Historic Zia Pueblo Large Polychrome Storage Jar [SOLD]

We tend to think of pueblo pottery as having been primarily decorated in geometric designs for centuries, but birds and animals have existed since Mimbres days (circa 1100), Sikyatki days (1500s), early Zuni days (circa1600s) and finally exploding in popularity after the pueblo revolt of 1680. The birds were not always discernable as birds, but once identified became recognizable. Often feathers, beaks, eyes of birds were used instead of the whole bird.

Birds on Zia Pueblo pottery became ubiquitous as early at the 1870s. Quite often, they were placed over and under undulating single or double rainbow arches. Occasionally, floral elements appeared in various places on the same jars.

Santa Fe merchants were busily purchasing pottery from New Mexico pueblos as early at the mid1800s and there is certainly the possibility that they influenced painted designs—selected by what the merchants believed to be the most saleable. The potters were not averse to providing what the merchants wanted. Birds, being a pleasant image, certainly could frequently have been requested by merchants.

In the 1870s, many eastern United States museums sent expeditions to the Southwest to gather collections. The Smithsonian was voracious in collecting in the late 1870s from most of the pueblos. The final thrust was the arrival of the transcontinental train in 1880 which brought tourists from the East to experience life in the West. Of primary interest by them was a souvenir pottery item to take back home.

The pueblo potters were busy providing pottery for all these collectors from museums and tourists from cities as well as making items to replace those they needed for their own use after having sold practically everything in their homes. Most likely, large storage jars such as this one were made for home use or sale to museums as tourists wanted smaller items they could conveniently take back with them on the train.

This jar is comparable to pictured jars in the Harlow and Lanmon book referenced below that have been dated to the first quarter of the 20^th century—circa 1910-1920. It was anticipated that the diamond shapes and the two black dots on the bodies of the birds pictured on this jar could be compared with an identified jar or jars in the referenced book and attributed to a specific potter, but those same bodily decorations seem to have been used by a number of potters, so attribution is not feasible.

Since there is no evidence that this jar was ever in a museum collection and since it was not purchased by a tourist traveling on the intercontinental train, then it can be assumed that it was made for use at the pueblo for storage of dry goods. That fact makes the jar much more desirable as a collectible, especially since it is such a magnificent specimen and in such excellent condition.

The construction of the jar demonstrates that it was made by a well experienced potter, as does the painted designs. The application of the designs was expertly placed to maximize their visual impact. The birds, feathers, rain and arches were painted with the utmost attention to achieving perfection. Every element of the design is perfect.

This is one of the finest Zia storage jars available on the market today.

Provenance: ex. coll. of Colorado pottery collector.