Navajo saddle blankets, a unique form of Navajo weaving, are a rare form. Medicine Man Gallery owner Dr. J. Mark Sublette discusses the amazing Navajo blankets featured in the gallery's 2009 exhibit. The topics include form, style, and appeal to collectors. Whether you are looking to purchase a rug for your home, or just curious about its value, an appraisal is a must. Appraisers are familiar with Navajo rug values and have the ability to value them from the beginning to the end. When selling a Navajo rug, there are three options: a professional retailer or a museum. You can also sell it online via sites like eBay. Potential buyers will be more interested in professional appraisals that include a certificate proving authenticity. Appraisers who are certified attend state conventions. They also have a wide network of clients.

Serapes only rarely had a slit in the middle for the head which made them ponchos. Navajo weavers made both the manta and serape styles during the eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries along with shirts, dresses, breechcloths, and sashes. These early weavings made before the 1870s are very rare, bringing tens of thousands of dollars-or more-from collectors and museums. The so-called Chief’s Blanket is a specific style of manta that went through a distinct design evolution. First Phase blankets were made from about 1800 to 1850 and consisted simply of brown (or blue) and white stripes with the top, bottom and center stripes usually being wider than the others.

vintage native american southwestern wool woven saddle blanket/rugs

The Burntwater style is newer and is basically an expansionof the traditional TwoGrey Hillsdesigns by weavers in the Wide Ruins/Burntwater area south of Gando. The second type of rug for Navajo rug ID are the 3 styles of banded rugs--Chinle, Wide Ruins, and Crystal. The Chinle style is the simplest of the 3 styles. There arestrips of plain color alternating with bands containing repeated geometricdesigns. These can include squash blossoms, stacked chevrons, and diamonds, andmay even have railroad tracks. Chinle is in the geographic center of the Reservation andwas thus a crossroad for travel and commerce.

Native American Rugs Colorful
native american area rugs black

native american area rugs black

Navajo rugs can be expensive. The Navajo rugs' high quality craftsmanship, their history and the use of different materials and weaving techniques all contribute to the higher price.

native american rugs in living room
native american rugs in living room

Named after a Navajo settlement in northeastern Arizona, this rug design features a wide border, along with intricate geometric patterns. The colors are vibrant in Teec Nos Pos rugs and display feather and arrow designs within the center of them. This rug design comes from a trading post called Two Grey Hills. They are high-quality and have intricate patterns. The rugs are made using natural wool that is undyed. There are “spirit lines” that act as accents around the borders of these rugs. The final type of Navajo rug design is one that was offered to Navajo chiefs. These were made using the highest quality threads available. The patterns are durable and simple. Blue, white, and brown are all prominent on Chief weavings.

3 x 5 native american rugs

Most Navajo rugs are without fringe. 99.5% is what I mean by most. If the fringe is visible on the piece of furniture you're considering, inquire about the source. I don’t care if the seller thinks their sainted grandmother bought it from J. L. Hubbell. However, fringe means it isn’t Navajo. Navajo rugs can be warped using a continuous figure-8 technique, and the weaving covers the entire warp. The image at the left shows how a rug is made. The ends of a Navajo rug will show these loops if you pay attention to them.

3 x 5 native american rugs