It's a textile made for tourists in Guatemala and southern Mexico. It can be cut in the places where warps aren’t woven. It is genuine Navajo and a variant the Storm Pattern. It is not in my possession, but a rug of this quality should be around $100 per square feet. This is a double twill saddle blanket. These blankets require skill in weaving, and they don't always get the value they deserve. The auction value is $350-$600 and the retail price is $750-$800. Two Grey Hills rug purchased at Toadlena Trading, 1984. I decided to spend more and buy a rug made by a master weaver. I sadly lost the original information on the weaver years ago when I packed up the rug. Is there a way to locate the weaver by looking at the design, etc. Any help would be most appreciated.
First, authentic Navajo rugs use a vertical loom with a continuous warp. This means that the base wool yarn is not cut at the ends. Instead, the warp thread runs from the bottom to the top of the loom, loops down to it, and loops back to the top. The Navajo rug's foundation is made by the warp yarn, while the design pattern is created by the weft yarn. Mexican looms are horizontally-oriented and have multiple warp threads. They are also fringed at the ends. You are most likely looking at a Mexican-made rug that has fringed ends. This is not a Navajo rug that uses one continuous warp. This rule is not always true. Some weavings in the Navajo "Germantown style" may have had fringe.
Buy Navajo rugs from dealers located close to or on-site at the reservation. Rugs purchased in distant locations can often be difficult to authenticate. You are supporting your local art community and investing in American art by buying authentic rugs. Don't buy a rug from a department shop. A designer may have referenced a Navajo art on it to give it a look similar to it was made by a Navajo. You might be wondering about the value and characteristics of a Navajo Navajo rugs. The beauty of these handwoven rugs is in their authenticity. However not every authentic Navajo rug is worth the same. There are many options for valuing Navajo rugs. You can either take the rug to a museum or have it professionally appraised. Or, you could sell it online through websites like eBay. If it isn't in good condition, you can make it more valuable by restoring it. A professional appraiser may also be available to help you assess the rug.
The absence of fringe still might not mean you are looking at a Navajo rug or blanket, though. Sometimes, Mexican weavers will tuck the warp ends in to make it look continuous, even if it is not. In these cases, the weaving is usually thicker at the ends and then thins out.
Navajo rugs are free from ridges on the ends. If someone is trying to pass a rug off Navajo as Navajo (or just to make it look more Navajo), they may take the time to run the warps through the rug to remove fringe. However this causes ridges at the ends. You'll be able to see the doubled-up weft warps by separating the yarns. I will add a picture when I find another good example. This is quite common in Ye’i rug copies made in Mexico.
Important factors that impact an authentic Navajo rug's price are the fineness of the yarn and weave, the size, and the design. Navajo rugs are woven on the same kind of simple loom that has been in use by the Navajo for 300 years - so complex, balanced designs are a true testament to the weaver’s skill and artistry. A common issue for new collectors is determining if a Navajo rug is authentic. Knowing what to look for is especially crucial because weavings from Mexico can resemble Navajo rugs and can confuse a novice. Beware, especially, a weaving described as “Navajo style.” This term lets you know that you are looking at a Mexican reproduction and not an authentic Navajo rug.
Zapotec and other Mexican knock-offs often have wide end borders and end cords that are added after the rug is woven. The warp ends will be buried along side the adjacent cut warp ends as described previously. It should be noted that many knock-offs, regardless of origin, use designs taken directly from photos in books. The Zapotec are the #1 makers of counterfeit Navajo rugs. In Teotitlan de Valle (Zapotec rugs) much of their entire industry is devoted to making fakes and knock-offs. They make the hightest number and most convincing fakes.
