Large Jar with Double Bird Design by Rachel Namingha, c.1935

Nampeyo's oldest daughter, Annie, produced two terrific potting granddaughters to continue Nampeyo's artistic work, Rachel and Daisy. They learned to make accomplished ceramics and raised great-granddaughters to continue the legacy well into the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Annie's daughter, Rachel Namingha, lived with Nampeyo and her husband Lessou in Tewa Village on First Mesa, while Annie helped her husband Willie Healing with the Sand Hill Ranch. Rachel Namingha and her sister, Daisy, learned early the skills of traditional Hopi pottery from Nampeyo directly. This large storage jar painted with the classic double bird design was created by Rachel Namingha and duly signed in guaco on the bottom, so the signature is fired into the piece. Rachel must have taken particular pride in this jar to sign it, as much of her work is unsigned. Nampeyo or Annie may have helped her with the molding of this large jar—we don't really know—but such familial collaboration characterizes the potting process for the Nampeyo family. The jar measures 11 1/2" height and 13" diameter, and is in excellent condition without repair. It's the best piece Steve has seen by Rachel Namingha and certainly lifts her reputation within the family.