Featured Oaxaca Mexico Pottery Chicken/Rooster Bowl ca.1991

I've had this little Mexican chicken/rooster since the very early 1990's, when I purchased him in Mexico. I bought him solely because he made me smile. (Actually, he still does!)

Does anyone know if this type of painting is unusual for Oaxacan pottery? I've found bowls virtually the same size/shape in the traditional BLACK pottery, but none colorfully painted like this one.

Thanks for any input!

 

I like the rooster, it´s funny!
Oaxaca has a diversity of ceramic styles, it is pity that the black ceramics got more significance than others over the time. This particular bowl looks to me made rather for a tourist market, because the design seems to be quite inspired by the flowered ornamentation used on cats, mugs, and small souvenirs sold around Mexico (not very sure where it appeared originally).
Here is an unpainted variation of this rooster, also from Oaxaca:

 

Thanks, April! It sure looks a lot like him.

(And, of course, I was a TOURIST when I was in Mexico!)

 

I can see why it makes you smile. I found a yellow one, but I think yours is much more cheery!

 

INH, you found another one! That one's closer to mine than the others I've seen. Thank you!

Perhaps a dumb question, but do you think they're food safe? Mine has always just been displayed. I remember that back in the day, there were all sorts of warnings about lead in Mexican pottery, so I never did use mine for anything edible - just in case!

 

Sorry, I don’t know about that. The other one doesn’t mention either. The title is bowl/planter. Maybe someone else will know. Thank you for sharing it!

 

i would doubt it being food safe.

 

I do use my Mexican pottery for food on occasion but I always line the bottom and I NEVER put anything hot or acidic in them. They all contain lead unless specifically marked Lead Free.

 

& when it's marked Lead Free.......it means you get the Lead...for Free !!!!!

 

HaHa. Seriously, newer talavera is marked if made with lead free paint and all Ken Edwards stoneware pottery is lead free. Never use older unmarked Mexican pottery for tomatoes,
vinegars, hot foods etc and always best to line with a parchment paper.

 

Thanks for that, Reader - and Komo, too!

I sort of had a feeling about the lead.

Back in 1991, on the trip when I bought this little guy, my daughter was along (just a kid then,) and she had a chance to paint a pottery bird at one of the markets.

When she was carrying it home, it set off all sorts of metal detectors in the airport.

Based on THAT, and the warnings I'd read, I figured "better safe than sorry" & never put food in this bowl. (Oh, but wouldn't it be PERFECT for salsa???)

 

Perfect for salsa (not lol) and many still use them but they shouldn’t. We have close friends who use vintage Mexican pottery every time they entertain and I always wonder how many days (months, years?) I’m losing when we eat there.

Again, I’ll use an occasional piece for room temp non acidic foods as an accent but when I want to set a table with a vintage Mexican look I use my set of Ken Edwards so I don’t poison my friends.

I had a dog who died very young in the 70s-he developed uncontrollable seizures. We realized that he died from lead poisoning from eating all the lead paint moldings in our pre WWII building. It was very sad.