This is an exceptional smaller water jar by Russell Sanchez.  The jar is a deep red coloration, which is a slip that he rediscovered around 2005 and it is the same deep coloration as the slip used at San Ildefonso in the 1920-30s.  The jar is fully polished and deeply carved with 16 ribs around the shoulder. The rim also has a fluted rim, which undulates up and down.  There is difficulty in creating the fluted rim as it can easily crack when it is stone polished.  The neck has a black micaceous clay slip which is surrounded by two bands of very dark shell hei-shi beads.  The deep red coloration is exceptional on the jar and glows with such a high polish. The use of the black mica is a historic reminder of the older “black on red” pottery made at San Ildefonso in the late 1800s.    The bottom of the jar has the classic indention of traditional San Ildefonso water jars.  It’s exciting how Russell uses these historic elements to keep them alive on his contemporary pottery.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, ‘Russell”.