Pottery Bowl with San Felipe Pueblo Attribution

This pottery bowl comes to us with an attribution of San Felipe Pueblo, designated by a pencil note on the underside. It arrived with two bowls that were made in Isleta Pueblo, but there are differences between the two Isleta bowls and this one, leading us to consider that it could have originated from San Felipe. Having never seen a polished red bowl that is known to have originated from San Felipe Pueblo leaves us with no way to agree or disagree with the attribution.

One of the differences with bowls from Isleta Pueblo is the rolled- out rim. All Isleta Pueblo bowls we have examined have rims that continue straight up from the vessel wall and do not roll out. Another difference between pottery at the two pueblos is the addition of a wiped-on red band on the exterior rim of Isleta bowls, which this bowl does not feature. Additionally, it appears that the exterior of this bowl had an application of red slip over the polished natural clay body.

According to Jonathan Batkin, "Documented whole ceramics of the nineteenth century from San Felipe are rare, if they even exist, but pottery was made there. . . Documented twentieth century ceramics are also rare. Philbrook Art Center has a polychrome bowl, a polished red bowl, and an unpolished olla by Pietra Sandoval. Accession notes state that pottery was revived solely for competition for prizes, and was not a traditional art. The revival is said to have occurred around 1939. . ." Batkin 1987:117

Condition: very good condition with normal wear pattern

Provenance: this Pottery Bowl with San Felipe Pueblo Attribution is from the collection of a family from New Mexico

Reference: Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940 by Jonathan Batkin

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, San Felipe Pueblo, Katishtya