Featured Hopi Pot Signed - Questions

This is a small (3 1/2 inch tall) pot by Zora Silas, who signed one piece I found on the web as "1st Mesa Hopi." While the Silas Family has many famous potters, I don't know if she is related. The piece is very well done though, which shows some training. The only other information I found was she threw pots in Polacea and Palanca Arizona. The pot shows some age as there are wear marks like the faded signature, so I was wondering if any of you has an idea when she worked. Also another piece I found of hers was small. Is this a style or did this have a purpose? I love the heavy, smooth feel of this little piece and the intention of the design, but I don't know what the elements mean. Any help will be most appreciated.

 

First, I'm not totally convinced that the signature is "Zora Silas," but I can't actually make out what it says.

Second, I'm not sure there is a potter "Zora Silas." According to Gregory Schaaf's Hopi-Tewa Pottery, 500 Artist Biographies, there was an Annetta Silas, who had four sons and three daughters: Gertrude (Adams), Zora (Polinyama), and Hattie (Navajo). It's possible this is an early piece, before Zora married and took the surname Polinyama, but she is not listed under either Silas or Polinyama as one of the 500 potters.

Third, the few pots I see listed on the internet as being signed "Zora Silas" all seem to be of different style, with differences in the way the name is signed, and in some cases seem to have be "re-signed" by someone (with a felt pen even.) And most of those are on "dubious" websites. So I would definitely rely more on Gregory Shaff than on the internet.

Some contain misspelled names, such as "Polacea" or "Palanca," neither of which exist. The town is "Polacca." Annetta was from Sichomovi, which is on First Mesa.

Roberta Silas (not related to Annetta) was from Polacca, and had four daughters, Antoinette, Venora, Louanne, and Jo Fern (Puffer).

There is also a Hattie Silas, and Joy Silas (from Polacca), who are evidently not related to either of the other Silas families.

Finally, almost all Hopi designs are taken from prehistoric Hopi pottery symbols and patterns. They have names (see the appendix to Schaaf's book) but meanings probably depend on the individual potter's intentions, and would have to be explained by her/him.

 

@Taupou I am most grateful for your detailed and considered reply. I should have known better than to rely on the internet for information. I did have the advantage of examining the signature with my magnifying app before I wrote the name Zora Silas. Here are better pictures, I hope. The first character in the first name looks like a "Z" to me and the last name appears to be Silas. I can try for better pictures if these are not adequate as parsed through my phone camera through reduction and the internet.

 

Thanks for the additional pictures! I can see now that it does say Zora Silas.

Not the same signature as seen on some of the other pots on line, but now I'm leaning toward thinking yours may actually be an original, and maybe one of a very few ever made by Zora Silas Polinyama. I am still unable to find any information about her, however. (Which may be why she wasn't included in Hopi-Tewa Pottery, 500 Artist Biographies!)

 

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!! It is so exciting to hear this. It feels so lovely when you hold it. Perhaps potting didn't turn out to be her métier, but it is so well done it's a shame she didn't pursue this talent. I thank you so much for your research and time spent in helping me.

 

I'm going to continue to see if I can find anything further about Zora Silas Polinyama. I'll be sure to post it if I'm successful....

 

Great looking pot! I bought some shards at auction over the weekend but passed on the only intact native pottery available.

 

Gorgeous, Kiko.

 

That would be wonderful! I'm looking forward to finding out about her. Such a mystery. I googled her again after our discussion and found only the sites that I found before. I don't know where to look to find anything else.

 

I agree. Most of real good stuff is also beyond my reach. It must have been exciting to see it up close and personal rather than behind a glass.

 

Thank you AJ. At first glance it is unprepossessing, but once you pick it up and examine it, it's a whole different thing.

 

We met Zora Silas on First Mesa Several years ago and visited her the last time in 2019. Every time she invited us into her home. She was very sweet and so was her husband and grandson. She had her last piece of pottery she wanted to sell so we bought it from her. Nothing fancy as her hand was not as steady as in her younger days. We recently found out that she passed away but we will go visit her family when we go out west in September. I will try to figure out how to post a picture!

 

This is my mother in law with Zora. We always ask permission before taking any Native Americans picture out of respect.

 

Thank you so much for sharing her picture.

 

What a great experience and treasure. It is a sad thing to think that a kind and gentle soul has passed on. She will be remember through her work.