Very Large Isleta Pueblo Storage Jar [SOLD]

Without question, the first impression one has of this magnificent large storage jar is that it was made at Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo in the late 1800s.  We have been conditioned to see such a jar as being made only at San Juan because the placement of the red slip only partially down the vessel wall and the numerous fire clouds are traditional to San Juan Pueblo.

Thanks to studies by Frank Harlow and Jonathan Batkin, we know to look more closely to the materials of the vessel rather than only to its surface manifestations.  The paste of San Juan Pueblo pottery, and of its sister Tewa Pueblos, is tan in color and can be witnessed on the stone-polished un-slipped bases of most jars.  An examination of this storage jar reveals that the paste is not of the type used at the Tewa Pueblos.

The paste on this storage jar is orange/tan in color and the temper agent is river sand.  River sand as a temper was used by Isleta, San Felipe and Santa Ana Pueblos—pueblos located on the river bank. (Harlow 1990).  Without having seen similar vessels from San Felipe, it would be difficult to speculate that it could be the origin of this jar.  Santa Ana and Isleta are then the contenders for attribution.

Having seen Isleta dough bowls of similar coloration with a red band just below the rim, also of similar coloration to the red on this jar, would tempt one to attribute the jar to Isleta.  Santa Ana jars of this style are virtually unknown, except for the one identified by Harlow in the Gallegos Collection.

Because of our familiarity with similar duotone pottery from Isleta and no familiarity with such from Santa Ana and San Felipe, we have attributed this to a potter from Isleta Pueblo in the 19^th century.  There is no question that it is not from a potter from San Juan Pueblo.  The only question that is logical is from which of the pueblos that used sand for temper did it originate?  We feel it was made at Isleta Pueblo and is a very rare example of such.

Condition: excellent condition with minor rim chips

Provenance: from a private collection

Reference: Harlow, Francis H. Two Hundred Years of Historic Pueblo Pottery: The Gallegos Collection, 1990