Lot 202, Auction 4/3/2026: 17th C. Spanish Colonial Pottery Handled Cooking Jar

$390.00

In stock

Spain or Spanish Americas, Spanish Colonial period, ca. 17th to 18th century CE. A robust Spanish Colonial pottery cooking jar that carries the quiet authority of daily use across centuries. The vessel is formed with a rounded body and gently constricted waist, rising to a thickened rim and fitted with a single loop handle for steady lifting and pouring. Its proportions are practical and well balanced, clearly intended for hearth-side cooking and repeated handling. The surface displays bands of earthen red, warm buff, and darkened firing tones, the result of open kiln firing and prolonged exposure to heat. These tonal shifts give the jar a layered, painterly presence, while the coarse ceramic fabric speaks to durability and function rather than ornament. The handle is firmly pulled and integrated, reinforcing its utilitarian purpose. Size: 7.8″ L x 6.9″ W x 7.3″ H (19.8 cm x 17.5 cm x 18.5 cm)

Cooking jars of this type were essential fixtures in Spanish Colonial kitchens, used for preparing stews, grains, and sauces over open fires. Produced in both Iberian workshops and colonial centers throughout the Americas, such vessels reflect the transfer of Old World ceramic traditions into new environments and cuisines. Honest, tactile, and visually compelling, this cooking jar offers a strong example of Spanish Colonial domestic pottery, valued today for its sculptural form, historical resonance, and unmistakable sense of use.

Condition: Repaired with break lines visible and adhesive visible on handle. Some nicks, chips and abrasions throughout. Liberal remaining pigment and rich earthen deposits throughout.

Provenance: private Denver, Colorado, USA collection

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