J. Sublette, Navajo expert in textiles, explains why. Mark Sublette explains what makes Navajo blankets so special. It comes down to three factors: scarcity (rareness), and artistry.
Among the many styles of Native American rugs, Navajo rugs are especially beautiful. They have been around for more than 500 years and are considered one of a kind. Prices for these pieces range anywhere from $500 to tens of thousands of dollars. If you are looking for an authentic Navajo rug, you should shop on Chairish. These rugs were created by Navajo weavers.
Hopefully, you have learned all that you need to know about why Navajo Rugs cost so much. Although these rugs are expensive, they can still be a symbol of American heritage and culture. Not only do we provide information about specific rug problems but also discuss different rugs. These discussions will allow you to gain a better understanding about the carpets & rugs in your house. The Navajo Nation belongs to the largest Native American tribes of the U.S. According to the Indian Health Service the group resides on the 16 million-acre largest reservation in the nation. The area covers a majority of Arizona, as well as parts of New Mexico. The southwestern U.S. is where the Navajo call home for more than a century.
Many Navajo rugs have what Indian artists dealers call "lazylines." It is an insensitive and insulting term. I hope it will be replaced with the "Section Line." Section line lines are a break or diagonal joint in the weave that allows a weaver to work on a specific section of the rug and not have to reach the whole rug. She weaves one piece, then she moves on to weave another. This creates a diagonal section line. Not all Navajo rugs feature section lines. The Mexican imitation Navajo rugs' end borders are usually wider than those of a genuine Navajo rug. Side borders are also often wider. If the fringe at the ends is an extension of the warps then the rug is not authentic Navajo.
Natural wool colors are used, except the red and theblack may have some commercial dye. With this rug, the grey can be brownish oreven tan, depending upon the fleece of the sheep used. These rugs are woven of natural, undyed, hand spun wool withdesigns of white, black, and brown. These weavers card together wool fromdifferent sheep to produce subtle shades of the white, black, and brown. It is possible to find several different shades of gray, brown, and tan in thesame rug.
Hubbell’s home and base of operation were at Ganado, Arizona about 50 miles south of Canyon de Chelly. His tastes ran to Classic Period weavings and many of the early rugs made by Ganado area weavers were close enough in appearance to classic mantas and serapes to have earned the generic name, Hubbell Revival rugs. Hubbell guided his weavers by displaying paintings of rug patterns he favored. Many of these paintings can still be seen at the original trading post, now preserved and operated as a National Historic Site. By the 1930s, Ganado area weavers had thoroughly adopted the color scheme, but had moved away from Classic-inspired weavings to new patterns with a large central motif-often a complicated diamond or lozenge shape-with a double or triple geometric border.
If you are in the market for a new rug, you may want to check its authenticity first. The Indian Arts and Crafts Act prohibits the sale of American Indian crafts that are not authentic. While a good seller will tell you how long it has been in business, you should be careful to avoid buying a counterfeit rug. This law applies to Native American rugs and blankets, as well as all other American Indian products marketed in the U.S.