Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-09

large Jars, which are seen standing In
corners, might be compared in similar
ity of effect to the glazed pottery found
in the Florentine shops of Italy. The
coloring and design, however, are more
Oriental than Italian. The similarity
between the Mexican decorative art and
the Chinese, was noticed in many OBJ
jects found in this Mexican collection.
On the lacquered shelves of the Senora's
cupboardA was lovely blue tea set OF
the same pottery as the jars standing
in the corners. Sonora Teller explained
that this is the pueblo pottery and some
of TIE finest in the country comes from
this province. Although many modern
pottery factories are to be found in and
about Mexico City, the old art of hand
molding with the crude baking pro-
cesses. is still carried on by the Indians.
Practically all of the cooking utensils
used in the kitchens of the country
people as well as the poorer classes OF
the cities, are made by the Indians of
red clay.
"A country kitchen of Mexico is most
picturesque" Sonora Teller remarked,
as she drew attention to several quaint
bits of terra Gotta pottery which. stood
upon a table. 1.-The stove is of red
brick, which is kept Immediately
scrubbed by the woman of the house.
This stove is her pride, and 1t is ira
dition among the Mexican country
women to keep the red bricks of the
stove in a glistening condition. The
walls of the kitchen are whitewashed.
and above the stove, hung on nails, are
rows upon rows of pottery cooking
utensils ranging from the most i'm
mense casseroles to the tiniest little
water jugs"
Fine Slabs Of Marble.
Some fine slabs of highly polished
marble, combining an assortment OF
colors-greens, yellows, browns, blacks
and white-served as trays beneath
pottery objects or pretty cigarette boxes
of fine onyx.
mo Mexican collection would be COM
plete without specimens of MARBLE" ex-
planned the sonora.
The fine, exquisitely colored marbles
shown by Sonora Teller justified her
statement that some of the finest mar
bles produced in the world are quarried
III the country south of the Rio Grande
Some leather backed chairs invitingly
comfortable in appearance testified TO
another industry known to to the Mex
lean Indians-leather making A finely
tanned and prepared alligator hide
which lay upon a chest in the corner
gave evidence that these people, print
tive in so many ways, were experts of
many arts and industries.
THE leather-backed chairs are made
in the south of Mexico Sonora Teller
explained. "They are used in the
provinces where it is very hot. Leather
is also used by the Indians for many
other things, but they do not make
shoes, as they do not wear them.
THE girls and women in the coun-
try provinces make these shell flowers, ;"
continued the sonora, indicating some
cleverly finished roses which stood in
vase on the table. The flowers and
leaves were made of sea shells delicately
colored, displaying the workmanship OF
master artists. On the table also stood
miniature clay figures so infinitely tiny
that it seemed impossible that human
hands had nodded them. Some OF these
figures were framed in shells and rep
resented scenes of the Mexican coun-
tryside One showed tiny cabellero
with huge sombrero Serenading his
senorita sitting behind a minute bal
cony.
Innumerable are the curioS and spec1-
mems brought from the picturesque
home of Sonora Teller, mute but elo-
quent testimonials of multiplicity OF
arts and industries known to the ma
tives of her country many generations
before Columbus discovered the pfs't-
ern Hemisphere