SaraFina Tafoya was the matriarch of a family of renowned potters,  including her children Margaret Tafoya, Camilio Tafoya, and Christina Naranjo. While she is known for her large vessels, in the 1930’s she created a series of smaller painted and plainware vessels that were signed.  They are unusual and scarce pieces, yet a fascinating part of the history of Santa Clara pottery.  This is a larger red water jar. The jar is fully polished and has handles on the shoulder. The handles are also fully polished.  The jar was fired a deep red coloration.  Interestingly, on one side there is a dark black area from the firing.  It brings to mind the story about Sarafina and marks on her red pottery:

“Sara Fina was often known to say about her own pottery, ‘Nothing is perfect.’ When she was firing a red pot, she would often take a stick and touch it to the vessel, leaving a dark mark. She would say, ‘We are not to have anything that perfect made from clay. Only Some One more powerful than we are can have perfection.’”  —TONI ROLLER, Born of Fire, 2007

Ther mark certainly adds to the story of his exceptional piece!  The jar is also polished on the inside of the neck.  It is signed in the clay on the bottom, “Sarafina Tafoya”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

You can read more about the signed pottery of Sarafina in my article below:

Signed, “Serafina”: The Signed Pottery of SaraFina Tafoya