This is a deep black, fully polished plate by Margaret Tafoya.  The plate is impressed with four bear paws in the clay before it is polished.  It was then fully polished on the front and back and fired a dark black.  The plate is not flat but has just a bit of curvature which helps reflect the light.  I included several photos to show both the condition and the depth of the color.  The bear paw design tells the story of how a bear led the Pueblo people to water during a drought.  The plate is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair and the highly polished surface just seems to glow with the light.  It is signed on the back in the clay, “Margaret Tafoya”.