Hopi Indian Silver, Pottery, & Kachinas
We came to New Mexico in 1971 and made our first trip to Hopi country in northern Arizona in 1972. On the way home we stopped at the tribal Arts & Crafts shop and bought a pot. I think we paid $7.95 for a brown pot about 8" in diameter and 3" high. It was decorated with black designs and signed on the bottom. That was the start of our interest in Hopi culture and crafts. Unfortunately, it has been packed away for years and I will have to find it to see if the "name" on the bottom is a "NAME".
We have recently rediscovered our interest in Hopi arts & crafts; especially Hopi pottery. Ebay sellers have been offering signed Hopi pots at attractiove prices so we have gone shopping for the first time in years. Native American seems to be the correct term these days to avoid confusion with India Indians. So, we have started photographing our collection of Native American pottery and publishing it.
The Hopi's are also famous for their silver overlay jewelry. In this technique a design is cut out of a thinner sheet of silver and then fastened to a heavier silver backing. The cut out areas as tarnished to a dark black and make the design really stand out.
Hopi Kachinas are also famous. They were originally carved as teaching aides for the children. However, they have turned into an art form and sell for serious money. Many that you see are cheap immitations made for the tourist trade, but the real ones are carved from a single block of cottonwood and demonstrate real art and skill.
The Papago's of souther Arizona are the best known and most prolific basket makers, but the Hopis also make some lovely baskets and plaques. We have be about to collect a few of them and are publishing pictures and descriptions at Native American Baskets .
We have recently rediscovered our interest in Hopi arts & crafts; especially Hopi pottery. Ebay sellers have been offering signed Hopi pots at attractiove prices so we have gone shopping for the first time in years. Native American seems to be the correct term these days to avoid confusion with India Indians. So, we have started photographing our collection of Native American pottery and publishing it.
The Hopi's are also famous for their silver overlay jewelry. In this technique a design is cut out of a thinner sheet of silver and then fastened to a heavier silver backing. The cut out areas as tarnished to a dark black and make the design really stand out.
Hopi Kachinas are also famous. They were originally carved as teaching aides for the children. However, they have turned into an art form and sell for serious money. Many that you see are cheap immitations made for the tourist trade, but the real ones are carved from a single block of cottonwood and demonstrate real art and skill.
The Papago's of souther Arizona are the best known and most prolific basket makers, but the Hopis also make some lovely baskets and plaques. We have be about to collect a few of them and are publishing pictures and descriptions at Native American Baskets .
