Identified in writing by Santa Clara potter Toni Roller (Sara Fina’s grand-daughter), this is a complex, beautiful and expertly executed pitcher. It is polished all over with a narrow neck and flaring rim, rainbow band at the base of the neck, mid-body gourd impressions and handle. The lovely pitcher then is both complex and classic, … Read More
Author: Lyn Fox
Black: San Juan Dough Bowl/Storage Jar, c. 1890
This is a beautiful, high shouldered bowl of the type that could serve as a dough bowl or as a storage jar. I have actually seen more red-on-tan examples of this form than black like this one. Possibly corn cob polished which has resulted in a softly textured or ridged surface that feels wonderful to … Read More
Black: Rare Santa Clara Large Dough Bowl, c. 1890
This dough bowl is as rare as it is beautiful. It is slipped and polished black all over, indicative of a Santa Clara origin w/ethnographic use including old minor rim chips, a 6″ vertical crack (stabilized) from the rim and some surface wear. All of this adds to the warmth of this majestic bowl. … Read More
Black: Outstanding Tewa Olla w/Pie Crust Rim, c. 1890’s
I believe this beautiful and early olla to be from Santa Clara pueblo. It has simply beautiful form w/pie crust rim that flattens at the base of the neck to dramatic, sculptural effect, forming what might be described as an early rainbow band. The mid-body is wide and rather low, giving the jar a presence … Read More
Black: Outstanding Santa Clara Bear Paw Jar w/Rainbow Band, c. 1930
This is a gorgeous example of a classic Santa Clara form dating to the 1930’s. It has a sloping neck, slipped and polished all over to a mirror-like finish. The sheer perfection of this jar would seem to point to the period well into the period influenced by Anglo tourists and traders. By the 1930’s … Read More
Black: Outstanding San Juan Black-on-Grey Olla w/Twin Fire Clouds, c. 1890
This is an outstanding example with side-by-side beautiful rich fire clouds. Incomplete reduction in firing has allowed gorgeous red and golden highlights to leak through the black in both the upper and lower fields. The twin fire clouds at the demarcation line at mid-body were placed intentionally, possibly a signature of the potter or her … Read More
Black: Large Santa Clara Bear Paw Jar by Nestora Silva, c. 1930
This is a magnificent jar by an often overlooked master potter, Nestora Silva. The jar is signed “Nestora” on the base and likely created in the 1930’s for a rapidly emerging art market for fine Santa Clara pottery. According to Blair and Blair, the Fred Harvey Detours began in 1926 and where once there had … Read More
Santa Clara Wedding Vase w/Melon Ridge, attributed to Margaret or Tomacita Tafoya, c. 1920’s
This is a large and gorgeous Santa Clara double spouted (“wedding”) vase with a pedestal base. This wedding vase form would become common in the art market in the century to come, but was rarer in the early 20th century. This vase has striking similarity to the one illustrated on page 47 of Charles … Read More
Black: Large Santa Clara Water Jar w/Rainbow Band and Rain Drop Impressions, attributed to Sara Fina and Margaret Tafoya, c. 1920’s
I fell in love w/this jar the first time I saw it. I immediately took it to Toni Roller at Santa Clara. Toni, Margaret Tafoya’s daughter and Sara Fina Tafoya’s grand-daughter, has seen family pottery up-close her whole life and I trust her. She smiled and held the jar lovingly. That was enough for … Read More
Black: Large San Juan Black-on-Grey Storage Jar, c. 1890
This is a superb San Juan storage jar. It is quite large, standing 13″ tall and a robust 16″ in diameter. As these old San Juan storage jars go, this is large, but not the largest as these exist at 16″ tall or more and in diameters approaching 20″. However, in superb condition for its … Read More