Info on Native American or Mexican Pot

I picked up this pot at an auction in Missouri. I figure NA or Mexican. Looks like stylized goose head on side. I have checked out the H.M.M. initials for matches in NA and Mexican potters. Too bad for the damage on the one side. Interest in possible age as well. I guess if I can identify the potter i will know about the age. Thanks for any help.

 

The shape and design seem to be inspired by early Woodlands/Mississipian pottery (such as produced at Spiro Mounds). Perhaps it was made by a contemporary Cherokee, Catawba or other southeastern potter.

 

Thanks . I will try those for search . After your comment about Pueblo no using a wheel i checked this one out more carefully. I can see and feel finger grooves on the inside where they worked the clay. Pretty clean inside to be too old.

 

It is certainly not very old. I meant to say that the white specs (I can't see well what is going on in your photos) look similar to what sometimes happens when ground shell has been used as one of the ingredients in the clay. They may have been reproducing the type of clay body used in prehistoric Mississippian pottery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missi...ramics feature a,ground as to look untempered.

 

Thank you. It does look like that is what is happening with the white spots. I checked out the Southeastern potteries and saw similar shapes and designs.

 

This looks close and they say these are Mexican though the collector was in NC. The description is a bit hard to follow but sold through an actual auction house.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mexican-pots-3830583399




the second pot is a handled vase has a painted body painted with a cloud and rain design, marked on the underside "HMM".Vase 9 1/4 in.From the Estate of the Late Randal Duckworth, Charlotte, North Carolina

 

Very interesting!
Lark's pot might well be by the Mexican potter Heron Martinez Mendoza (HMM). The designs are similar to this one of his:

https://www.folkartmuseumcentraltx.org/index.php/Detail/objects/1176

https://www.folkartmuseumcentraltx.org/index.php/Gallery/3

 

I've found a few that the sellers think are his marked HMM. Here is one that at least says Mexico.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/heron-martinez-mendoza-vintage-mexico-2106197661

 

Thank you for everyones efforts. I think SIS found the answer. Hopefully the collector site can give me a date as well.

 

Got a confirmation on SIS sleuthing . This is from the Martinez collector site. Thank you again for all your hard work. I spend a lot of time researching my items. You learn so much through the process. Sometimes I come across information I was not even researching that pops up in the future. Never a day wasted in the process. Here is their response.



Thu, Jan 13 at 5:54 PM
Hi!

Thank you for contacting me and sending photos.

Yes, I think your piece was made by Martinez’s workshop. The clay looks right, as do the HMM initials. I would guess it was probably made in the 70s or 80s. That is when Martínez and his workers were basically focusing on burnished pieces.

May I ask its measurements?

If you have any other questions, pls let me know. Lee