Cool Couroc

No elegant mid-century cocktail party was complete without glossy black Couroc trays and barware, all inlaid with colorful designs that varied from whimsy to realism. The company's motto was, "Any tray can serve a drink. Only Couroc can start a conversation." This terrific set of four trays from Couroc feature a stylized Hopi Hummingbird Kachina, inlaid with vivid colors and outlined in golden metal. 

Couroc was founded in 1948 in Monterey, California by husband and wife Guthrie Courvoisier and Moira Wallace, During WWII, Courvoisier produced plastic parts for military aircraft. This experience helped him develop a glossy black resin that could be molded into trays, bowls, and dishes and was resistant to water, alcohol, and burning cigarettes. Wallace, a talented artist, became company's chief designer, developing the technique to inlay the trays with everything from natural materials like wood, shells, and plants to metals, glitter, and coins. The inlays were done by hand by a team of skilled artisans. Because of variations in the materials used and the fact that each tray was assembled by hand, no two Couroc trays are exactly alike.

Both beautiful and durable, Couroc's barware was sold at high-end department and gift shops. Companies such as Coca-Cola commissioned Couroc to create promotional items. However, after celebrating its 50th anniversary, Couroc closed in 1998. 

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New but things can sell quickly!

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Southwestern Spirits

These unusual and beautiful limited edition lithographs depict traditional Hope Kachina dancers.  The Hopi people believe that Kachinas are personifications of the natural and spiritual worlds. A Kachina can represent plants such as beans or corn, living creatures, natural phenomena such as rain or wind, heavenly bodies, revered ancestors, or other physical or spiritual concepts. They are the links between mortal people and the spiritual world and must be treated with veneration. In return, the Kachinas can aid humans, such as bringing rain for the crops or ensuring a bountiful harvest. In ceremonial observances, men dress as Kachinas; each Kachina can be identified by its signature mask and costume. Kachina dolls or figurines were originally carved by Hopi artisans and during the ceremonial dances given to children to teach them about the different Kachinas, although many are now created for collectors and the tourist trade.

In 1904, artist and sculptor Joseph J. Mora (1876-1947) lived among the Hopi and Navajo tribes in Arizona and New Mexico, learning their languages and using his artistic skills to document their rituals. This included a series of detailed watercolors depicting Hopi men dressed as Kachina dancers.  In the mid-1990s, John Wilson purchased 40 of Mora's watercolors and planned to issue limited edition lithographs of the paintings. However, due to financial constraints, only eight lithographs were issued in limited editions of 650 each.

These are two of the lithographs issued by Wilson, both marked in pencil "126/650." This one represents She-Eu-Heu-Mish, also known as Sio Hemis, identified by his colorful tableta or headdress decorated with stylized dragonflies and sunflower. This Kachina takes part in the Niman Ceremony. It is also known as the Home or Going Home Dance and signals the end of the Kachina season. He is considered an important rain spirit. 

This lithograph depicts another Kachina who appears in the Niman Ceremony, Heu-Mish-Kachina-Mana, or the Hemis Maiden. Her hairstyle is that worn by unmarried Hopi women. She is a music maker, using a notched stick and hollow gourd to provide rhythmic accompaniment to the dancers.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

4061-522

4061-523