Serafina and Margaret Storage Jar
SOLD
Santa Clara water storage jar, c. 1920, 11.5" x 13.5", excellent condition, ethnographic wear
This water storage jar is attributed to the Master Potters Serafina and Margaret Tafoya. Presumably it was formed by the mother, Serafina, and polished by her legendary daughter, Margaret Tafoya. The piece features a single "rainbow band" around the upper body of the jar and thumbprints adorning the rainbow band. There are also 3 Bear Paws, a characteristic Tafoya feature.
The beauty of the piece is in it's simplicity. There are 2 general types of Native art: that made for their people and that made for trade. Different collectors value the distinction in their own way. What Native artists make for themselves is generally more soulful. That certainly applies here. By 1930 these jars had begun to sell to tourists and the finish was made more homogeneously black to make them more sellable. These pieces by Margaret typically sell in the $30,000 to $40,000 range. Personally I enjoy the "ethnographic wear" this piece bears because it signifies that it was used in the home as a water storage vessel in lieu of running water.
It has sat happily and proudly on our kitchen table for almost 2 years and now it is time to for someone else to enjoy it!
Santa Clara water storage jar, c. 1920, 11.5" x 13.5", excellent condition, ethnographic wear
This water storage jar is attributed to the Master Potters Serafina and Margaret Tafoya. Presumably it was formed by the mother, Serafina, and polished by her legendary daughter, Margaret Tafoya. The piece features a single "rainbow band" around the upper body of the jar and thumbprints adorning the rainbow band. There are also 3 Bear Paws, a characteristic Tafoya feature.
The beauty of the piece is in it's simplicity. There are 2 general types of Native art: that made for their people and that made for trade. Different collectors value the distinction in their own way. What Native artists make for themselves is generally more soulful. That certainly applies here. By 1930 these jars had begun to sell to tourists and the finish was made more homogeneously black to make them more sellable. These pieces by Margaret typically sell in the $30,000 to $40,000 range. Personally I enjoy the "ethnographic wear" this piece bears because it signifies that it was used in the home as a water storage vessel in lieu of running water.
It has sat happily and proudly on our kitchen table for almost 2 years and now it is time to for someone else to enjoy it!
