Lot 26
Native American, Southeastern United States, Mississippian culture, Caddo, ca. 1200 to 1500 CE. A Mississippian Caddo redware Avery vase marked by its warm earthen surface and restrained engraved banding, an object that favors quiet geometry over excess and lets form carry much of the meaning. The vessel is tall and gently tapering, with a rounded base that rises to a slightly flared rim. The surface is finished in a rich red slip, burnished to a soft matte sheen that highlights subtle variations from firing. Around the upper body runs a single engraved band composed of arcing forms and linear divisions, creating a repeating rhythm that encircles the vessel just below the rim. The incised lines cut cleanly through the slip, revealing the lighter clay beneath and emphasizing the clarity of the design. Size: 8.8" Diameter x 8.7" H (22.4 cm x 22.1 cm)
This decorative program is characteristic of Avery Engraved pottery, a type associated with Caddo communities along the Red River and its tributaries. The motifs are spare but deliberate, often interpreted as abstracted references to architectural forms, pathways, or cosmological order. Their placement near the rim draws attention to the vessel's opening, visually balancing the expansive red field below.
The lower body remains undecorated, allowing the color and contour of the clay to dominate. Light surface wear and firing clouds are visible, consistent with age and use, and contribute to the vessel's quiet presence rather than detracting from it. Avery vases like this example were likely used in both domestic and ceremonial contexts, valued for their utility as well as their visual discipline. This piece stands as a refined expression of Caddo ceramic tradition, where restraint, proportion, and surface finish combine to create an object of enduring clarity and strength.
Provenance: private Denver, Colorado, USA collection; ex-New York, USA collection, acquired October 2016; ex-Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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#201041
- Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines; all done very well and difficult to notice. Some light surface wear with pitting and black marks in areas as shown. Otherwise, nice presentation with good remaining decoration. Old collection label on underside of base.
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