Navajo Samuel Manymules pot
Navajo Pottery

Pi78 Navajo Samuel Manymules olla with swirled exterior. 9" x 7"

$900.00

Native American Navajo Samuel Manymules
olla using diagonal swirls to add visual interest to this perfectly proportioned bowl. Manymules pots have become increasingly popular in recent years, contributed to by his recognition as a perennial winner at Santa Fe Indian Market for several years.

Samuel, who occasionally refers to himself as “Leumas” Manymules in a reversal of the letters in his first name was born in 1963, of the Bitterwater Clan for the Red House Clan of the Navajo (Dine’) Nation.

As this pot demonstrates, Samuel has a command of both traditional techniques and contemporary design concepts. This combination of talents has propelled him to the top tier of Navajo potters.

Please Note: For a limited time, our normal fee for packing and shipping this work of pottery art within the 48 mainland United States will be absorbed by Native-PotteryLink, resulting in FREE SHIPPING to any qualifying address. Shipping to other destinations may be arranged by emailing Sanibelart@gmail.com.

In a video at Additional Info, he describes the nature of his "Perfect World" bowl. He also separately describes his approach to potting, in his own words.

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Navajo Samuel Manymules pot
Swirled Manymules olla
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Additional Info

In his own words:
The vessels I make are of traditional natural materials. First, I gather moist pure clay from local riverbed sources, which is then dried three to four months in the sun. When dried, the resulting clumps are crushed, ground, and sifted into a fine powder. Temper is also gathered and processed: volcanic ash or pottery shard may be used. After hand mixing, the clay is set aside for curing. It is then later mixed several more times. Finally, after months of preparation, the clay mixture is ready for use.

There are several ways to build a vessel, all employing traditional techniques. Sometimes I use a puki for the base, oftentimes not. Most times I start with a slab of clay, coiling and the scraping the basic form, sometimes carving, often molding and compacting freeform. Usually, I have an idea of a shape and size, but other thoughts or events may intervene affecting the final form. I use a variety of traditional tools but never a pottery wheel or any other mechanical process. Appliqué, incised design, and slips are added after the initial building. Repeated polishing is done while the vessel dries. Complete drying takes at least three days and up to three weeks, depending on size. Then it is ready for firing.

Firing is an all-day process. Cedarwood is used because it burns efficiently at high temperatures. Fire clouds happen by chance. When finished, debris such as ash is carefully removed from the extremely hot vessel. Refined piñon tree sap is then swabbed inside and out with a stick while the vessel cools. The sap has also been gathered, cleansed, and processed by hand. After the vessel cools, before display, the pottery is polished with a cotton cloth to high shine.”