Polychrome Pottery Turtle Bowl, Origin?

[diggummup]

Any Ideas on this thing? Tourist piece? Mexican roadside? Haven't been able to find a similar one online anywhere.

 

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[CRUSADER]

Looks like a tourist copy to me.

 

[tamrock]

Can't recall seeing that exact one, but I have seen a few examples like it sold at import shops in northern New Mexico such as Taos and Santa Fe or you can shop wholesale at site's like this http://secure4shopping.com/Merchant...e=deals&Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=17-1pottery Also I've seen things like it in the thrift stores around my area. I don't think it's older than the 1990s.

 

[DCMatt]

I agree. Tourist piece. An ashtray? It looks like it was well loved...

I would guess it's a "Gila monster", not turtle.

 

[diggummup]

Can't recall seeing that exact one, but I have seen a few examples like it sold at import shops in northern New Mexico such as Taos and Santa Fe or you can shop wholesale at site's like this Wholesale Deal Site - Southwestern and Mexican imports -: Pottery Also I've seen things like it in the thrift stores around my area. I don't think it's older than the 1990s.

I never really thought it was too old. I thought it may have a few more years on it than that. I was thinking maybe mid century roadside tourist piece or something. It didn't really cost anything, $1 or less in a group of items I purchased at an estate sale. I guess they make them pre-aged with damages and everything? It was a shelf sitter. Actually, it looks as if the cracking occurred during the firing process to me. The crack goes all the way around the top of the head and shows inside the bowl as well...


I bought another piece too from the same sale. It's looks modern and more akin to the stuff in the link you provided. Here it is...

I agree. Tourist piece. An ashtray? It looks like it was well loved...

I would guess it's a "Gila monster", not turtle.

It's funny because they had it displayed in a cabinet with a few other pieces of Mexican looking pottery, so I don't know how hard a life it actually had. It's definitely a bowl. I noticed most authentic bowls of this type have rattle legs. The real ones are called tripod rattle leg effigy bowls or something to that effect. Here is one... https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/44301571_nicoya-polychrome-pottery-jaguar-tripod-rattle-bowl