Black clay snake teapot

[saffycat]

I know this a longshot, but I thought I would post. This is a black pottery teapot that looks similar to Santa Clara Native American pottery with the twisted handle. The basket might be a later addition because there are decorative depressions in the sides that are obscured by the basket. And the basket just doesn't make any sense in my opinion. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I am in California, so it could be Central or South American too. I just don't have a clue!

[patd3283]

@taupou Any thoughts on this one?

[taupou · Accepted solution]

It's actually Indonesian, from Bali, based on that unusual covering of looped basketry.  The same covering is shown on another black clay pitcher,  in the book "Art of the Basket, Traditional Basketry from Around the World" by Bryan Sentance.  The caption states: "Ceramic vessel, from Bali, protected by a web of interlooped rattan."  It lacks the looped handle, and the snake (?) head, but there's no doubt it's from the same place.

(Your pot was thrown and trimmed on a potter's wheel, so that excludes the possibility of it being Native American.)