the trench kiln atmosphere. Trial and error and success. The handle's perforations keep it from exploding during firing process.  Fired super white but with a secret trick gave it a more aged mottled appearance.

4.25" bowl width x 10.25" long

 SOLD

#337 Pueblo II Ladle

Reference: Private Collection

Mineral paint, more common in earlier periods, has its own set of challenges. You want it to apply evenly, you want it to stick to the slip and you want it to turn black in the trench kiln atmosphere. Trial and error and success. The handle's three perforations keep it from exploding during firing process.  Very white slip, has shadows of the underlying clay showing in places.  To me replication means letting the materials be wild and applied in a primitive fashion.

4.25" bowl width x 11.25" long

 $250

#330 Pueblo II, Rattle Handle Ladle

Reference: Private Collection

Beads of clay rattle in the hollow handle of this large ladle.  The six topside perforations keep the handle from exploding during the firing process. The terraced steps in a modified scroll pattern appears in both the bowl and the handle. Ladles are tough to fire due to the small connection of clay between the bowl and handle.  Got lucky, this one is perfect as well.

5.25" bowl width x 14" long

 $350

#328 Mesa Verde Rattle Handle Ladle

Reference: Private Collection

Beads of clay rattle in this hollow handle which also has horns of clay on the end.  Maybe used for hooking on the edge of a pot. The handle's three perforations keep it from exploding during firing process. Classic banded Mesa Verde design. Ladles are tough to fire due to the small connection of clay between the bowl and handle.  This one is perfect and nearly a twin to #327

4.75" bowl width x 12.5" long

 SOLD

#327 Mesa Verde Rattle Handle Ladle

Reference: Private Collection

Beads of clay rattle in this hollow handle which also has a loop of clay on the end.  The handle's four perforations keep it from exploding during firing process. Classic banded Mesa Verde design. Ladles are tough to fire due to the small connection of clay between the bowl and handle.  This one is perfect.

4.75" bowl width x 12.5" long

 $350

#336a  McVerdian Black-on-White Bowl

Reference: A sherd in Southeast Utah

Had to design this complete layout, staying true to the time period, off a couple of square inches. Sometimes it's just ends perfect.   4" x 9.5"

Keeping this one for myself for now.  But after I love on it awhile, may let it go.  Message me ;)

#343  Lizard in the Corn Bowl

This bowl was made to test a new clay and how it would perform in the firing process.

But of course I had to give it some lizard (of the period) bling. High pitch ring.  Bowl formed a few 1/4" rim cracks as it was getting really hot. All have been filled.  3" x 5.5"

$75

#341  Chaco Black-on-White Scoop

Reference: Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico

This tiny scoop might have been used as a spoon.  I kept the forming a bit rough, simulating the original.  Black wavy lines are beautifully fired.   2.5" x 4.5" x 1"

$50

#332  Ladder Handle Ladle

Reference: Sherd in Southeast Utah

Other than the portion of the one we found, only know of one other.  Such a unique handle.  Mineral for paint and white slip both harvested within walking distance of the sherd. Well fired and rings like a bell.

1.75" x 8"

$200

#342  Turtle Bowl

The main purpose of this bowl was to try out a new clay with characteristics I normally don't use.  Notice the warping in the bowls roundness.  I will sell it later (message me if interested) but keeping it to study for a bit.   

2" x 6"

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#337a  Mesa Verde Miniature Mug

Reference: Colorado History Museum, Denver, CO., #0.439.1

Little dots travel around the entire mug on a stepped trail. Maybe footprints?  Love miniature mugs.  This one is quite special.

 2" tall x 3" with handle

$100

#340  Tusayan Bird Vessel

Reference: Papers of the Peabody Museum No.38, 7615-S, Room 303

The form and painted design put this piece in a class of its own.  Head form resembles a turkey.  Even the stylized wings bring to mind the T-shape symbolism of the time.

3.5" x 4.5"

$250

#344  Tusayan Bird Vessel

Reference: Papers of the Peabody Museum No.38

Fragments of several birds were found.  This one complies some of those bits. Amazingly fired showing off this beautiful white slip from northeast Arizona.  3" x 5.5"

$200

#335 Gourd Scoop

Reference: Early 1900's photo. No provenience

This form is rare overall but most commonly seen in the early Pueblo periods.  My personal found mineral paint is loosely applied.  Whites are stunning and opaque with slight shadows of the underlying clay. 

High fired.  2.25" x 7" wide

$150

#326  Mesa Verde Bowl

Reference: Mesa Verde National Parks Museum

Tumbling triangles, bold and simple, make a statement both in positive and negative space.  Super whites. Black paint was just starting to burn off as the kiln was smothered with dirt. 

4.5" x 10.25"

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SOLD ($400)

#324  Mesa Verde Bowl

Reference: Online Photo, but still hunting it's origin.  What a design of celestial orbs, flowers or eyes?  Rim flatness and ticking set the Period. Beautifully fired with a couple exterior fire clouds.  Kiln was hot enough to warp it out of round a bit.  3" x 6.75" 

$250

#153 Gallup Black-on-White Bowl

Reference: Online auction site, private collection from the 40's

The linear geometric designs adorning the inner walls of this bowl are so finely painted in ferrous red mineral and then reduce to black.  Fired at the Southwest Kiln Conference 2015, Safford, Arizona

4" x 9.25"

Personal Collection 

#058 Mesa Verde Black-on-White Bowl

Inspiration: a single 2" x 2" pottery sherd

Really exciting to see a sherd come back to life in full form. Outside is fairly grey.  Also has a fine line, 2" rim crack, that doesn't affect the stability. The high temperature in the kiln warped it's roundness a little, a wonderful piece.  3.5" x 8.25"  

SOLD  ($100)

#183 Dogozhi Black-on-White Bowl

Reference; Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 1050-1200A.D.

A beautiful white firing clay, Bee Plant painted with a yucca brush. Perfection.  This piece was done as a commission and I couldn't be happier with it.  3.5" x 8"  

SOLD ($350) 

#111 Mesa Verde Black-on-White Bowl

Reference: Aztec Ruin, Aztec, New Mexico.  Original excavated by Earl Morris.

Large bowl, very nice.  Whites are clean.  Slight burn out/lightening of the blacks.  Well made and one of my favorites.  5.25" x 11"  

SOLD   

#252     8 "Eyes" Pitcher

Reference: Mesa Verde Museum - on display

Everyone gets enamored by the highly decorated and detailed pieces of the PIII period.  But to some artist, with her yucca brush in hand, this felt like enough... and it is.  Well fired with a small amount of kiln carbon on the whites. 

4.5" tall x 5.25" wide with handle

$50

#218  Pitcher with Black on White Geometric Design, 900-1300.

Reference: Brooklyn Museum, New York

Absolutely a beauty, both the original and the replication.  Perfectly fired.  The slip is unctuous and smooth.  The blacks are strong on one side and start to "ghost" (get lighter from the extreme kiln heat) on the other.  8.5" tall x 7" diameter.

SOLD - ($500)

#232 Chaco Pitcher

Reference: Earl Morris Collection, Colorado State Museum, Boulder, Colorado  

Painted with mineral instead of the plant which is used on most of the pieces.  Has a slight warm tone to the black.  Exceptional unique handle going from the rim to the base versus the more common rim to lower neck.  Personally love this piece.   6” x 4.5”   

SOLD

#186 Chaco Black-on-White Pitcher 

The original of this pitcher is in the Earl Morris Collection. A photo appears in "Anasazi Pottery", Lister and Lister, 1978.  Fantastic design of wave like curls charging up from the base and hanging from the rim. 6.75" x 5.75" without handle

SOLD ($400)

#184 Chaco Black-on-White Pitcher 

The original was taken from Room 326, Pueblo Bonito, and appears in N. M. Judd's papers. A fantastic design that screams Chaco Canyon. Rings like a bell and truly Black-on-White.  Undoubtably one of the best pieces I have ever made.  5.25" x "6.5" including handle.

$400 

#215  Mesa Verde Effigy Mug

Reference:  Photo in the Salt Lake Tribune, original piece from S.E. Utah

This little mug, maybe for a child, is so much more than special with a four legged animal standing on the handle. Perfectly fired.   3" x  4.5" with handle 

SOLD ($250) 

#207  PII Black-on-White Mug

Reference: Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, Blanding, Utah

This design just speeks to me.  Reminds me of birds flying... migration? north or south?  I replicated it to the dot sequence on the handle. I feel it is my responsibility to not judge or try to understand the intention of the artist, but simply to pass it on.  For the time being... I am keeping this one.  But could make you one just like it.

Personal Collection, NFS

#113 McElmo Black-on-White Canteen

Replication: Aztec Ruin, Aztec, New Mexico

Nice grapefruit sized shape. Warm oxidized tones around rim. Original found while digging a ditch near the ruin. Dated 1100 -1400 A.D.  4.25" x 4.5"

SOLD ($285)

#279  Mesa Verde Ladle

Reference: Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum

A very large ladle with a eyelet curl of clay on the handle tip, probably for hanging or attaching a corded thong.  The handle's perforations keep it from exploding during firing.  Little bits of atmospheric kiln gases cling to the outside surface (common in the prehistoric pieces) and some blacks have a warm tone.  Ladles are tough to make and fire due to the small connection of the bowl and handle.  

5.25" bowl width x 13.5" long

 Sold ($300)

#278 Flat Ladle     Reference: Online photo.  Provenience unknown

Love the "hairy lizard" and while painting the bowl interior, it occured to me that this pattern probably represented dried cob corn.  I suspect this lizard was always in the corn stash and so the story is told.  Some interesting coloration.  Strong and well fired.   

4.5"wide x 9" long

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$125

#283 McElmo Effigy Seed Jar

Reference: Colorado History Museum, on display

Beautifully painted shape with a tiny head and a "feathered" tail.  A special place to store anything of value, especially next years seed crop.  Whites are clean and the piece has a nice sheen.   

3.75" tall x 5.25" wide (not including head and tail)

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$150

#202  Cortez Knobbed Seed Jar

Reference: rarepottery.com

Replication.  Two things make this piece special, a reduced ferrous mineral paint AND that it was fired at 2016 Southwest Kiln Conference in Springerville, Arizona.   Exceptionally unique piece with the three horn like points protruding from the rim.  3" x 5.5"

SOLD

#220 Mancos B/W Effigy Container

Reference:

Birds, birds, birds - The ancient world is full of their images on rock and ceramic. Parrots, carried hundreds of miles from southern tropical areas, must have had a great importance.  Incredibly smooth and well balanced replication.  5" x 5.5"

NFS at this time 

#042 Black-on-White Bighorn Effigy

Reference:  Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, Blanding, Utah

The actual piece was found by a hiker only a few years ago.  It's a pitcher, being completely hollow inside.  Notice the cloven hoof and the little upward curled tail.  When I replicate, I try to get the piece as near to exact size as possible (challenging because both air drying and firing, shrink the piece) and paint it as they did.  Notice that each side is slightly different, one having six "staircases", the other seven.  Also the "staircases" always descend from upper left to lower right, on both sides.  Easier to paint that way IF you are right handed.   2.75" x 6.75" x 8.75"  Pueblo II    

Personal Collection

#133 Effigy Pitcher

Reference:  Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, Blanding, Utah / Pueblo II

Getting to measure and photograph the original makes replicating to the inch and brushstroke a much easier process.  

3" x 8" (Photo below is of original piece)

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SOLD

Redwares

#297 Black-on-Red Jar

Seed jars held the most important things... like next years planting seeds.  The deep red Chinle formation slip shows areas of greenish-yellow on the bottom where oxygen was sparse.  Common to see this in ancient pieces as well.  3.25" x 5.5"  

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$100

#314 Gourd Pitcher

Gourd inspired ladles and pitchers show up in late Basketmaker as well as early Pueblo periods.  Usually not slipped, this one was my excitement to try out a new found clay. Burnished up super shiny. Love the profile on this piece.

5.5" x 4.25" with handle  

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$200

#320 Feather Box

Reference: Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Feather boxes are quite rare.  Only know of a few of which all but one are redwares.  The Denver Museum of Nature and Science list this as Abajo Red-on-Orange.  1.5" x 5.75"  

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SOLD

#315 Feather Box

Reference: Online Auction

Tucked in kiva wall niches, left with feathers inside, one has to wonder the value of these tiny round boxes. The auction claims this piece is from the Four Corners area but actual provenience is lost.   

1.5" x 5.5"  

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SOLD

#316

Reference: Edge of the Cedars Museum, Blanding, Utah

The most vibrant slip I have found in southeast Utah, set the background for the rim centered design.  Great when all the searching is rewarded with the best materials around.  3.75" x 5.75"  

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$225

#321 Feather Box

Reference: Artist Inspired

Another wild slip clay that amazed me in the fire.  Fires pinkish orange with a yellow blush... or visa-versa.  Each end of this box has an endless scroll, while a beaded design drapes the mouth of the jar.  Can't wait to play more with this clay.

2.5" x 4.5"  

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SOLD ($100)

#317 Abajo Red-on-Orange Bowl

Reference: Canyon of the Ancients Museum

The dark red Corn Maiden, complete with hair whorls and long lizard like legs, completely fills the bottom of this bowl.  Finding this exact body clay was a challenge. Love the direct simpleness of these early redwares. 

3" x 7"  

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SOLD ($185)

#323 Abajo Red-on-Orange gourd pitcher

Reference: Alkali Ridge, J.O. Brew excavations, Site 13

Piece is not slipped and has many haphazardly applied zig zags of hematite.  The natural smear of the bright red dust, brings vibrancy to the entire piece.

4" x 5.75"  

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SOLD ($125)

Greywares

#312  Small Corrugated Jar

Jar has 26 rows of right thumb "high reach" pinch!  This jars is similar to #308 & #311 but gave the pinch my own personal twist.  Finally I can do this... seeing the wave.

4.5" tall x 4" wide

$90

#310  Corrugated Jar

Jar has 32 rows of left hand index finger pinch often seen in Mesa Verde jars.  The exact placement of the pinches takes hours to get just right but when achieved gives the illusion of weaving, letting your eye get lost in the diagonal lines both left and right. 

5.5" tall x 4.75" wide

$185

#313  Corrugated Jar

Jar has 34 rows of right thumb "high reach" pinch.  This jar is testament to practice.  Even though three small finished jars preceded it, I probably started another 25... at least.  Nice that the raw clay is easily recycled.  Love this one.  

6" tall x 5.5" wide

SOLD ($185)

#233  Corrugated Mug

Corrugation, most commonly used in cooking jars, also appears in unique forms such as bowls and mugs which occasionally have a coating of white slip. 15 rows of pinching.  Structurally sound and rustic.  Artist Inspired

3" x 4.5" with handle

$50

#259  Corrugated Cooking Jar

Jar has 52 rows of left hand index finger pinch.  The egg like shape and everted rim place it in the Pueblo III period.   Painted by the fire, this piece has beautiful smoke clouds and carbon shadowing.

7.5" x 7.25"

Sold ($300)

#231  Corrugated Cooking Jar

Jar has 40 rows of left hand index finger pinch.  The egg like shape and everted rim place it in the Pueblo III period.   Fired at the 2017 annual Southwest Kiln Conference.  Has beautiful smoke clouds and an embossed spiral on one side.  Want to keep this one myself!

6.75" x 7"

NFS

#197  Corrugated Mug

Reference: Earl Morris Memorial Collection, Museum of Natural History, Boulder, Colorado

Corrugation, most commonly used in cooking jars, sometimes appears in unique forms such as bowls and mugs.  This piece was intentionally smudged, making it look as though it had been used.  3.5" x 4.5" with handle

SOLD ($100)

Plains Pottery