Traditional Tesuque Olla [SOLD]

A traditional Tesuque Pueblo olla or water jar. True to tradition, the jar was constructed of native clay, slipped with a rag-wiped bentonite slip and decorated with designs typical of the 1890-1910 period. Tesuque potters, because of their conservative nature, did not stray into the more commercial pottery that their neighboring pueblos fell into, rather, they kept to the traditional shapes and designs used by their predecessors. The red rim and red band near the underbody qualify this jar as a Tesuque Polychrome vessel.

The wavy line between a pair of framing lines at the shoulder is traditionally a Tesuque design and quite unique to that pueblo. The design elements, consisting of free-form elements surrounding the vessel body, were applied with a vegetal guaco paint, and represent very traditional Tesuque design criteria.

Minor rim chips are the only evidence of damage, otherwise the vessel is in excellent condition. It is a very nicely constructed vessel with thin walls and light in weight.