This is a gorgeous example of a classic Santa Clara form dating to the 1930’s. It has a sloping neck, slipped and polished all over to a mirror-like finish. The sheer perfection of this jar would seem to point to the period well into the period influenced by Anglo tourists and traders. By the 1930’s the Fred Harvey Detours were frequently bringing tourists to the pueblo. They and the Santa Fe traders were demanding pure black, achieved by fully reducing the firing environment with generous amounts of manure so that no yellow or red “blemishes” would leak through. Earlier utilitarian wear was less fussy about this. This jar was fired in this way, result in a deep glossy black jewel.
Click on the second detail photo by Addison Doty. This lovely and thoughtful shot of the bear paw and adjacent polished surface on this jar shows the soft and subtle beauty of this jar. We can almost touch it.