This is a wonderful and virtually perfect Wingate C. 1050AD bowl which measures a large 11.25 inches wide and 5.5 inches deep. It has a deep black and highly refined and executed design for Wingate ceramics, a deep almost blood red slip, the surface of which is highly polished. The exterior has some minor spalding due to some moisture which did not effect any of the interior. There is a insignificant tiny 3/8 by 1/16 inch chip on the rim which has been repaired.

This wonderful bowl is a very scarce type found in the areas surrounding Flagstaff Arizona. The name is taken from a small canyon to the east of Flagstaff which is now a National Monument, Walnut Canyon. The bowl measures 9 inches across and a very deep 6 inches; it is 100% original with no restoration or addition of paints. There is an extremely fine hairline crack which can be seen in the side photo at about 1 o’clock; it is totally insignificant but mentioned for the sake of accuracy.

Any ceramic from the Four Mile culture which is not a bowl is quite scarce and desirable. This diminutive olla measures 4.2 inches by 3.3 inches and is glued from several pieces. There is no restoration or addition of paint. The exterior exhibits opposing positive/negative stepped design separated by what appears to be a centipede design. Like the Showlow olla also listed on the site, this has many small squares each with a dot in the center. The white band on the neck exhibits ticking.

We recently acquired several beautiful intact ollas and now this bowl from a private collection which was formed between 1985 and 1996.

It is hard to believe that a ceramic cauldron bowl of this magnitude could have survived intact after 900 years, but it did. This bowl, which I have dubbed the "swimming pool" measures 17 inches in diameter and 9.5 inches deep. It has a minor spot of exfoliation which can be seen in the picture; the rest of the surface is in original condition. There are two cracks which emanate from the sides and are visible in the interior photos; these cracks do not separate the piece and it remains intact today.

We recently acquired several beautiful intact ollas from a private collection which was formed between 1985 and 1996. This is an incredibly rare intact Hohokam olla that is completely intact measuring 15.5 inches by 12.5 inches tall and a 7 inch opening at the top. There is a fine pressure crack in the bottom which is insignificant and there is a tiny crack visible in the close up photo of the neck. This crack ends at the top of the neck with a repaired chip that is the size of a pencil eraser. This minor repair can easily be removed which would then place it in a mint state. A detailed description will be provided in a couple of days - inquiries are invited.

We recently acquired several beautiful intact olla from a private collection which was formed between 1985 and 1996. This beautiful Tularosa olla measures 15.5" wide and 12.5" tall; exhibits jet black paint without any flaws except a small chip on the rim visible in the photos. There are no cracks or any restoration of any kind, a truly mint piece! The design is excellent and the line work exceptional. Please note the complex nature of the design visible in the photo from the top.

Over the past four years the availability of superb black and white ollas has "dried up" as the collectors which have nice examples do not wish to part with them. Opportunities like this therefore are not common.

Every once in awhile a really special completely original Mesa Verde bowl comes along - this is one of those. Measuring a large 12.2 inches wide and 5.75 inches deep, it exhibits a typical light gray slip with atypical jet black paint - there is no restoration or addition of paint. The interior design has two large bands; the upper one a Mesa Verde diamond pattern each having two interlocked stepped elements. The lower band has lines that generally run in a forty-five degree pattern. A key element of the Mesa Verde bowls is the ticking marks on the rim; there are four sets of three ticks each. At the bottom center of the bowl there is a raised dimple (see indentation photo of the exterior bottom) also a characteristic of Mesa Verde bowls.

The edge of the bowl was struck causing one piece to become dislodged. It has been glued back in and just below it is a fine crack that runs toward the center.

This is one extremely large olla!!! Black Mesa is a type which was a precursor to Kayenta and dates from 875 - 1025AD. The ollas which are known are generally much smaller than this fine example. Please review the three pages from the Smithsonian Bulletin Number 65, Published in 1919.

1. Frontace Page (1st Picture) PHOTO 4

2. Page 130 (2nd Picture), "Shapes (2) Globular body with high neck" "Height averages 15", greatest diameter 14". PHOTO 5

3. BULLETIN 65, PLATE 53, the top olla is virtually identical to the one being offered. The example in the book is broken and glued with significant erosion problems at the bottom. Also the example in the book is only half of the volume of this 18 inch example. PHOTO 6

When I purchased this olla it was intact. While moving it from a vehicle the box slipped out of my hand and hit the ground causing the olla to split horizontally into just two pieces - about half and half. It has been glued together and the crack is filled. AS A RESULT OF THIS I HAVE LOWERED THE PRICE FROM $18,500 TO $9,800 NET. Unless you tell no one but you will know the two pieces were rejoined!

The olla looks absolutely the same as when it was whole. It is still a magnificent piece and far better than the example in the Smithsonian's book. The workmanship on this olla is excellent for the period and there is only one small piece broken out at the very bottom … this was generally caused by freezing water in the caves.