Acoma Pueblo Early 20th-century Polychrome Olla [SOLD]

Occasionally, a truly spectacularly designed jar is released from a private pottery collection and elicits oohs and aahs from everyone who sees it.  This is certainly the case with this one.  It is one of the most beautifully designed jars from Acoma Pueblo to appear on the market in the recent past.  It is difficult to ignore this jar because it has such visual appeal and striking design.  Not knowing the name of the potter leads one to appreciate the jar on its own merits without being influenced by the name of an artist.

The design is repeated four times around the vessel body.  The predominant design pattern in black consists of elements filled in with fine lines and others filled completely with black.  If one were to see the jar just with the black on white designs, it would be quite impressive.  The addition of the dark red design elements places the jar in another realm.  The dark red clay used for the design is indicative of pre- or early-20^th century.  I have been told by potters at Acoma that this color was not used much after 1900 because the source for it was no longer known.  Perhaps the source was exhausted.

The triangular-shaped red design ends with incurving scroll tips supporting small red triangles.  Almost overlooked are the very small scrolls on the black designs adjacent to the red.  It is the red color that makes the visual impact on the jar. 

Condition: there are a few rim chips and some spalling of the surface but nothing of major distraction.

Provenance: from a gentleman in Albuquerque

Recommended Reading: The Pottery of Acoma Pueblo by Harlow and Lanman