Lucy M Lewis | ||
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Posted 9 years ago
boccebroad
(1 item)
This little pottery item is about 3 1/2 inches tall and the opening is about 3 3/4 inches wide. I was wondering how I can tell when it was made and what it is worth if anything. I paid $ 3.28 for it. Is is really cute. Thanks for your help.
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Here is her biography;
http://www.adobegallery.com/artist/Lucy_Lewis_1898_199213474265
Many pieces of her pottery are in museums including the Smithsonian.
You're kidding, right?
It's Acoma, circa 1950's. If it has a lot of little "pop-outs" (white bits out of the clay) it dates to the 1960's when their clay developed a lot of impurities. Put it on eBay, and see what happens!
I read a little about her but did not know what year. I really thank you for your answers. I will look at it for pop outs. I am guessing I got a great deal. The best part about it was I purchased it at a county government little garage sale they had at our employee craft show. It was packed in a box from a famous hotel at Yosemite . I am going to google pop outs on pottery and see if I can see photos so I know what I am looking for.
A pop out is just a little white "pit" on the surface of the pot, where an impurity in the clay, usually limestone, absorbs moisture and expands over time and "pops" a piece of the surface off the pot. They can be the size of a pin head, or a little larger, and can occur even years after the pot was fired.
That happened to Acoma potters in the 1960's, and it took a while for them to discover what was happening and find another clay deposit that was okay. It helps date their pots, but not in a good way, since a lot of good pottery was damaged during that time period.
Antique Roadshow Archive on her pottery. You found a gem! Great find and good eye.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/201005A48.html
I would get it appraised before putting on ebay!!!!
I am going to try and find an appraiser any ideas on who can do this.
Contact Linda Dyer
this is her online line and info
http://antiqueorunique.org/appraisers/
Linda Dyer Antiques | (615) 791-9242 | ledyer256@aol.com
Linda Dyer brings 30 year’s experience in evaluating, authenticating, buying and selling American Indian art and ethnographica to her business as an independent appraiser, consultant and broker of fine art and antiques. Ms. Dyer spent 12 years as the Director of the American Indian Art Department at Skinner, Inc. of Boston. At this highly successful fine arts auction house, she developed a department in the area of Native American art ethnographica that achieved international recognition in sales and refinement of the Native American art market. Her career in the field began in the late 1970s at Harvard University’s Peabody Museum of Ethnology, where she participated in the development of a highly successful retail gallery within the institution. Ms. Dyer’s professional activities serving institutions and individuals have included appraisals of a variety of materials including Eskimo, American West and Spanish Colonial art, related photography, books and fine art.
I'm wondering if you will do us a favor here and let us know what you find out. I've seen some of Lucy's pottery and even with this one, compare the top with all the rest of the lines...it just seems like something is possibly wrong in Denmark...just sayin'.
I will keep you posted. Thanks for the heads up.
Here is an update. It is a geniue Lucy M Louis piece of pottery. Now I am trying to figure out to do with it.
Just be sure you spell it "Lewis," not "Louis"!
Dear Canyon Road,, Thanks for the heads up I have had a cold for 8 days and my mind is stuffy.
The little pop outs in pottery are caused by mica in the clay. I have pottery made from many different clay deposits which have them. Not uncommon. I also have a couple Lewis pots. The one thing that kinds of stands out on your pot, is the application of the paint (for lack of a better word) on the inside lip of the pot. Doesn't rule it as authentic though. Just my observation. Also, compare the signature to other known Lucy Lewis pieces.
After looking at my own Lucy Lewis pot, the paint (for lack of a better word) on the inside lip of the pot is similar. Nice find! I, for one, believe it is authentic.
Thanks for the information. I am sending photos off for another appraisal. I refuse to sell it for less that $328.00 which is 100 times more than I paid for it. My husband thinks I am a nut case..
Good luck. I, for one, would not part with it. I will pass my pottery on to my children.
Just in the interest of accuracy, pop outs are not caused by mica, they are a result of limestone in the clay. You will see a tiny white spot in the center of the pop out that is the limestone contamination.
Taos and Picuris Pueblos are known for their micaceous clay pottery, which contains mica. The mica gives a glittery effect, like tiny pieces of gold. It doesn't cause pop outs.
If you want to confirm, read any reference on pottery chemistry, or check out the Hammill & Gillespie website (they are one of the oldest clay and mineral supply businesses in the country): http://www.hamgil.com/ceramic-body-lime-pop