Tesuque Pueblo is located a few miles north of Santa Fe. After the railroads came to the region in the late-1880s, this proximity to the city allowed Tesuque potters to sell their wares to merchants who catered to the tourist trade. At the behest of a local trader, Tesuque potters began making an unusual figure called a Rain God - a figure with no cultural significance but is now associated with Tesuque and is still produced today. Contemporary Tesuque potters employ a range of styles, from the aforementioned Rain Gods to more traditional shapes, polychrome designs, and use of the local micaceous clay slip to provide a sparkly exterior appearance. The pueblo is now known as “Te Tsu Geh Oweenge,” which means “Village of the Narrow Cottonwood Trees.”
Native American Pottery: How to Identify and Price Cochiti and Tesuque Pueblo Pottery (Part 1)
Native American Pottery: How to Identify and Price Cochiti and Tesuque Pueblo Figurines (Part 2)
How to Handle Antique Native American Indian Art and Artifacts