Large Kiua Polychrome Storage Jar

of globular form, painted in black and white slips, with a broad frieze comprising large hourglass designs embellished with stylized capped feather motifs, surmounted by a narrow band enclosing stepped medallions, the rim and underbody decorated with a red slip.

Robert Whiteside Collection, Phoenix, AZ
Sold Sotheby's New York, May 2000, lot 440, color illustration
Acquired from Morning Star Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

American Indian Art Magazine, vol. 26, no. 1, Winter 2000, p. 3, color illustration

The jar appears to be in exceptionally good condition. It has the wear that you might expect from a jar of this antiquity, including surface abrasions and three chips to the rim. The jar was seen under a black-light and there is no evidence of over-paint or plaster. There are hairline cracks that can be seen on the interior of the jar but they seem to superficial; the jar has excellent integrity and makes a clear "ping" when tapped.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

For a discussion of Kiua pottery see Harlow, 1990, and the text associated with pl. 61: “Formal and stately with bold geometric designs are the hallmarks of a pottery type called Kiua Polychrome, which originated at Santo Domingo and Cochiti in the latter part of the 1700s and continues to be made up to the present, especially at Santo Domingo, for which the Indian name is Kiua…The origins of Kiua Polychrome are obscure. Prior to circa 1680, the standard type of pottery for the area is a glaze-ware style that is very different from the later ceramics. In the turmoil of revolt and reconquest, the glaze-paint technique was lost and for nearly a century we lose track of the evolution of pot making in these northeast Keres-language villages. There are some meager clues that point to influence from both Jemez and the Tewa Pueblos to the north, but nothing can be said with certainty until the emergence of Kiua Polychrome, circa 1780. At that time the Tewa influence is pronounced, as manifested by materials (especially the vegetal black paint), by form, and to some extent by the earliest designs."