PUEBLO POTTERY

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Acoma

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Hopi

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Jemez

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Santa Clara

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Zia

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Zuni

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Other Pueblos

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CASAS GRANDES

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Mata Ortiz

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COLLECTOR POTTERY

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Collector Pottery

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KATSINA DOLLS

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Katsina Dolls


Fine Pueblo Pottery

Fine Pueblo Pottery


OVERVIEW of Collector Pottery

This page lists pottery pieces that qualify as collector's items because of special features. Uncommon design elements, combinations of such elements, or shapes of pots that make them essentially unique are considered special. Also, some of the pieces listed have been made by artists who are either no longer alive or are not actively making as much pottery (if at all) any more as they may have done in the past. Pueblo as well as Mata Ortiz pottery is listed. Some of the pieces may also appear in other pages under the appropriate pueblo, but this page provides a more extensive set of pictures of the pottery.

MATA ORTIZ POTTERY

Lucero, Ruben Lozano

Ruben Lozano Lucero produces black pottery that is so highly polished that is as reflective as a mirror. His gunmetal finish is famous world wide. The quality of his work is attested to by the First Prizeblack polished pot in National Exhibition of Folk Art. The award was handed to him President Salinas of Mexico himself.

Ruben makes pottery that is ideal for collecting or decorating. The two-piece set shown here is assembled with either of these goals in mind. It consists of a very rare bowl and an equally unusual flying saucer. These were requested from Ruben specially for the purpose of building this set.

The results of his efforts are true to form: The pottery is strikingly shiny and so well polished that it can almost be used as a mirror (if not for the curved surfaces.) I hope you like what you see!

  • Item No.: MO.278
  • Artist: Ruben Lozano Lucero
  • Description: Pottery set
  • Description: Bowl: 5 1/2 H x 14 1/2 D
  • Description: Flying Saucer: 7 H x 12 D
  • Price:

Ortiz, Nicolas

Nicolas Ortiz creates effigies that are world famous. His rabbits, turtles, owls and bears holding a fish in their moths are true marvels. The present offering is both the first and the only one he has made. We asked him to make a dragon that resembled a wooden Comodo dragon and this marvel came some time later.

  • Item No.: MO.256
  • Artist: Nicolas Ortiz
  • Description: 13 in L
  • Price:

Quezada, Reynaldo

This remarkable set of pottery pieces was hand formed by Reynaldo Quezada, a premier potter and an incredibly innovative artist in Mata Ortiz. Reynaldo is Juan Quezada's youngest brother and was taught the art of pottery making by Juan himself and his other brother, Nicolas. His inventions include the clay mixing called mezclado that gives a marbleized appearance to the finished olla. Reynaldo is featured prominently on page 169 of the book ``The Many Faces Of Mata Ortiz''.

The corrugated pieces offered here represent Reynaldo's second claim to fame. They include the three main shapes that he makes in this style: A large bowl, measuring 16 inches across by 6 inches deep, and is carved both inside and out, an olla, or better said a bombilla 10 inches in diameter by about 11 1/2 inches high, and the rare flying saucer. This is particularly hard to find in this size, measuring 13 inches across by 4 1/2 deep. The pieces make a stunning display as a centerpiece in a living room, dining room, or exhibition room. It is meant for the serious collector who wishes to acquire the best of Mata Ortiz pottery.

  • Item No.: MO.254a
  • Artist: Reynaldo Quezadada
  • Size: Display Set
  • Price:

Quezada, Nicolas

Nicolas Quezada is Juan Quezada's brother and arguably among the top four potters in Mata Ortiz. He has an unending enthusiasm for working with the clay, and his inventiveness and innovation are literally unparalleled. His designs are pure elegance. He paints long, sharp, curving and still uniformly spaced lines and bands on pottery whose color, like the grey background on the present offering, comes from special combinations of different clays that Nicolas has introduced. Nicolas is discussed on pages 160-163 of the book The Many faces of Mata Ortiz.

The bowl shown here is just another example of his love of pottery. It is a large piece, measuring 14.5 inches across by 5 1/2 inches deep, and it is decorated with superbly executed, sweeping bands with eye-dazzling fine-line work that also bears the heads of fish that seem to circle around the pot. The stand is also decorated to match the bowl.

The bowl shown is very similar to the one shown on page 162 of the book The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz. This bowl/stand combination was pioneered by Nicolas and the present item is now a classic.

  • Item No.: MO.049
  • Artist: Nicolas Quezada
  • Size: 5 1/2 in H x 13.5 in D
  • Price: 2,999

Quezada, Noe

Noe Quezada is the son and heir apparent of Juan Quezada, the man who reinvented pottery making in Mata Ortiz and has brought a new and spectacular artistic expression to the world. Noe himself is an acknowledged master potter ands this pot serves as testament to thatclassification. This is a signature Noe Quezada pot bearing a design that he no longer makes. Also, the handles give it a unique aspect as pottery with handles is essentially non-existent and Noe is not known to have made another. The pot is a true polychrome with no defects. (Please note that the lighter paint that appears near the center of every picture is due to the lighting conditions, not because of a blemish on the pot.)

  • Item No.: MO.117
  • Artist: Noe Quezada
  • Size: 8 in H x 10 in D
  • Price: 2,750

Villalba, Sabino

Andres Villalba was the grand master of tradition and fidelity to traditional ways of pottery decoration. His effigies were legendary. And so was his rendition of the ancient Paquime designs to which he stuck faithfully to the very end. Andres died of pancreatic cancer in the spring of 2001 but his legend lives on in the person of his son, Sabino Villalba. Sabino's artistry is considered the equal of his famous father and is now actively sought by collectors world wide.

We asked Sabino to create a Paquime pair, a matching set of a male and female effigies and the result is to marvel at in the offering listed here. The squatting posture of the effigies is that often found on ancient pottery snd the designs on the figures are identical!

  • Item No.: MO.235
  • Artist: Sabino Villalba
  • Size: (Approx) M:10 in H x 8 in D, F: 9 1/2 in H x 8 in D
  • Price:

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Note also that our inventory contains items not explicitly shown on our web site. Please make inquiries about items or artists in which you may be interested.