This bowl is a classic piece by Christina Naranjo.   Christina was a sister of Margaret Tafoya and Camilio Tafoya, as well as the matriarch of the family of potters including Teresita Naranjo and Tammy Garcia. This bowl is a wide shape and it is fully polished.  There is an impressed bear paw on two sides.  They bear paw design is carved into the clay before it is polished.  The bear paw tells the story of a bear which leads the Pueblo to people to water during a drought.  The bowl is fired a deep black.  It was originally purchased in 1968 and with the strength of shape and polish, it is easy to see why her work was so sought after by collectors in the 1970s!  This bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Christina Naranjo”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Definitely a piece of history and classic of Native pueblo art!