Santo Domingo Polychrome Large Storage Jar [R]

Special Offer: The owner of this marvelous large storage jar has authorized us to reduce the asking price from $20,000 to only $14,000. This is a very reasonable price for a storage jar.

This vessel was formed of native clays with a typical crystalline rock temper. The underbody is unslipped, stone-polished paste with the distinctive large red band of rough polish, striated, soapy-like appearance, and indicative of a post-1880 dating for this jar. The rim top and neck interior are rag-wiped red, with but faint, evidence of extensive use. The rag-wiped bentonite slip is wonderfully warm cream/off white coloration, with subtle fire clouding and superb patina. According to Batkin, the rag-wiped red banding is indicative of post-1900 ceramics. This jar dates to the first quarter of the 20th century.

The vegetal black design motifs are typically Santo Domingo with certain boldness and seemingly deliberate execution—a sure mark and fantastic sense of space and design, giving a sense of power and subtle aggression to the piece. The design elements, suggestive of plant life, sprout from the lower red band at the top of the underbody. Interestingly enough, there are no framing lines at the underbody or the rim.

Evidence of use at the pueblo can be seen in the native repair of small rim cracks by securing the neck of the jar with rawhide. This is a typical repair to permit the vessel's continued use after small cracks appear.