Author Topic: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item  (Read 3945 times)

TXbc

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Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« on: August 29, 2011, 06:43:39 pm »
I inherited an item from my grandmother who iherited it from a great great aunt of mine.  our family has no idea of the origin of this piece.  I am having great difficulty attempting to post pictures of it from my camera - the website keeps telling me the files are too large.  It resembles a flask, it is made of earthenware pottery, and seems to be painted in a soft black color.  it has a picture encircled on both sides of an Indian-looking character, kneeling down.  Below the figure it says "Chalchicuey."  I will continue attempting to post the pictures

Bev

TXbc

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2011, 06:45:55 pm »
attempting to post a picture

TXbc

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2011, 06:48:28 pm »
another picture within the size constraint

TXbc

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2011, 06:50:51 pm »
3rd picture post

hosman321

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2011, 06:51:50 pm »
Welcome to the forum! The pictures are a bit blurry which will make identification pretty difficult. It will help a lot if you have a LOT of light on the item, preferably near a bright window or better yet, take pictures outside. This usually helps. Sorry to make it more difficult for ya! I looked up "Chalchicuey" and couldn't find anything either. Although google translator detected it as Spanish.
« Last Edit: August 29, 2011, 06:55:31 pm by hosman321 »

TXbc

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2011, 07:05:22 pm »
Thank you hosman, I will try harder with the photography tomorrow.  The best pictures I took were over the 2K limit for the upload.

mart

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #6 on: August 29, 2011, 07:12:07 pm »
There is no word with that spelling !! There are many similar, but google had none that matched. I checked the spanish, mayan, and aztec and all have similar words !! Are you sure that is the correct spelling ??   We need better pics if possible !!

Oceans64

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #7 on: August 29, 2011, 08:29:10 pm »
Thank you hosman, I will try harder with the photography tomorrow.  The best pictures I took were over the 2K limit for the upload.

You can try to resize pics with whatever software you use to open the pic on your PC.  There is usually an option such as "large web pic" or something similar.  This will reduce the pics to a web size while keeping much of the detail.
"In times like these, it is helpful to remember that there have always been times like these." — Paul Harvey

ironlord1963

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #8 on: August 29, 2011, 10:06:05 pm »
     O.k. not trying to add to the all the request here, but with pottery the most important pic will be of the bottom, this can help in dating the item.  I know it is not, but sure looks like a jim beam bottle.

TXbc

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2011, 08:27:48 am »
Thanks so much with the advice and I will try to get better pictures on here soon!

mart: I had the same experience googling this term.  I have studied the letters many times and am fairly confident I have the letters right.  The term I do get a hit on is Chalchicueyecan, which seems to relate to an area of Mexico near Veracruz.  Alternatively, I have had hits on a slightly different spelling, Chalchique, which appears to be a river in El Salvador.  Also, google has helped me discover an Aztec goddess named Chalchiuhtlicue which is interestingly similar.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2011, 08:35:24 am by TXbc »

TXbc

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2011, 06:16:39 pm »
new picture 1 - inscription

TXbc

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #11 on: August 30, 2011, 06:20:14 pm »
new picture 2
side 1
sorry, brightest pictures still too big - anyone know how to get HPMedia to downsize a pic?

TXbc

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #12 on: August 30, 2011, 06:23:15 pm »
3rd pic - 2nd set

TXbc

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2011, 06:24:48 pm »
underside view

TXbc

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Re: Help needed with identifying heirloom pottery item
« Reply #14 on: August 30, 2011, 06:28:11 pm »
New "inset" photo