Charles Fredericks – Palhikwmana – 1940s

Charles Fredericks was a notable Hopi artist for several reasons: 1) He was Chief Tawaquaptewa’s younger brother, 2) He was the father of respected carver, Oswald “White Bear” Fredericks, and 3) He was a fine carver in his own right. He almost never signed his katsina carvings but certain distinctive aspects makes them identifiable. First of all, he generally cut his arms at right angles as part of the bodies and he left them unsanded. Quite consistently he painted three simple black fingers on the hands. Also distinctive is that he cut his feet in a straight direction on the inside and contoured on the outside. This carving has all of the above features. 

This Palhikwmana is one of his larger carvings. It is 12 1/4″ tall and just under 6″ wide. The professional stand adds 1/2″ in height; it has felt on the bottom. There is some modest wear to the paint here and there, but the colors overall are vibrant and attractive. Charles was born in the late 1870s and died about 1964. There is a brief chapter on him in my book, “The Great Tradition of Hopi Katsina Carvers,” (2019).