Historic San Ildefonso Nineteenth Century Lidded Pottery Jar [SOLD]

This historic pottery jar has a very globular vessel shape, typical of the nineteenth century Tewa jars.  The simple design of clouds and plants also is typical of the period.  The lip that supports the lid has a chain-like design with some links painted black and others without paint.  The design on the lid repeats the floral element on the jar, an indication that the lid is original to this San Ildefonso Pueblo pottery jar.

The underbody was left in its natural state of tan clay, polished to a fine sheen, but left without painted designs as typical of the time.  A polished red band was applied just below the painted design.  The rim is black as are all the painted designs.  There is no use of red in the design theme.

According to the previous owner’s family lore, her grandfather worked in Ohio as an engineer for a large construction company and specialized in working on dams.  In the 1940s, shortly after the war, he was sent out west to the Denver area to work on a project.

During that trip, he purchased two pottery jars.  He returned to Ohio and retired in the 1960s.  He moved to the family farm, which was only about 40 acres, and became a gentleman farmer, according to his granddaughter, who had spent a lot of time at the farm and always loved the pottery, so, prior to his passing, he gave them to her.  She lived in the Santa Fe area from 1985 to 2000 in an adobe home and felt that the pots were happy there.  She then moved to Montrose, Colorado, and ended up living in a modular home in which she felt the pottery was out of place.  Interestingly, she said, her grandfather never showed interest in any other art, but that he loved the pottery he had purchased.

Condition: exceptionally good condition with ladle wear on the inner support lip for the lid.  The lid has been broken and professionally repaired.

Provenance: this Historic San Ildefonso Nineteenth Century Lidded Pottery Jar is from the collection of a resident of Montrose, Colorado

Reference: Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940, The Taylor Museum of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, authored by Jonathan Batkin

Relative Links: Southwest Indian Pottery, Historic Pottery, Tesuque Pueblo, San Ildefonso Pueblo