This is a striking early gunmetal-fired jar by Maria Martinez and her son, Popovi Da.  Maria made and polished the jar while it was painted by her son, Popovi Da  (1923-1971). The jar has a high shoulder and a short neck.  It is highly polished and then painted with a feather design around the shoulder.  There are 48 symmetrically painted feathers encircling the piece.  The piece is fired to silvery, glassy black. It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Maria Popovi 760“. The firing date signature indicates that it was fired in July 1960, making it a very early-dated piece (they began the firing date around 1960).   The jar is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.

Maria Martinez Signatures