Sophie Cota Santa Clara Pueblo Black-on-Black Wedding Vase

A hand-coiled Santa Clara Pueblo wedding vase by Sophie Cota, executed in the polished black-on-black tradition that has defined Tewa pottery since María Martínez revived the technique in the early twentieth century. The twin spouts rise from a full, rounded body, joined by a graceful arched handle — the classic wedding vessel form used in Pueblo marriage ceremonies, in which bride and groom each drink from one of the two openings.

The surface carries the deep, smoky luster characteristic of reduction firing, with subtle tonal variation across the burnished body where the stone-polished sheen gives way to softer matte passages. Signed on the underside "Sophie Cota, Santa Clara". Pueblo wedding vases remain among the most enduring ceremonial forms in Pueblo pottery, prized equally for their cultural significance and the technical demand of pulling two spouts and a bridging handle from a single coiled vessel without cracking during the open-pit firing.

CONDITION

Very Good. No remarkable damage; minor shelf wear consistent with display. Burnished surface retains its depth and sheen throughout.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Overall: 9" H × 5.25" W × 4" Diameter
• Artist: Sophie Cota
• Origin: Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico
• Technique: Hand-coiled, hand-polished, reduction-fired
• Signed on underside
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale — Not Included