This is a highly burnished black jar by Maria and is the style that was made by Maria alone. Generally, all the undecorated pieces signed Maria Poveka were constructed by Maria, burnished by her sister Clara and fired by her sons Popovi or Adam.

Maria made these plain blackware pieces at some time following the death of her husband Julian in 1943. Spivey (p166) indicates that the signature Maria Poveka probably started in 1955 or 1956 “during the transition between the ‘Marie & Santana' and the ‘Maria/Popovi’ periods.” Spivey further states that the Maria Poveka signature was abandoned in the mid 1960s following her teaming up with her son Popovi.

This jar, then, would fall in the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s period. It is a beautiful very black jar with flawless burnishing and in excellent original condition.

Provenance: From the collection of a family in St. Louis, MO.