1920-30s Rare Find - Lucano Petatillo Coffee Cup - Traditional Folk Mexican Pottery - Tlaquepaque

I love this piece because of it's uniqueness and the care obviously put into this cup. Imagine painting on the inside of a cup. I have not been able to find anything else just like it on the internet yet. I have 5 more all with different designs. All the same style. And almost appears to be the same artist.

A friend of mine bought these from a workshop in 1985 in Tlaquepaque, a city and municipality of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Unknowingly, she was in the workshop of the Lucano family. These pieces are so unique I had to do some research. So if you're unfamiliar and interested with the legacy of the Lucano family creating their works of art for generations beginning in 1906, there is a bit o'history after the description of the piece.

These pieces were created in the 1920s or 1930s. This was the time when Mexican artisans created with great detail. A piece like this would take at least 3 days to make. The '40s and '50s the imagery became much more simple so more could be made quicker with the increase in tourism.
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This cup is completely covered with illustration. Beautifully designed inside and out. A casitas, cactus and a burro is painted on the inside of the cup along with the petatillo pattern. The petatillo technique is believed to have been created by Balbino Lucano. The outside of the cup is completely covered as well with a burro perhaps on his farm, flowers, cactus, trees and a casitas.

Cup is 4-1/4" diameter and 2-1/4" high and in near excellent condition. There is a spot on the inside of the cup where the glaze bubbled up during the final firing of the piece. Those bubbles tend to chip off as in this case. You can see it over the body of the burro.

It was also known Balbino Lucano also did not sign most of his early works.
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THE BEGINNING
The early 20th century gave rise to Mexican tourism with the new roads allowing Americans easy access to Mexican towns. Two major stopping points at the time were just outside the second largest city of Mexico, Guadalajara and its neighboring pottery communities of San Pedro, Tlaquepaque, and Tonala. This was an immense thriving artistic center of pottery with a 400-year tradition in the region. Tlaquepaque was known for its shops and studios set up for the outside visitor.

THE POTTERY
The highly decorative pottery was twice fired clay that was dipped in a tin and lead oxide bath for its second high firing resulting in a shiny glaze. The glaze is off white to slightly yellow. This glaze was a technique created in the 16th century by other cultures colonizing Mexico.

Tlaquepaque is the common word used for the glazed pottery depicting everyday imagery and landscape of the times of Old Mexico. It is sought out by many antique and Mexican folk art collectors today due to its highly collected style - Petatillo.

Petatillo is the technique believed to be created by Balbino Lucano. Once the illustration is painted on the piece the empty space in the background is filled with tightly drawn lines or crosshatching. This adds a beautiful visual texture. This crosshatch is named after the straw mats they resemble - petats.

THE FAMILY
The Lucano family has one of the strongest legacies in Mexican Ceramics of the 20th century. They started their shop in 1906 where they created their works of art and passed down their art and techniques for generations through to today. It is still owned by Balbino Lucano's daughter and husband, but they now only sell from the shop.