Bidspirit auction | Belcourt North Dakota Turtle Mountain

Belcourt North Dakota Turtle Mountain Pottery Tile - Turtle Mountain Indian Pottery, Belcourt, North Dakota. Art pottery ceramic tile, ca. 1936-1942. Of circular form with incised floral petal motifs. Incised mark along the underside. Developed as a collaboration between the University of North Dakota's Margaret Cable and arts & handicrafts instructor Carey Grant, the pottery program at the Belcourt School in North Dakota on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation began in 1936, emphasizing the use of local reservation clays and traditional Indigenous hand-building techniques. Students in the program produced a diverse range of functional and decorative forms, including wall plaques, lamp bases, and tablewares, and the pottery was marketed nationally, bringing Turtle Mountain's distinct aesthetic to collectors across the United States during the late 1930s. Given the program's limited duration, pieces featuring the hallmark ”Turtle Mountain” incised mark or the turtle-and-mountain motif are increasingly rare. Diameter: 4 1/2 in x depth: 1 in. Condition: There are no large cracks or repairs. Some wear to the glaze along the extreme upper edge.