Featured Santo Domingo Tiny black picher

Discussion in 'Tribal Art' started by 916Bulldogs123, Jan 6, 2026 at 5:29 PM.

  1. 916Bulldogs123

    916Bulldogs123 Well-Known Member

    I was hoping someone could tell me about this little piece.
    It is 2 1/2" tall and about 1 3/4" diameter Signed on the bottom.

    Mikey
    100_4909.JPG 100_4912.JPG 100_4913.JPG
     
  2. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Nice Mikey-I'm def no expert, but generally Santo Domingo Pueblo pieces seem to use a subtractive method, this piece seems to have an applied design and could be a Mexican piece.
    BUT-I'm no expert,let's get the Pros involved-
    @Potteryplease @2manybooks @komokwa
     
  3. 916Bulldogs123

    916Bulldogs123 Well-Known Member

    It's not applied!
    Mikey
     
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  4. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    No problem Mikey,I'm def no expert and I stand corrected-Peace mate.Hopefully our savvier friends will get here soon.
     
  5. Potteryplease

    Potteryplease Well-Known Member

    What I think @bosko69 is referencing is that generally, the shiny parts are the burnished clay surface of the pot itself, and the matte parts are where a slip has been painted on, making the designs actually negative space designs. On this pot, that seems reversed. Maybe the pics are confusing us?

    "S.D.P" certainly does stand for Santo Domingo Pueblo and was typical for pottery from there. Today it's sometimes called Kewa Pueblo as colonial names are changed back to indigenous ones.
     
  6. 916Bulldogs123

    916Bulldogs123 Well-Known Member

    Thank you @Potteryplease
    Yes it's a shadow in my lousy pics. The whole thing is shiny black except for inside the designs. I'll get a better picture
    Mikey
     
  7. 916Bulldogs123

    916Bulldogs123 Well-Known Member

  8. Potteryplease

    Potteryplease Well-Known Member

    That's clearer. Thanks.

    Is the glossy part 'raised' higher than the matte part? In other words, does it seem like the gloss is a glaze?

    If so, that would only mean that it's not traditional. Patterns change, potters mix things up, and are always trying something new.
     
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  9. 916Bulldogs123

    916Bulldogs123 Well-Known Member

    Yes the glossy part is raised. I thought the matt was cut into the glaze?

    Mikey
     
    cxgirl, bosko69 and Any Jewelry like this.
  10. Potteryplease

    Potteryplease Well-Known Member

    The so-called 'black on black' Pueblo pottery does not traditionally use any glaze. The raw clay vessel is burnished, making it shiny, then designs are painted on using a 'slip'-- a mixture of water and other clay. After firing, the shiny part shows through the duller, matte parts painted on it.

    At Santa Clara Pueblo, where the local clay tended to be thicker and heavier, sometimes leading to broken pots during firing, potters started incising designs into the clay. That's probably what you're thinking of here.

    In any case, there wasn't a 'glaze' used. Does it look like yours does in fact have a glaze?
     
  11. 916Bulldogs123

    916Bulldogs123 Well-Known Member

    Thank you for the great information on how they were made. This doesn't look like a glaze to my eyes. But I have been known to be wrong.

    Mikey
     
    Potteryplease likes this.
  12. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    That's a sweet piece of work, Mikey...thanks!
     
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