A squat, rounded black pottery vessel signed on the base Yolanda Quezada, with a short collar neck and a softly flared rim. The shoulder is covered in sweeping spirals and curling scrolls, each filled with fine feathered hatching that reads as delicate matte lines against the high-gloss, polished black surface. A scattering of leaf and curl motifs fills the spaces between the swirls.
The form and the etched, black-on-black decoration are characteristic of the Mata Ortiz pottery tradition of Chihuahua, Mexico, where potters build, polish and decorate each vessel by hand. At 10.5" in diameter and 7.5" tall, the low, full shape sits steadily on a table, console or shelf and looks equally good alone or holding a single branch or a few stems.
*Era: Vintage
*Origin: Chihuahua, Mexico (Mata Ortiz tradition)
*Material: Polished blackware pottery
*Size: 10.5" dia x 7.5"H
*Color: Glossy black with matte etched decoration
*Condition: Vintage condition, sound, with light age-appropriate wear; signed on base
This signed black pottery seed pot is inscribed on the base Yolanda Quezada and made in the Mata Ortiz tradition of Chihuahua, Mexico. It measures 10.5 inches in diameter and 7.5 inches tall, with a polished black surface and etched swirl and feather decoration. It is a collectible decorative vessel available from DE-COR in Pasadena with trade pricing for designers.
Q: What does black-on-black mean on a piece like this?
A: It describes pottery where the decoration is the same color as the vessel and shows through contrast of finish, here fine matte etched lines against a polished glossy surface. The pattern appears and shifts as the light moves across the pot, which is why these pieces photograph and display so well.
Q: Does the Quezada name mean it is by Juan Quezada?
A: Not necessarily. Quezada is a widely shared family name among the potters of Mata Ortiz, and many family members make pottery in their own right. This piece is signed Yolanda Quezada on the base, and we describe it by that signature without linking it to any other family member.
Specifications
- Era: Vintage
- Origin: Chihuahua, Mexico (Mata Ortiz tradition)
- Artist: Signed Yolanda Quezada
- Material: Polished blackware pottery
- Dimensions: 10.5" diameter x 7.5" H
- Color: Glossy black with matte etched decoration
- Form: Rounded seed-pot style vessel with short collar neck
- Details: Etched swirl and feather motifs, polished surface, signature on base
- Condition: Vintage, sound, light age-appropriate wear
- Use: Decorative vessel
• **Please bear in mind that colors of products shown may vary slightly from their original color due to monitor display settings or photography studio.
