Vintage Mexican Pottery Olla with Rawhide Lacing

Updated September 17, 2026

Description: Large hand-built terracotta olla-form jar with a bulbous body, sloped shoulder, and flared trumpet neck. The reddish-brown clay body shows dark, smoky fire-clouding patches — a natural result of traditional open-pit or wood-fired kiln firing rather than a painted design — along with a dark, tar-like decorative marking on the base. The body is bound with a knotted rawhide/leather-cord lacing that criss-crosses the shoulder and neck, both decorative and traditionally used to reinforce large-format pottery. The underside is marked "MEXICO" along with additional stamped text (partially legible), confirming Mexican pottery production; a specific regional workshop or maker isn't confirmed from the photos alone, though fire-clouded terracotta ollas with this kind of lacing are associated with several Mexican folk pottery traditions. Measures H: 11.5", W: 11". A substantial floor or shelf piece with strong sculptural presence. Condition: please review photos. some loss to the rim, and I am unsure if the black addition on the bottom is a repair or? Good vintage condition overalll for the type of pottery. Keywords: Mexican pottery, terracotta olla, Mexican folk pottery, fire-clouded pottery, rawhide lacing pottery, large terracotta jar, hand-built pottery, Mexico stamped pottery, primitive pottery vessel, decorative floor vase, southwestern style pottery, folk art ceramic jar Dimensions: H: 11.5", W: 11"

More lots in this auction

• Vintage Spanish Brown Glaze Pottery Pitcher
• Pair Vintage Mexican Rustic Tin Wall Sconces
• Hand-Blown Amber Tortoiseshell Art Glass Vase MCM
• Karen Swanson Rigid Heddle Weaving, 1st Ed 1975
• Miniature Wood Loom Weaver Diorama
• Letters from H.C. Westermann, 1988 1st Edition
• Rhythm Birth Control T.S. Welton M.D. Book
• Arrowleaf Balsamroot Print

See all lots in Harvest Moon: Silver, Jewelry, Art & More →