Rare and Historic Santo Domingo Pueblo Black-on-red Large Dough Bowl

Historic Kewa Pottery: A Unique Black-on-Red Dough Bowl

This very large, rare dough bowl comes from Kewa Pueblo. Black-on-red pottery at Kewa Pueblo appears to have had its beginning around 1880 or a little later. Whether or not it was produced by a single family has not been determined. It is known that the Aguilar sisters made Black-on-red pottery in the late 19th century—probably from 1890 to 1915—but whether they were the first to do so is not known.

This example dates to the late 1800s. There is little evidence of use at the pueblo, so perhaps it was sold before being used too frequently. It is not likely that it was made to be sold, because large items like this were not of interest to tourists who had to figure out how to get such an item home. It is likely that it was made to be used at the pueblo but was not used frequently. Often, Santa Fe merchants entered the homes of families and purchased pottery that was currently in use. It probably was to the advantage of the owner to sell the item and make a replacement. Cash was always in short supply at the time, and always in need for essential purchases for the family.

This bowl's form and design are extraordinary. At eleven inches in height and over eighteen in diameter, this is a massive bowl. Its shape is closer to spherical than the typical dough bowl. It is also unusual in that the interior is decorated but the exterior is not. The interior is decorated with a band of "lazy V" designs at the rim, under which is a continuous band of clouds. In the center of the interior, a symmetrical floral design appears. This is a gorgeous example of historic Kewa pottery, and most certainly a unique piece.

Condition: this Rare and Historic Santo Domingo Pueblo Black-on-red Large Dough Bowl is in very good condition with a stabilized vertical crack

Provenance: Mr. Jim Silva, who had a store in Bernalillo, New Mexico, had a small "museum" in one room of the store, where he put away items of interest to him. Following his death in the early 1990s, his daughter Rose began selling those items. We purchased this bowl from Rose in 1993 and kept it in the gallery collection. It was sold in 2019 to a Santa Fe collector, who eventually brought it back to the gallery.

Recommended Reading: A River Apart: The Pottery of Cochiti & Santo Domingo Pueblos by Valerie Verzuh, et al.

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Historic Pottery, Kewa Pueblo - Santo Domingo Pueblo