Polished Black Rectangular Lidded Box [SOLD]

The use of cornmeal in pueblo ceremonials is well established as is the use by individuals at their homes. Cornmeal is used as a medium for bestowing blessings on something or someone much as holy water is used by the Catholic Church. There may or may not be a correlation between the two.

This rectangular black cornmeal lidded box was made by Rose Gonzales probably in the second half of the 20th century. It is a perfectly plain, undecorated stone-polished box finished to a beautiful sheen. The box is signed Rose on the underside.

Rose was an accomplished potter who experimented for years with blackware, redware, black-on-black ware and carved ware. She became very proficient at all styles.  According to Russell Sanchez of San Ildefonso Pueblo, she frequently fired up to twenty pots in a single firing, a feat most potters will not try.  If one pot explodes during firing, it could damage all the pots surrounding it causing a great loss.  Rose was confident enough in her work not to worry about a pot exploding.  She would fire redware and blackware in the same firing.  She first removed the red pots from the fire then smothered the fire with pulverized manure and left the remaining pots in the firing for another hour or so to produce blackware.  Most potters fire redware and blackware in separate firings.

Rose was one of the finest potters at San Ildefonso and she consistently produced beautiful pottery.  This lidded box is an excellent example of the exquisite pottery she made.

Condition: original condition

Recommended Reading:  Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham

Provenance: Gifted by Rose Gonzales to author and pottery expert Richard Spivey.  Included with the gift is the polishing stone Rose used on the pottery and a Christmas note from Rose and her family.