The lower quarter of the pot shows some water damage, but unlike utility pots 1995-02, 1998-01, 1998-05, 1999-14, 2003-09, or 2010-17, the pot does not appear to have been used in a Hopi home. Like utility pots 1987-02 and 2002-05, this pot was likely made for sale to a tourist. Pot 2002-04 has an attractive (but casual) fire blushing and is clearly signed with Zella Cheeda’s antelope hallmark.

Ms. Cheeda lived from 1901 to 1997 and worked from about 1950 to 1980. When I bought pot 2004-04 it was accompanied by an “NFS” tag from the MNA 1968 Hopi Show that referred to some other pot. Over time documentation was confused, but the tag suggests that the pot 2004-04 was purchased at the show in 1968. An almost identical pot by Zella is part of the collection of The National Museum of The American Indian, Washington, DC and was bought at Hopi in 1963. (Documentation on file.) Given these hints, a production date of 1968 for 2004-04 might be as good a guess as any.

Purchase History:
Purchased on 5/20/04 on eBay from Munn Auction of Cloudcroft, NM. The bid was placed using a wireless computer connection from a car in Philadelphia International Airport as I was waiting for my stepdaughter to arrive for my daughter’s wedding.