It is not often that Margaret Tafoya made canteens during her career. Even among her canteens, this is unusual.  It is a piece is from the 1980s.  It has a round body and handles on the side.  There is a bear paw impressed into the clay on each side and then the entire surface was fully stone polished. Even the handles are polished.   What makes it unusual is that it is red-and-tan.  The body is polished red and the neck is tan.  Did you know that Margaret revived the tan coloration at Santa Clara in the 1970s when her daughter Mary Ester Archuleta moved to San Juan Pueblo?  Margaret said she remembered how to polish the tan when she visited San Juan Pueblo in the 1930s.  The “tan” area is the natural color of the clay and water is applied and then it is polished.  Margaret made the wood stopper and the leather strap which is attached to the handles.  The color and the form are simply exceptional!  The canteen is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom, “Margaret Tafoya”.  It’s always great to see the expanse of Margaret’s creativity throughout her career.