NEMADJI USA INDIAN POTTERY CLAY JAR VASE NATIVE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST HISTORICAL

Description

4 1/2 “ tall with a 14” circumference around the widest part. In stunning hues of earth tones-red, orange, grey, black, beige. Vintage from circa 1930’s-50’s. Just Beautiful! This piece was given to me over 20 years ago, by a elderly neighbor, who visited the Grand Canyon during the 1940’s-1950’s. This type of pottery was bought by tourists as souvenirs of the “Great Southwest.” She most likely purchased it in a souvenir shop, to bring back home a a memento of her journey.
Note: Popular for more than 70 years, Nemadji finally ceased production in 2001. Collect these wonderful pieces of US History before they fade into the sunset! Please see photos for detail!
Nemadji Tile & Pottery Co. of Moose Lake, Minnesota, began producing their swirled pottery in 1929. A distinctive product and clever marketing were the roots of their success. The name “Nemadji” is an Ojibwe word meaning “left-handed,” but was easily misunderstood to be the name of a tribe. In the information sheet that accompanied their pots, Nemadji stressed that their wares were made with the same clays and shapes used by Native Americans. The connection of this marbled style of decoration with Native American production was more assumption than fact, but Nemadji was happy to encourage the idea. In reality, Eric Hellman, a Nemadji employee and Danish immigrant, came up with the idea to decorate the vases using simple house paint.
Though early pots were hand-thrown, most Nemadji pottery was molded from either a colored or white clay, fired and left in a bisque (unglazed) state. Different colored paints were floated on top of a vat of water and a small bit of vinegar was added to help separate the paints. Using a technique similar to marbling paper, the fired vase was hand-dipped into the water and swirled in the floating colors. The pieces did not have to be refired and dried quickly, creating uniquely decorated pots every time.