San Ildefonso Pueblo Black-on-black Plate Signed Maria/Popovi [R]

This is a beautiful Black-on-black plate by Maria Martinez (1887-1980) and her son, Popovi Da (1922-1971), featuring the Avanyu design made popular by Julian Martinez earlier. The plate is signed on the underside Maria/Popovi. Popovi started working with his mom sometime in the late 1950s and he started dating their pieces in the early 1960s. This piece is not dated, so it is from the time period of late 1950s-early1960s.

Structurally, the plate is in excellent condition. There are a few rim abrasions most likely from a plate stand, and there are a few scratches here and there, but nothing of a great significance.

COMMENTS: Some experts have contended that smothering pottery during the firing process creates a carbon smoke that penetrates the pottery, turning it black. Even though several books describing black pueblo pottery attribute the color change to carbon, the reduction of iron oxide is the correct mechanism. Ceramicists, describing ancient styles of Old World pottery, state that iron impurities in clay form red oxide at red heat, but if air is lacking during firing, iron impurities in clay form black magnetite.