This is a classic jar by Maria Martinez and her husband, Julian.  Maria would make the pottery and Julian would paint the design.  The jar has a sharp shoulder and a sloping side.  It is painted with a classic avanyu (water serpent) design.  The avanyu is tightly painted, and note the little dots on the horn!  The piece was fired to a deep, glassy black.  It is a great coloration but is in amazing condition for its age.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Marie + Julian”.  It is most likely from the late 1920s or early 1930s, considering the precision and creativity of the design.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.

Maria Martinez Signatures