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.
When buying a Navajo rug, make sure to buy it from a dealer located on or near the reservation. Rugs purchased from distant locations are often difficult to authenticate.
Many Navajo rugs will have what Indian arts dealers call, "lazy lines." It is an inaccurate and insulting term that I hope will be replaced by the term, "Section Line." The section line line is a diagonal joint or break in the weave where a weaver has worked on a single section of the rug without having to reach all the way across the rug. She weaves one section, then moves over and weaves another section. This creates the diagonal section line. Not all Navajo rugs have section lines. The end borders in Mexican imitation Navajo rugs are generally much wider than in a genuine Navajo rug. Side borders are often wider as well. If the rug has fringe at both ends that are extensions of the warps, then it is not a genuine Navajo rug.
As of publication, the average price for these textiles is between $40 and $50. Germantown rugs, which are authentic Navajo rugs, do not have fringe. Rare antique rugs with fringe have been added to the rug after it was finished weaving. Almost all Navajo rugs contain wool threads. They are rougher than cotton and linen, but they make up the majority of Navajo rugs. The rug is likely fake if it has fringe or ridges around the edges. Ridges will form on the ends of warp threads which have been cut and then run into the rug. You may have noticed that prices vary for all rugs. Some rugs are priced well below the budget range while others can go beyond that. Navajo rugs rank number one among the most expensive. Navajo rugs seem so expensive. They are also a part of history. These rugs are secondly crafted with great skill, as you will see.
The Bisti Navajo rug is the rarest of these Regional rugs, which are often made with more than nine borders. Many Bisti rugs have a thin checkered border. They display definite Oriental influences. Bisti rugs originated in the 1890s at a trading post southwest of Two Grey Hills. In 1896, J.B. Moore purchased the trading post and renamed it, Crystal, after a mountain spring of pure sparkling water.
The Chinle style came before theother 2 banded styles. This was a revival of the borderless and banded designsof the Early Classic Period of Navajo weaving. Aniline dyes of red and blackare used for highlights. They have muted pastels with natural greys, whites,golds, and greens. Occasionally they may also have bright and bold black,white, and red. The Chinle style originated in the town of Chinle but is now woven everywhere in theNavajo nation. Because of its simplicity, it takes less time to weave and istherefore one of the most commonly woven rugs.
The Ganado and Klagetoh style rugs continue to be made to this day and are among the most popular of all Navajo rug designs. J.B. Moore, who owned the trading post at Crystal, New Mexico from 1897-1911, was another visionary trader who exercised enormous influence over early Navajo rug design. Perhaps his most important innovation was to introduce weavers in his region to Oriental rug patterns. Rather than copying wholesale, the Navajo filtered the new patterns through their own cultural sensibilities and personal design preferences.