Native American Pottery

Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya

Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya

Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya

An original Native American pot pottery by Serafina Tafoya of Santa Clara Pueblo. It is of a red clay and has decorative paint. The jug/pot stands 6 ½ tall with a rim diameter of 4 across. The widest bulbous area measures approximately 6 across.

The bottom is signed Serafina Tafoya Santa Clara. There is a word starting with a P that might read Pueblo after Santa Clara? The design looks like a butterfly or moth, with opposite sides matching. I don't know enough about Native American design to know the significance of this art work. I welcome any communication for accuracy.

Artist History found online (In the Eyes of the Pot, A Journey into the World of Native American Pottery). She married Jose Geronimo Tafoya in 1883 and they raised a family of 10 children. Serafina had a deep spiritual connection with her clay. She made traditional Santa Clara pottery of exceptional quality and size. Spent some time in Serafina's household as a teenager and when she needed to learn how to make red pottery turn black, she went to Serafina. Serafina taught her that and gave her some tips on burnishing, too. Serafina was the first potter at Santa Clara to extend hand-imprint decorations further and begin the evolution that led to today's carved pots. She experimented with sizes and shapes and incorporated tribal stories into the design of her pots.

Serafina was able to pass down her knowledge and her spiritual connection with the clay to several generations of her family before she passed in 1949. I read that Serafina (Sarafina or Sara Fina) Tafoya did not read or write and her children signed her pieces for her. I know nothing more than the little bit of research I did, so I have no idea of the validity of this information.

However, based on Serafina's life and her contributions to the art work of Native American Potters, I do know this piece is of significant age and value and warrants possession by a more avid collector for proper preservation. No Cracks or significant chips. There are some flea bites, numerous scratches and paint loss.

The top has darker coloring that is either from use or a once. Please enlarge the photos as they too represent the description.

Keep in mind the photos are at a high resolution/pixel and do magnify any flaws making them appear much more pronounced than you or I would notice to the naked eye. Please pardon any reflections in the photos. Always glad to supply additional pictures if needed.

Thanks for looking and Good Luck! The item "SANTA CLARA PUEBLO RED ORANGE CLAY POTTERY PAINTED & SIGNED SERAFINA TAFOYA" is in sale since Sunday, May 15, 2016. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Cultures & Ethnicities\Native American\ US\1800-1934\Pottery". The seller is "allentiques" and is located in Senoia, Georgia. This item can be shipped to United States, to Canada.
  • Artisan: Serafina Tafoya
  • Origin: Santa Clara Pueblo
  • Country//Region of Manufacture: United States

Santa Clara Pueblo Red Orange Clay Pottery Painted & Signed Serafina Tafoya