Among some of my other collecting habits, I accumulate Am. Indian pottery, mostly modern, meaning in the last 100 years.
Every now and then I buy a Santa Clara or San Idlefonso (mostly black fired pottery) piece that has an illegible pencil signature on it. Usually this is from wear by moving it around on a table top, shelf, etc. Often I can see a bit or a word, or a few letters but not enough to read the whole thing. A typical signature might be something like "Madeline T. (then below that) Santa Clara Pueblo". It would be fun and potentially very profitable (some of the early artist's works sell in the 5 figures) if I could "read" these signature by some method. Any ideas?

There are various photo tricks to help. Angled lighting for a start .Carefully putting chalk into the lettering would be the second trick. Hard to go into detail without actually having the item at hand.
Used to do some photo work and still remember some of the tricks. A photo of a black fur coat to get details of pocket and collar for a catalog was the trickiest. Black fur absorbs light like a sponge !!! Chalk was the only way.

I agree with Mete, take a digital picture of the object. There is soft wear out there that can change the lighting effects and light spectrum's that will bring out some amazing views. Some of this is even free if you look for it, I can't remember the name of it.

"Gimp" is one program (free)
Do a search for'munipulating color.'

Thanks for the tips, but you're talking to the wrong person when you talk about taking pics, software, etc. I'll try to get my son to help.

FWIW, there is a heck of a lot of literature out there on ceramics from the period you describe, but most is from the art world rather than archaeological literature. I know the stuff I see is a lot older and unsigned.

Some of the traders in Santa Fe might be able to point you towards the right sources.

You are talking some very nice ceramics, btw.

I own a fair amount of it, including a small Maria and Julian piece I bought on my first trip out west back in the 60s. This is not a new hobby, but I'm out of room, 99% of the pots are in boxes scattered here and there.

I'm thinking of buying a house in Santa Fe area. Any advice?

There is a mesa a few miles south of Tres Pedras, that is LITTERED with ancient pottery shards....in case anyone is interested. I am unsure as to exactly how many miles.....somewhere between 3 and 8. There is a cut on the left side of the road, where the NM Highway Dept. places gravel for roadwork. The mesa is immediately above that pile of gravel.....and within a stone's throw of the highway.

If you are going to be picking up ANY old native american artifacts on federal land, particularly BLM land, just make sure you know in advance what is legal to take for yourself and what is not...particularly if you start finding either pottery or "points". (And that goes for bird [raptor] feathers too...)

you might try a SHORTwave UV light & WEAR yellow glasses .Yellow shooting glasses work great; to look at the artifact in total darkness. Wear dark clothing when doing this. This is what I uae when examining artifacts for modern or recent tampering. DO NOT LOOK INTO THE SHORTWAVE UV! VERY BAD ON THE EYEBALLS.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
I own a fair amount of it, including a small Maria and Julian piece I bought on my first trip out west back in the 60s. This is not a new hobby, but I'm out of room, 99% of the pots are in boxes scattered here and there.

I'm thinking of buying a house in Santa Fe area. Any advice?

Gato

IMHO the best place to look for a house in Sante fe is at Taos.

I grew up out there and Sante Fe is way overgrown. the Toas area still has some nice areas and isn't as crowded. You are a bit further from the Albuqueque Airport- that is main downside.

SSR

CrossL:

Thanks for the advice, but my plans for buying a house and moving to that area have recently taken a major setback by the personal income tax rates of New Mexico. I'm still working on it, but unless I could find a place where I could rent part of it out so that someone could be there for security purposes while I was living somewhere else for more than 185 days a year it just isn't going to work out. I can't afford to leave a house full of art, even if it is not Picasso level art, empty for months at a time. It's really too bad, I have been in love with that area for nearly 50 years.

As you've mentioned, I've been looking at the outskirt areas for a place with at least 10 acres or more. I found at least a couple in the general direction of Abiqui that might work but I'm still working on the income tax problem.

Santa Fe is waaay expensive. Abiqiui is a good idea, and south towards Albuquerque or north towards Las Vegas gets a little more reasonable. Placitas is a bit more reasonable.

And burglary in NM is a huge problem.

Alberta Canuck is correct. Collecting on public land moves into felony territory very quickly.