Jemez Pueblo Wedding Vase Pair — Lawrence Toya, Signed

Matched pair of hand-painted Jemez Pueblo wedding vases by Lawrence Toya, each signed on the unglazed terracotta base — one carrying the fuller inscription "L. Toya / Jemez / N.M." Both share the hallmark Jemez two-tone construction: matte white slip over a warm terracotta lower body, with bold designs in black, white, and teal drawn from traditional Pueblo motifs — stylized feathers, stepped geometric forms, and sweeping landscape elements. The designs are complementary rather than identical; one panel introduces a small terracotta-red accent within the teal field, giving each vase its own focal point while reading as a cohesive pair. Lawrence Toya is a recognized elder of Jemez Pueblo (Walatowa) and a member of the Toya family — the most documented pottery dynasty in the American Southwest, whose tradition traces to matriarch Mary E. Toya (1934–1990). Walatowa is a closed community. This work cannot be sourced with another trip.

The wedding vase form — two spouts joined by a single arch — carries deep roots in Pueblo ceremonial life, the joined spouts long understood as a symbol of two lives becoming one. A signed matched pair from a named elder potter is an uncommon find and a natural gift for weddings, anniversaries, or any collection focused on the living traditions of the American Southwest.

CONDITION

Good. Both vases display clean, well-defined painted designs with no remarkable damage. Minor paint transfer is noted on the base of one piece — limited to the unglazed terracotta and not visible in display.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Vase 1: 9 1/2" H × 6" W × 5 1/2" D
• Vase 2: 9 1/4" H × 6 1/2" W × 5 1/2" D
• Origin: Jemez Pueblo (Walatowa), New Mexico
• Artist: Lawrence Toya (L. Toya), Jemez Pueblo Elder
• Signature: "L. Toya / Jemez / N.M." and "L. Toya / N.M." on respective bases
• Quantity: 2 pieces (matched pair)
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale