Lot 26
North America, southwest United States, New Mexico, Santa Ana, Acoma, and Zuni, ca. 20th century CE. A charming and highly collectible lot of three 20th century Southwestern Native American pottery owls, each distinct in scale, style, and cultural voice, yet united by a shared reverence for form, humor, and tradition. Together they read like a small chorus at dusk - watchful, alert, and quietly opinionated. The largest owl is from Santa Ana Pueblo, modeled with a rounded body and upright posture, its surface animated by bold linear motifs and a warm terracotta base. Signed "Santa Ana" on the underside of the tail, the figure balances graphic clarity with a gently whimsical presence, embodying the pueblo's long tradition of expressive animal forms. Size of largest (gray owl): 2.6" L x 3" W x 4" H (6.6 cm x 7.6 cm x 10.2 cm)
The second largest owl is by Nellie Bica (Zuni, 1905-1998), one of the most celebrated Zuni potters of the mid-20th century and especially renowned for her owl figures. Signed "N.B." on the underside of the base, this example features Bica's signature scale-like patterning and rounded volume. Owls were the first forms she learned to make as a teenager, and she later recalled that she was among the first to add legs and babies to her owls - innovations that became hallmarks of her work. After the passing of Tsayutisa and Catalina Zunie, Bica played a crucial role in sustaining pottery traditions at Zuni, firing her works at sunrise and teaching her daughter to pray when gathering clay and forming pottery.
The most petite owl is by Irma Maldonado (Acoma Pueblo, b. 1932), signed "Acoma, N.M. / I.R.M." on the underside of the base. Compact and delicately modeled, it features fine painted details and looped wings, reflecting Acoma's precision and lightness of touch. Its small scale only heightens its personality, proving that authority does not require size. Together, these three owls form a lively and meaningful grouping that celebrates continuity, individuality, and the enduring spirit of Southwestern Native American pottery.
Please note this item may fall under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and may not be eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.
Provenance: private British Columbia, Canada collection, gifted from aunt in Tucson, Arizona, USA, acquired prior to 1994
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#200176
- Condition: Largest has had horns and tail reattached with chipping along visible break lines. Other two are intact. Some minor surface wear throughout, but, otherwise, all present nicely with good remaining pigments and detail. All signed with artist's initials or culture on underside of base.
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