Tesuque Pueblo Polychrome Pitcher [SOLD]

Tesuque Pueblo, Village of the Narrow Cottonwood Trees, is just north of Santa Fe. Its proximity to Santa Fe allowed potters to sell their work to merchants in Santa Fe who, in turn, sold to tourists visiting the southwest.  The items made for tourist sale were made to appeal to the visitors and their ability to transport them back home, hence, the forms and sizes changed from the larger utilitarian ollas and bowls made for personal use to small pitchers, vases and jars for the collector to take back home as souvenirs of Indian Country.

This little pitcher is an excellent example of early Tesuque tourist pottery. It was made by an experienced potter who most likely also made larger vessels, but in order to support herself made smaller items for sale. This pitcher has the traditional Tewa cream slip painted in black with a red base which is similar to the pottery of the neighboring Tewa pueblo of San Ildefonso. The repeated small triangular designs in a line on the handle of this pitcher are typical of Tesuque pottery. The designs on the body might be representations of sun flowers!  The rim is red and the line below the decoration is red, both typical of Tesuque Pueblo style. The pitcher has a small footed rim on the base.  The natural tan color of the underbody was stone polished without the addition of slip.  This is an early example of Tesuque pottery, possibly as early as 1910.

Condition: excellent condition

Recommended Reading: Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940 by Jonathan Batkin.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery

Provenance: from a gentleman in Santa Fe