This polished black bowl is circa 1890-1910 and is a standard Tewa shape from Ohkay Owingeh [formerly San Juan Pueblo], deriving directly from seventeenth and eighteenth century bowls with upright sides and flared rim.

The interior of the vessel was slipped in red clay from the pueblo and then stone-polished to a high luster. The exterior is the natural, un-slipped, tan clay of the full vessel that was stone polished without the addition of slip. The bowl was then fired in a reduction firing, resulting in the black finish.

The shape of the bowl is very pleasing. It flares out from the bottom to just above midway of the vessel body then gracefully curves inward to a restriction at the neck then flares outward in a rim that has scalloped edging.

This is an extraordinary bowl that needs no written accolades to speak of its beauty. It stands alone on its own merits.

According to Batkin¹, pottery making at Ohkay Owingeh [formerly San Juan Pueblo] almost died out by 1900 except for an occasional piece made for household use or for sale or trade. There was a revival in the 1930s but it was of a different style. It is difficult to find pieces of this size from this time period.

Condition: The bowl is structurally in good condition. There are a few rim chips and the interior of the bowl shows much evidence of use.

 ¹Reference and Recommended Reading: Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940 by Jonathan Batkin .