Vintage Nemadji Pottery Minnesota Small Bud Vase

Nemadji Tile & Pottery Co. of Moose Lake, Minnesota, began producing their swirled pottery in 1929. A distinctive product and clever marketing were the roots of their success. The name “Nemadji” is an Ojibwe word meaning “left-handed” from the Indigenous language, but was easily misunderstood to be the name of a tribe. In the information sheet that accompanied their pots, Nemadji stressed that their wares were made with the same clays and shapes used by Native Americans. The connection of this marbled style of decoration with Native American production was more assumption than fact, but Nemadji encouraged the idea. In reality, Eric Hellman, a Nemadji employee and Danish immigrant, came up with the idea to decorate the vases using simple house paint. Nemadji pottery comes from the Arrowhead region of Minnesota. It has never actually been made by native Americans, but is said to be reminiscent of the style and colouring used by them. It has come to be thought of by many as 'Indian pottery' although it has no connection with the Ojibway tribe. This piece is beautiful and in great condition with no chips or breaks. These pieces are usually in browns of the countryside, reds and oranges if the sunsets, or in sky blues. This piece is approximately 4” x 2” Thanks for looking and message either any questions.