The signature on the bottom is faded and the pot listing garbled the signature with the comment “Signed for Osuana Nampeyo.” My sense was that it is signed “J Shamie Nampeyo,” with the “J” particularly difficult to read. On a visit to my home on 10/29/08, Rachel Sahmie confirmed that both the signature and design elements were her sister’s.
The spirit of this jar is very close to the eagle-tail Nampeyo seed pot (see 2005-16). Three of the four eagle-tail designs are well centered; the fourth design, which I am guessing the last one painted, is a bit off center from a lack of room.
The design is not perfect, but that is part of the allure of hand-made pottery. I am guessing that the use of the name “Nampeyo” in her signature and the off-center placement of one quadrant of the design are all indications that this pot was made relatively early in Jean’s career, perhaps during the 1970s.
