Last few hours to bid!

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

It's the last few hours to bid on this vintage miniature redware olla by the late San Idlefonso potter, Helen Gutierrez. The current high bid is $750; since the purpose is to donate the proceeds to the medical fund of a local Pueblo member crowdfunding for cancer treatment, the goal is to get that number much higher if possible. 

This is part of a collection that some clients and friends entrusted me to manage, part of a the estate of a loved one. Their desire, in accordance with what they believed would be their relative's wishes, was that each item be used in a way to provide mutual aid/financial assistance to local Native people in need of such help. This is the first of that collection.

It's a beautiful piece, some 3" high by 3.5" across at its widest point. It's at least 32 years old, because Ms. Gutierrez, a renowned Pueblo potter, walked on in 1993. I suspect it's actually more than 40 years old. It's in beautiful condition, with the little marks of wear that one would expect from a piece long in someone's personal collection, handled and displayed rather than set behind museum glass. It is being offered as-is, no warranties. Her work, even small items, sells for anywhere from over $400 to in excess of $2,500.  Her signature is etched in and hard to make out.  She signed her works  

"Helen 

San Ildefonso" 

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

The purpose of the auction, as noted above, is to add to the medical fund for Blossom Romero's cancer treatment. You can read her story at her GoFundMe page, here. We have donated, and when this gorgeous little vintage work is finally auctioned and paid, we will cover the GFM/transfer fees so that she receives the full amount. Other rules are as follows:

Auction goes through 11:59 PM Saturday, March 15th, 2025 [tonight; all times Mountain time].  Bids MUST be submitted during that time frame only.  There is [was] a reserve of $400; it's too valuable to allow it to go for less, and the point is to make more, preferably MUCH more, to help pay for Blossom's cancer treatment and care.  Submit your bids to me directly, within the specified time frame, at NDNSilverByWings [at] gmail [dot] com.  If, tomorrow, yours is the winning bid, you will submit payment to us via PayPal, and I will turn around and submit the whole amount to her GFM, w/screenshot here as proof of donation in full.

This matters. Blossom may have a chance at acceptance into a clinical trial for treatment, but if called, she will have to GO, right then. That's expensive. So is treatment generally, and she has a family. The point, again, is to raise as much as possible to help her obtain the healing treatment she needs.

SO LET'S DO THIS.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.