Collection: Dr. Edwin Wade Southwest Pueblo Pottery Collection

Probably the most distinguishing characteristic of Southwest pueblo pottery are the coils. Clay Coil pots are built entirely by hand. They are never being thrown on a wheel. Many believe that using a wheel takes away from the artistic aspect, making it "too perfect". Small pots and figurines can simply be pinched out of small balls of clay, but anything larger must have a base called a puki, to support the rest of the pot. Once the puki is formed, usually from a bowl or pie tin, the Potter takes the first coil of moist clay and presses it against the inside wall of the round base. Each coil is added one by one, each being about an inch in diameter. The potter must constantly knead the clay to relinquish all air bubbles that would cause problems when firing. After a pot has been created, the artist refines the pot as they see fit. Pueblo Potters have long used pot sherds or pieces of gourd rind for scraping. Today potters use pieces of coconut shell, discarded eyeglass lenses, wooden spoons, the tops from candy and tobacco tins or most anything that will achieve the desired result to shape the new pot.

Thin walled handmade Southwest Pueblo Pottery is a sign of an artist's skill. Some potters strive for thinner and thinner walls, while others prefer thicker more sustainable walled pottery. Concerning the coils... scraping will remove almost all evidence of the clay coils. However, some artists prefer corrugated pottery and leave every coil visible and even decorate them.

5 products

  • Nampeyo Hopi Pottery

    Regular price $685.00 USD
    Sale price $685.00 USD Regular price
    Sale Sold out

    Vintage Hopi Pottery - Nampeyo Style It would be difficult to imagine this pot being made without significant influence from Nampeyo herself. The design, its balance...

  • Santa Ana Polychrome Canteen 1850 - Wade Collection

    Regular price $3,500.00 USD
    Sale price $3,500.00 USD Regular price
    Sale Sold out

    Santa Ana Polychrome Canteen c. 1850 Dr Wade Comments Among the rarest of historic Pueblo ceramics is Santa Ana Polychrome ( c. 1750 – 1890 )...

  • Ed Wade Vintage Pueblo Pottery

    Regular price $5,500.00 USD
    Sale price $5,500.00 USD Regular price
    Sale Sold out

    Comments by Ed Wade, ph.d.   Tesuque black on red jar with ceremonial designs c. 1880 Pottery essentially died out at the Pueblo of Tesuque around 1900,...

  • Nampeyo Jean Sahme Hopi Pottery

    Regular price $4,550.00 USD
    Sale price $4,550.00 USD Regular price
    Sale Sold out

    Jean Sahme / Nampeyo Hopi Pottery - Circa 1998 - It is new, perfect, and was safely stored all these years. It is just as we received...

  • Sandra Victorino-Large Fine Line-Acoma Seed Bowl

    Regular price $4,250.00 USD
    Sale price $4,250.00 USD Regular price
    Sale Sold out

    Sandra Victorino - Very Large, Fine Line Repeating Flower Seed Bowl Absolutely Astonishing... this is an extremely complex design that Sandra no longer produces.  In fact, I know...