Small Historic Bowl from Santo Domingo Pueblo

This small historic pottery bowl was created by an unidentified Kewa Pueblo artist. The look and feel of the piece suggest that she made it during the early 1900s. It is a small piece, but it has quite a presence due to a unique shape, an appealing patina, and a pair of strong designs in bold black.

The bowl is short and round, with a slightly concave base and a rim that flares outward. It leans to one side ever so slightly. Its richly patinated exterior glows warmly, displaying years of handling and use. The interior is similarly enhanced by age and wear, with a thick coat of gray covering much of the red slip. A rim chip appears, but its edges are smooth and worn, suggesting that the small piece was broken out shortly after the bowl was made.

A pair of designs—identical in form, except for length, as one stretches out further than the other—appears on the exterior in black. Pairs of framing lines appear above and below the primary designs. This wonderful bowl will appeal to those who appreciate well-used historic pieces.

Condition: rich patina from heavy use, one rim chip appears, a thin crack circles about two thirds of the base

Provenance: this Small Historic Bowl from Santo Domingo Pueblo is from a private collection

Recommended Reading: A RIVER APART, The Pottery of Cochiti & Santo Domingo Pueblos by Valerie Verzuh, et al.