Pasqualita Tafoya was the only sister of noted potter SaraFina Tafoya.  She was also the matriarch of a family of renowned potters.  Her early pottery was primarily carved vessels with some unusual styles of carved patterns.  By the 1940s she began painting pottery vessels instead of carving.  This is one of her few boxes.  The box is fully polished, as is the lid.  The sides have lightning and rain patterns.  The lid has swirling rain clouds.  It is a striking design.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Pascualita”.  Interestingly, there are numerous variations on the spelling of her name depending on the time period when they were made.  The box is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Definitely a rarity but also a fascinating part of Santa Clara Pueblo pottery history!

Why Boxes?

There has long been a fascination with boxes, that is to say, square or rectangular clay vessels with flat, clay lids.  At the Pueblos of New Mexico, there is a historic precedent for these square-shaped pieces that were typically used for holding corn meal for Pueblo dances.  These boxes, however, typically did not have lids, and more likely, carved or raised ends.

In the 1920s there was a revival of boxes at San Ildefonso at the same time as the “new” black-on-black style of pottery.  The boxes had flat sides, but later, some were cylindrical.  They were painted on each side and they had a flat lid with a handle. The style of the handle, and its direction, were often indicative of the potter.  While some boxes may still have been made for cornmeal, most were made to hold cigarettes, small cigars, or curious, for the newly arriving tourist trade.  The potters of Santa Clara and other pueblos were also renowned for making clay boxes at the same time.

Boxes are difficult to make and crack in drying and firing.  The same with the flat lids.  Not surprisingly, over the past 100 years, the boxes have not fared well as they are often cracked or chipped.  The lids are often missing or damaged.  They are not only one of the most difficult and sought-after forms, but also one that is the least resilient to time.