WOW! This is one of the most spectacular plates we have had by Tonita and Juan Roybal.  Tonita Roybal remains one of the great innovative names in San Ildefonso pottery.  This plate is from the late 1920s.  It was made and polished by Tonita and painted by her husband, Juan Roybal.  It is quite stunning in person!  The plate has a complex design with three “old-style avanyu” designs painted extending from the center.  Check out the last photo it is a picture of an early bowl with the old style “avanyu” which today, can be seen in the horns on contemporary pieces.  Extending inward from the rim are rain and prayer feather patterns.  It is a complex and tightly painted design that perfectly fits the plate.  In addition to the amazing painting is the firing.  The plate is fired to a gunmetal finish, which was a result of the heat of the firing.  Add to that the condition of the plate.  It in amazing condition for its age with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair. The back has some scratches but the front is in such great condition, it is not often seen in her plates over time!  This piece was probably made in the late 1920s, as the back is fully polished and the later plates had matte reverse.  It is signed in the clay on the back, “Tonita + Juan”.   It is not just stunning, but historically important in its size, design, and condition.

Early San Ildefonso Pottery Innovators -1920-1940