The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

Small ceramic owl with orange-white body and dark orange painted feather pattern on body and line pattern on wings and tail. The protruding beak extends to attach below the mouth, forming a loop. The beak and ears are entirely dark orange. There are metallic flecks visible in the dark orange paint. The wings and tail all protrude from the body. Inscription on base: -Zuni- S.K.L. "09."

Miniature hand coiled pale yellow clay pottery owl. Details are very finely hand painted in black and orange. Base has thick circular outline. Stylized overlapping feathers decorate the lower section of the long body. Chest and head area is spotted with short brush strokes. Wings and tail are striped on both sides. A thick line drawn beneath large staring eyes with multiple lashes extends to a large dot at the back of the head. Black dot visible on one ear tip and small loop beak has painted nostrils.

Hand coiled pale orange clay pottery owl. Details are hand painted in brown and red on a beige slipped background. Stylized mesh-like feathers cover a squat body and the wide sloping tail and wings that appear to extend forward slightly. Fat conical ears appear large for the head, multi-lashed eyes are slightly pointed with small beady pupils, and a two-tone beak protrudes above a thickly outlined mouth with three whiskers at each corner.

Slightly gourd-shaped, orange clay owl has base and details hand painted in dark red and chocolate brown over a cream background. Body is slightly misshapen and whiskered loop beak is crooked, making it seem that head looks to one side. Irregular dabs of paint represent feathers and back of vertical wings are striped.

Plump. orange clay pottery owl, hand painted in reddish brown and orange onto a polished cream background, has mesh-like feathers from under which peep feet with painted toes. Curls cover the head and a thick outline drapes from two-tone open beak to conical ears, below eyes with half moons and rings that are framed by v-shaped lashes.

Rounded tubular orange clay owl with cream slipped and burnished body is covered with a hand painted black feather motif. Tiny red feet with painted black toes peek out at base. Eyes are thickly underlined, from top of open beak to sharp red conical ears, and surrounded by V-shaped eyelashes.

Hand made white pottery owl with large opening in base. Long body has black overlapping feathers, striped wings, red feet peeping out at the bottom front and a flat striped tail at the back. The beak with painted nostrils connects to "horned" ears and the eyes have split pupils.

Hand coiled yellow clay pottery owl. Details are hand painted in brown and red over a buff slipped and polished background. Mesh-like feather patterning covers lower body to top of beak. Stubby horizontal wings and tail are striped on both sides. Eyes are painted rings with half moon white centres surrounded by 11 v-shaped eyelashes. V-shapes on top of head. Small conical ears and open beak protrude from head.