Pasqualita Tafoya was the sister of noted potter SaraFina Tafoya and the matriarch of a family of renowned potters.  Her early pottery are primarily carved vessels with some unusual styles of carved patterns.  This is a larger bowl of her pottery with a carved avanyu encircling the piece.  The avanyu (water serpent) is deeply carved into the clay and the surface is fully polished.  The bowl 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 bowl is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is nice to see a larger piece of her pottery with such a classic design.