"Virginia Shortman" Navajo Vase - Museum Award

Updated August 25, 2026

Handcrafted Navajo pottery vase by Virginia Shortman, accompanied by its original 1986 Museum of Northern Arizona Navajo Craftsman Exhibition tag and Honorable Mention award ribbon. The original exhibition tag identifies the artist as Virginia Shortman, the article as a “Pot,” and is dated 7/25/1986, providing excellent provenance for this collectible piece of Navajo Native American pottery. The vase measures approximately 8.5" tall and features a tall sculptural form with a rounded body, elongated neck, and an organically shaped, undulating rim. The rich brown surface displays natural variations of deep brown, black, reddish-brown, and warm earthen tones. Applied raised relief decoration around the shoulder appears to depict botanical or plant-like forms, adding texture and dimension to the otherwise understated traditional form. Especially desirable for collectors, the piece retains both its original Museum of Northern Arizona exhibition identification tag and green “Honorable Mention – Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff” award ribbon. These accompanying materials document the vase's participation in the 1986 Navajo Craftsman Exhibition and directly associate the pottery with Virginia Shortman. This provenance makes the piece particularly appealing to collectors of Navajo pottery, Native American ceramics, Indigenous art, Southwestern pottery, Arizona Native American art, museum-exhibited pottery, vintage Pueblo and Navajo art, hand-built pottery, and collectible Southwest décor. The pottery shows surface variations, texture, firing marks, and signs of age consistent with a handmade vintage piece. The original exhibition tag and ribbon also show age and handling wear. See photos for surface condition, applied decoration, original Museum of Northern Arizona documentation, award ribbon, and additional details. Measures approximately 8.5" tall.

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