Welcome to
First People Potsan online catalog of 500+ pieces of Native American artwork owned by a private collector, described by Cowboys & Indians Magazine as “a valuable resource for collectors, galleries, and scholars.”
2024-09: Small bowl with simple bird/skyband design
This bowl displays a version of the "bird hanging from sky band" design that was central to Nampeyo's development as an artist. The bowl was likely formed by Nampeyo and painted by a young relative who got it wrong, though...
2024-08: Plate with modernistic “bird hanging from sky band” design
The “bird hanging from sky band” design on plate 2024-08 has at least a 600-year-old tradition at Hopi and was probably Nampeyo’s favorite design. Her bowl 1993-04 is an early rendition and is both the linchpin of...
2024-07 A crack(ed) pot playing tricks
This jar must be carefully examined before it is understood. Obviously it was broken into two pieces and is damaged. Surprisingly the form remains elegant and the design is almost unaffected by this damage. ...
2024-06 Large bowl with a serious butterfly dancer
The mouth is 9.0-inches wide; the incurved rim is about 0.75-inches wide. This bowl is particularly large, a kachina butterfly dancer with a serious mien is its only interior decoration. The image is striking, giving the...
2024-05 Canteen bank
This collection contains 5 other pots by Nellie, who has a reputation of being an indifferent potter and painter. Occasionally one finds a superior example of her work (cf 2010-04) and pot 2024-05,...
2024-04 Corn vase
Corn is at the core of Hopi life and no pot in the collection makes this statement more directly than this vase. A few pots in this collection depict painted images of corn (1999-10, 2010-08 and 2012-07) and other...
