Large Santa Clara Pueblo Pottery By Teresita Naranjo

ca. 1950

6.75" H x 10" D

Hand Coiled Large Plainware Olla Black Clay Bulbous Pot with a High Polish of uncommonly Beautiful Spherical Form.  

In Very Good Condition with the Lower Third of this Jar Shows Slip Wear and there is Typical Minor Wear Marks on the Jar Typical of these Early Large Examples - A Very Nice Example! This jar has been professionally cleaned and has very minor surface restoration (primarily on the lower third of the jar).  

Teresita Naranjo (1919–1999), also known as "Apple Blossom" (Bay-Po-Vi), was a highly regarded potter from Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico. She came from the renowned Tafoya/Naranjo potting family—granddaughter of Sarafina Tafoya and daughter of Christina Naranjo—and began making pottery in the 1930s. She remained active until her death in 1999.

She is celebrated as one of the finest 20th-century Santa Clara potters and is noted for her innovation: she was among the first to carve designs that extended beyond traditional linear bands, creating more dynamic, flowing patterns with deep relief carving. Her work typically features highly polished blackware or redware with intricate carvings, often including motifs like the Avanyu (water serpent), geometric designs, or stylized figures. She produced a range of forms, including jars (ollas), bowls, wedding vases, and some larger pieces, though truly massive examples are rarer on the market.