Historic Black-on-White Historic Dough Bowl from Acoma Pueblo [SOLD]

In our many years of studying and offering historic pueblo pottery, Adobe Gallery has seen very few dough bowls from Acoma Pueblo. Lanmon and Harlow's The Pottery of Acoma Pueblo credits the scarcity to the simple fact that bowls were used more frequently than jars, and thus broken more often. With Acoma pottery being thinner than that of many other pueblos, it makes sense that their statement would appear within the context of a study of Acoma pottery. Their book includes photos of many wonderful Acoma dough bowls, but we rarely see them surface on the market, so we are pleased to be able to offer this bowl. Of the limited number of Acoma dough bowls that have passed through our doors, this example is undoubtedly one of the strongest.

At nine inches in depth by fifteen in diameter, the bowl is both deep and wide. Its shape is perfectly rounded, as if cut from a larger sphere. The form will appeal to many, and for good reason—it provides an excellent example of the elegant, beautiful nature of the pueblo vessel shapes that are less elaborate and more utilitarian. It is thin walled, which is typical of Acoma wares but notable nonetheless, especially with a large piece like this one.

The base and interior are orange, which is to be expected, but the tone used here is particularly striking. The manner in which it was applied within the interior—big, broad horizontal strokes—adds textural variation and visual depth.

The potter created a single design band using black pigments over white slip. It extends from the rim down, covering about two thirds of the exterior. Within the band, a thick black line travels around the exterior. It crosses the band vertically and then diagonally, repeatedly, with triangular elements appearing above and below each diagonal line. Step patterns appear within the triangular forms. If one views the vertical lines as framing lines, they will see within its borders a particularly inventive rotationally symmetric doublet, which appears repeatedly around the bowl's exterior. In choosing to expand her designs to a larger size rather than create a greater number of elements, the potter made a wise decision. Her work is bold, attractive, and most importantly, it suits the vessel perfectly.

Condition: three small rim cracks appear, with visible repairs

Provenance: this Historic Black-on-White Historic Dough Bowl from Acoma Pueblo is from a private collection of a client of Adobe Gallery

Reference and Recommended Reading: The Pottery of Acoma Pueblo by Dwight P. Lanmon and Francis H. Harlow, 2013. Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Acoma Pueblo, Historic Pottery