Historic Santo Domingo Aguilar Black on Cream Jar with Three Design Bands [SOLD]

This extremely thin-walled jar speaks praise for the abilities of Felipita and Asunción Aguilar, as wall thickness is not generally a concern of Santo Domingo potters.  This jar, however, illustrates that Santo Domingo potters are capable of producing excellent thin-walled pottery. Its base and underbody seem to be of the typical Santo Domingo depth.  As the jar reaches its rim—which, it should be noted, is remarkably graceful—it becomes increasingly thin-walled.    

The beautiful neck with an exaggerated rolled-out rim is filled with traditional black diamond triangles arranged in star formations.  The main body is the highlight of beautiful design elements. The wide band of the mid-body design was first divided into triangles, fitted side-by-side.  To create a rounded-edged inner triangle within each larger triangle, a black frame with rounded corners was painted.  

The lower body is a narrow strip of semicircles. This was achieved by painting black triangles, each of which has two rounded edges.  A red band of slip was wiped on just under the lowest design section. That was a very traditional fixture on jars of the time, which supposedly helps one assign a date to a jar.  It would indicate a date for this jar of circa 1900.

Condition: this Historic Santo Domingo Aguilar Black on Cream Jar with Three Design Bands is in very good condition with very minor rim repairs

Provenance: from a gentleman in Santa Fe

Recommended Reading:  Santo Domingo Pottery of the “Aguilar” Type  by Frederick H. Douglas. Denver Art Museum Newsletter, No. 37, June 1941

Relative Links: Santo Domingo Pueblo, pottery, Felipita Aguilar Garcia, Asunción Aguilar Caté

Note: The design bands of this jar appear on a larger version with additional design bands.  The other is our Item #C4248B.