Helen Shupla is famous for her carved pottery as well as her exceptional melon bowls.  Her melon jars are the traditional style with the ribs pushed out in the clay.  This melon jar has ten ribs which are wide and there is a narrow groove separating each of the ribs.  The jar is Helen Shupla is certainly most famous for her exceptional melon jars.  Her melon jars are the very traditional form with the ribs pushed out in the clay.  This large melon jar is one of her classic shapes with the wide shoulder and slight neck. Each of the 22 ribs are pushed out into the clay.  She would do this by placing her fingers inside the bowl and pushing against the clay from both the inside and outside!  The entire piece is fully polished and fired black.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.on the bottom in the clay.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.