Rare Santa Ana Pueblo Historic Polychrome OLLA [SOLD]

This polychrome olla was made by an unknown Santa Ana Pueblo potter. We'd estimate that it dates to the early twentieth century. We do not often come across Santa Ana pottery, so Adobe Gallery is quite pleased to acquire this charming example.

Pottery from Santa Ana Pueblo is amongst the scarcest of all pueblo pottery. According to Batkin, "As far as is known, all decorated pottery made at Santa Ana in the nineteenth century was polychrome. Reliable sources state that pottery was made in considerable quantities until 1900, although not much has survived. By the 1920s, the tradition had practically died out. Apparently, no potters entered their work for judging at the Indian Fair between 1922 and 1924; examples made between 1925 and the late 1940s are rare."

This olla's shape is fairly typical for Santa Ana work, with a gently rounded shoulder and upturned rim. Potters at Santa Ana abandoned crushed basaltic temper and started using sand as a tempering agent, after reestablishing their ancestral pueblo from near Zia to a location near the Rio Grande. This occurred by the late 1700s. The sand is tangible, resulting in a nicely textured exterior.

The potter's design work is strong. Two design bands appear, with a line at the shoulder separating them. The lower band covers much of the exterior in large abstract elements. Some might see birds within these forms. The upper band, which reaches from the shoulder up toward the rim, uses triangles set within semicircular forms. The black pigments and cream slip are typical, but a variation from the usual red color appears. Here, it has an incredibly appealing orange hue. We are delighted to offer this rare example of Santa Ana pottery.

Condition: very good condition with light wear from handling

Provenance: this Rare Santa Ana Pueblo Historic Polychrome OLLA is from a private collection

Reference: Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700 - 1940. The Taylor Museum of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Jonathan Batkin. 1987.

Recommended Reading: The Pottery of Santa Ana Pueblo by Francis H. Harlow, et al 

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Historic Pottery, Santa Ana Pueblo