Offered is a rare, documented mid-century 5-piece collection of hand-painted folk art pottery dishes from the village of Patamban in Michoacán, Mexico. Crafted by indigenous Purépecha artisans, these hand-molded red terracotta dishes feature iconic regional motifs: four stylized fish in a pinwheel arrangement, three fish in motion, two fish facing left, and two distinct waterfowl/swan compositions surrounded by marsh reeds and water ripples. Each piece is bordered by Patamban’s signature crosshatch lattice pattern and rim-ticking.
Originally curated and sold through a high-end mid-century gallery, all five pieces retain their original gallery inventory labels on the undersides, establishing documented market provenance for the serious Mexican folk art collector.
Item Specifications
- Type: Decorative Plate / Shallow Dish / Wall Tray
- Quantity: Set of 5
- Pattern / Motif: Fish / Waterfowl / Swan / Nature
- Origin: Patamban, Michoacán, Mexico
- Culture: Purépecha (Tarascan)
- Era / Style: Mid-Century Modern / Mexican Folk Art (c. 1940s–1960s)
- Production Technique: Hand-Molded / Hand-Painted Earthenware
- Material: Terracotta / Clay / Glazed Ceramic
- Finish: Butter Yellow Slip with Dark Green Oxide Brushwork
- Item Diameter: 8.5 in (Approximate, irregular roundness)
- Item Height: 1 in – 1.375 in (Raised rim)
- Condition: Used (Vintage decorative wear, historic rim chips, glaze flaking, fine crazing; no structural cracks)
- Provenance: Includes Original Vintage Gallery Inventory Stickers
- Intended Use: Wall Hanging / Display Collection / Catchall Tray (Not food safe)
Detailed Condition Report
Offered in authentic, unrestored vintage condition with no structural body cracks, repairs, or hairline fractures.
- Glaze & Slip Loss: Features historic glaze flaking and slip loss revealing the underlying red terracotta clay body beneath, most pronounced across the center of one duck plate.
- Rim Character: Includes historic, smoothed-over rim chips along the edges consistent with age and stacking wear.
- Production Flaws: some kiln-firing pops, glaze pitting, specks, and fine overall crazing throughout, all inherent to traditional mid-century village pottery production.
- Usage Notice: Due to historical low-fire glazes, this set is strictly intended for decorative display, art collection, or gallery wall styling (not food safe).