Rare, Large Edna Weahkee Leki Zuni Fetish Bowl, 1976

Name: Rare, Large Edna Weahkee Leki Zuni Fetish Bowl, 1976
Brand: Edna Weahkee Leki
Price: 4750 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Zuni Fetish Bowl 1976 Edna Weahkee Leki ( 1924 - 2003 ) Ceramic pot, pine tar, turquoise, azurite, serpentine, travertine, alabaster, spiny oyster shell, coral, deer antlers, feathers, deer sinew, leather, cornmeal, ash. This truly exceptional Edna Leki Zuni Fetish Bowl appears in near pristine original condition and is arguably one of the finest examples extant. Edna Leki (c. 1924 - 2003) is believed to have been Zuni's first female fetish carver and is the daughter of famed fetish carver and lapidarist Teddy Weahkee. Weahkee became well-known for a style of fetish carving that closely resembles historic Zuni forms and Edna carried on that carving tradition. She originally worked in channel inlay jewelry, but when her father reached an advanced age, she assisted him in fetish carving; and, thereafter, she devoted herself to carving. Edna Leki and her father are credited with producing the very first fetish bowls for the commercial market, rather than for ceremonial use. The pots themselves, to which Leki applied crushed turquoise and directional fetishes, were typically made by an Acoma potter. The Fetish Bowl is encrusted with the original Edna Leki proprietary crushed turquoise and azurite mixture, features eight fetishes tied to the sides with deer sinew and leather thongs, four deer antler Water Serpents and four wolves, as well as four fetishes inside the jar. The upper four fetishes are Water Serpents carved from shed deer antler bundled with feathers, each with a spiny oyster arrowhead tied with turquoise, coral and heshi beads. It is very rare to find one of Edna's fetish bowls with carved Water Serpents let alone one of this size. The four water serpent fetishes are substantial in size; the largest measuring 7.25 inches long, one measuring 7 inches long, and two measuring 6.25 inches in length. The bottom four fetishes are wolves; three are carved in serpentine and one in alabaster. Each measures approximately 4 inches long. All eight fetishes are in perfect condition and each also appear Edna's distinctive shell arrowhead bundles. The fetishes themselves are strung with deer sinew and leather to ensure the fetish spirits are strong. The fetish bowl itself has a hole in it through which the fetish spirits can enter and leave. This amazing and rare work by Edna Leki comes from my family's collection and has never appeared on the market since its original purchase in 1976.

Creator:

Edna Weahkee Leki (Maker)

Dimensions:

Height: 7 in (17.78 cm)Diameter: 10 in (25.4 cm)

Style:

Native American (In the Style Of)

Materials and Techniques:

Other

Place of Origin:

United States

Period:

Late 20th Century