Document text
woy4C4 VNA.A.A.-1
AUG 4
Muriel Baskell 1-(1936
1050 Words
A,
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One morning some twenty years ago as Bert Phillips, noted
211f artist, stood talking to Geronimot a large Pueblo Winn
with one half-closed fri their conversation turned to piece
of pottery which Geronimo had found up the claim from the Pueblo.
"I thought perhaps you'd be interested in buying it, Mr.
Phillips," suggested Geronimo. The Indian and the artist were
friends of long standing- Geronimo having posed for Phillips
for many years and accompanied him on many painting expeditions.
"i'll tell you, Geronimo, from your description of the
incised decoration on this vase, I think I should at least like
to see it and estimate its value. You bring it in to town some
time." And so the ratter was dismissed. Each time Phillips
saw Geronimo as he shuffled past his house on the Pueblo road
he would cell "Say- when are you going to bring in that piece
of pottery for me to see?"- and Geronimo would shrug his broad
shoulders end squint his eye. Several months went by and finally
Geronimo's wife promised that either she would bring it ii or
/Jr. Phillips might gat it at the Pueblo if he drove out.
Again months went by. And one day in Ralph Meyers Mission
shop he mentioned the incident. Ar Myers lau,,hod heartily.
"You'll never ge, thut piece, Bert, I've been trying to see
that for over a yekr. The Indians believe it can't be moved
and they'd never get it in to town." Phillips was provoked
and with utt r disdein for the superstition planned that he
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and his young son, Ralph, would drive out over the bumpy
dirt road to the Pueblo, Auld so they harnessed the ho see and
prepared to leave.
On the drive out,Phillips kept pondering on the piece of
pottery its reputed beauty and whether Geronimo or his wife
would ask a fabulous sum for it. wI simply can't pay more
that ten dollars for it," he mused to himself. But upon their
arrival at deronimo's house the Indian's wife handed him
the delicate vase without question. "How mush?" asked Phillips
and to his surprise the Indian woman replied) "Fifty contain
Phillips and Rabb eyed it hungrily yes, it was all that
Geronimo had anid and then some the thin paper shell
delicacy of it wan covered with fine incised ornament. At least
two thousand years old, thought Phillips to himself. "Sow,
Ralph, go easy and hold that ladder steady we're going to
get this piece of pottery in to town if its the lrst t:Ling we
do we'll show them how silly their superstitions rre....."
And slowly they climbed down from the second story of
the Pueblo over the crudely made ladder- Phillips holding his
prize tenderly and his young son watching with envie eyes
that nothing should happen to jar it from his hold.
They both geve a sigh of relief as they heeded the horses
toward town Ralph driving and theVheld carefully on
Phillips' Lap. The drive was slow and the day hot so as
they approached the fork of the roads where the old cemetery
lies on the outskirts of Taos, Ralph turned the horses sharply
to the north again on to the main Pueblo road. "Where are
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you going? I want to get this thing home as fast as I can."
But the boy explained that surely there could be no ham n in
taking a swim in the tiny pond on the reservation which fur-
nishes both ice and recreation. He looked pleadingly and
argued so earnestly that the artist with his vase finally
gave in. In no time the lad was atriIiied and enjoying the
cool waters of the sa&11 lakev....his father standing on the
shore holding the pottery gingerly.
%ley," shouted Ralph, "why don't you put that on the
wagon seat nothing will happen to it."
"Not on your life so far so good and the houses
might jerk the wagon or it might roll off but put it
down here," he said, resting it against an upright pole.
That day for tlae first time in weeks, the light and
atmosphere, the reflection of the Sacred TUOS mountain in the
water of the pond, were identical to that day when Phillips
had started a canvass on that very spot. He stared fascinated
at the reflection, studying the planes and coloring. And then
1.A r
his mind was diverted by a halloo from two native youths on
burros. Friends of Ralph's, they were urged by him to join
in a swim and Phillips his mind agrin on the procicA;s
find of Geronimo's, grabbed the vase from the ground. The
burros might think it contained salt and in their etwerness
paw at it and break it. $o quickly he wrapped it in young
Ralph's clothes that were lying in a bundle on the shore
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greeted the two boys who were preparing to swim and with
a feeling of assurance again fell to studying the water
reflections.
Suddenly a sound as ominous an the crash of planets
as full of signifies*** as the darkness of eternity a
great explosive 'bop' came to his ears. It meant only one
thing no other set of eacaphonous vibrations could emanate
from anything but that precious vase.
Not daring to turn yet impelled to Phillips stared
horror-stricken at Ralph. There the boy opt frozen to the
ground where he had sat on his clothes to dry himself after
his dip. The two hooked at each other for an endless space
of time Then Ralph, his face contorted, pleaded, "Oh,
father, I didn't mean to honestly, I didn't know it was
there you know I wouldn't have done it". until he was al-
most in an emotional frenzy. Phillips tried to pacify him
cover his own tremendous feeling of loss and then with
shaking hands they picked up the fragments of the beautifully
incised vessel. The drive home was in silence and for days
no reference was made to the incident,
But two days later Geronimo came to the door..*MY wife,
she says you came and got the vase do you have it here?"
Phillips cleared his throat *Why yes, I got itiOeronimo,
but see you were right we couldn't take it away from the
Pueblo there it is and he pointed to the pile of
fragments.
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Geronimo squinted with hia half closed eye at the
remains gave a significant look at Phillips and shrugged
"You didn't really think that you could, did your" and
shuffled off down the road to town.
This lovely olla, (Sya)(round oerthen pot) was glued
piece by piece into form again. 1/2t Kidder of the
Boston Lussum of Natural History dated it at about two thou-
sand yetaes of age and stated it was the third piece of its
kind ever found esst of the Rio Grande* Yr. Bert Phillips
still has this vase at his studio in Taos.
Source of Information
Interview with Tiert Phillis, Trios August 9, 1936