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Artist or maker Rio Arriba Workshop

Artist Rio Arriba Workshop

Date1850 - 1860

Place madeRio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States, North America

MediumMetal (tin)

Dimensions2 7/16 × 3 3/4 in. (6.2 × 9.5 cm)

Credit LineMuseum of International Folk Art, gift of the Historical Society of New Mexico, A5.1957.8a

Object numberA5.1957.8a

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DescriptionRound can shape. Made of one piece of tin with seam at side and a circular piece forming bottom, sides covered with parallel but not equi-distant horizontal grooves. The lid is scored with an eight-point star, a design motif that appears on contemporaneous Mexican tinwork as well as Rio Grande weavings (CG).

This should be attributed to Higinio Gonzales because of the scoring on the top and may be one of the earliest known examples of tinwork. Benjamin M. Read, the original donor in 1916 (Historical Society of NM), said that it was used by Antonio José Martinez, which would date it to before 1867 based on the dates of his life. Benjamin M. Read was a historian whose younger brother married into Padre Martinez's family, giving him access to Padre Martinez's papers. - Carla Gilfillan