This is a rare San Ildefonso historic polychrome utilitarian small dough bowl or large serving bowl. Just a few of the potters creating polychromes in the early 20th century at San Ildefonso slipped their potteries white all over. One was Martina Vigil with her husband Florentino Montoya. Another was Dolorita Vigil (1883-1918), who I lean towards as the maker of this lovely bowl. See page 54 of Batkin’s classic book Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico for a rare photo of Dolorita surrounded by her pots all slipped to the bottom. This one also features a very spare exterior design of a triangular white checkerboard devices, possibly corn fields attached at the top to red cloud designs. This very spareness leads me to believe that that this bowl was made for Pueblo home use. We can’t know for certain who made the bowl. We do know that she was a fine potter and this is a timeless classic.

Size 6” deep x 12” wide
Condition Original and unrestored
Provenance an Ohio collection
Price $4500 plus shipping

P-23-42

Price does not include shipping