Santa Clara Pueblo Black Bear Paw Design Jar [SOLD]

This is a very traditional Santa Clara vessel shape, one of the most popular.  The design—bear paws—too are very traditional.  It is said that the bear paw is put on water jars to enhance the chances that the jar will never be empty of water, a belief based on the fact that bears can always find water.  What a wonderful tribute to nature that is, something that Native Americans are known for doing.

Sometimes the manner in which the bear paw is designed provides a hint to the potter but, in this example, I have been unable to tie these bear paws to a specific potter.  The important consideration is that the jar was beautifully constructed and finished on this Southwest Indian Pottery OLLA.

Condition: structurally in very good condition with minor surface marring as would be expected on an older jar.

Recommended Reading: Santa Clara Pottery Today by Betty LeFree.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery.

Provenance: from a gentleman of New Mexico