Many Santa Fe residents of the 1930s era commissioned Santa Clara and San Ildefonso Pueblo potters to make special items for their use in either decorating their homes or for use on their dining tables. After some time, the potters realized that there was a good market for such items and they continued making them for the general market.  There have been examples of black pottery dinner plates bearing the signature of Maria Martinez that were actually used for dining and they exhibit knife marks on the surface.  

 This wonderful black Santa Clara Pueblo candlestick was made for the older candles that were bigger in diameter than today’s tapers.  The dog attached to the pedestal was probably put there on special request.  This is a wonderful example of the outside influence affected on the pottery market.  It also is testament to a trend that is highly responsible for the continuation and expansion of pueblo pottery markets today—that is a market intended for non-native use and one that has now existed for a hundred years in a profitable mode for the native potters.

 The candlestick is in excellent condition and there are candles on the market today of the diameter to fit this unit.