An Important Hopi Pottery Jar by Lena Charlie

c. 1950 

4 1/2" x 12 1/2"

Collected by Christian Missionaries at Polocca in the late 1950s.According to the Museum of Northern Arizona, Lena Chio Charlie’s known dates of production were 1933-1961. The Arizona State Museum states that she was a clan niece of Nampeyo of Hano and sometimes painted Nampeyo’s pottery. Other than these two comments, there is very little published information on her.  She signed her pottery with a corn symbol rather than with her name.  Many potters use hallmarks rather than personal names because of the typical Pueblo reticence to identify individuals, or because of their unfamiliarity with English script. 

Lena Chio Charlie (ca.1908-ca.1960s) Corn Woman was a member of the Corn Clan, as was Nampeyo of Hano. She was a sister of Irene Shupla and cousins of Sadie Adams, Patty Maho, Ruth Paymella and grandmother to famed Hopi-Tewa artist Neil David, Sr.

Her pottery is desirable by collectors for its very high quality.