Small Shallow Polychrome Bowl with Polished Red Bottom [SOLD]

When San Ildefonso Polychrome became a specified pottery type in the 1890s, it did so because red design paint was revived, a change from the previous designated Powhoge Polychrome.  This was a revival of a style from the 18^th century.  At first it appears that black paint was fired on and red paint applied after firing.  Around 1910 or a little earlier, the red was also fired on.  In some cases, the red on these early ones was watery

Another change that occurred in the early 1900s at San Ildefonso was brought on by Martina Vigil and Florentino Montoya, a husband and wife pottery team who visited Cochiti Pueblo frequently.  They became aware of the bentonite slip being used at Cochiti that did not need to be stone polished, only rag wiped.  San Ildefonso slip required stone polishing.  Martina and Florentino shared this knowledge with San Ildefonso potters and most then switched to the bentonite slip shortly after 1900.

Stone polished slip used at San Ildefonso shows marks from the stone polishing and it tended to craze during firing, producing cracks or crazing akin to a dry river bed. 

It appears that this bowl has the San Ildefonso stone-polished slip with uniform crazing overall.  The red paint is slightly watery and the design, especially the rain clouds, are strongly influenced from Cochiti pottery designs.

It is quite possible that Martina and Florentino could have made this bowl while still living at San Ildefonso and occasionally visiting Cochiti where they certainly would have seen pottery with Cochiti designs of this nature.  The stone-polished red underbody of the bowl is quite unusual for San Ildefonso, particularly when combined with polychrome decoration.  Normally, the underside would be without a red polished slip.  If these clues are accepted, then this bowl would date to circa 1890-1905.

Condition: minor loss of slip due to crazing and one minor chip on red rim

Provenance: from a gentleman in Arizona

Reference and Recommended Reading: Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940 by Jonathan Batkin.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery.