SPECIAL OFFER: Black Swirl Large Jar by Margaret Tafoya [SOLD]

SPECIAL OFFER: The owner has requested that we make the purchase of this magnificent jar appealing to some collector, so she has authorized us to reduce the price from $20,000 to a new price of only $12,500. This is almost unbelievable, but it is as it is, so take advantage of her generosity.

This is a monumental polished blackware jar by Margaret Tafoya. This magnificent early piece is coil-formed in native clays with stone-polished slip and reduction fired to achieve the famed Santa Clara black finish. This plainware work features a singular design motif—melon ribs.

This melon style jar is most unusual in that I cannot find reference to others of the style. Tafoya made many jars with the double shoulder and bear paws, plain polished bowls and jars, and traditional Santa Clare carved pieces, but not many melon jars.

This jar is photographed and published on page 63 in the referenced book by the Blair’s. At the time it was photographed for the book, it belonged to Hilda Street of the Streets of Taos and it had been converted to a table lamp. We received it from the estate of the Streets of Taos and it was still affixed with lamp hardware. We removed the hardware to inspect the jar for damage. There is no damage to the jar from having it converted to a lamp other than a very small drill hole at the base through which the electric wire was threaded. According to the published information, the jar is circa 1954. We have the lamp hardware should anyone wish to make it into a lamp again.

It is simply fantastic and has a superb polish, form, and powerful visual presence. It is a superlative acquisition of the finest in large scale Margaret Tafoya works.

The jar is signed on the base Margaret Tafoya. It is truly a piece for the collector of the finest in the oeuvre of Margaret Tafoya, an undeniably powerful work by one of the premier Pueblo potters of the twentieth century.