These rugs frequently had a deep red “ground” or field on which the central motif was superimposed, and are now known as the Ganado regional style. Weavers around the nearby trading post at Klagetoh, Arizona (also owned by Hubbell) often worked in the same colors and patterns, but reversed the color scheme and used a grey ground with red, white and black central motifs. 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.
So how much do Navajo Rugs Cost? This Navajo Rug cost guide and pricing guide can help you to establish a budget, and gain an understanding of Navajo Rugs. There are many things to keep in mind when purchasing high-quality Navajo Rugs. Due to how it is woven using a Navajo Loom (hand-woven), there are certain sizes that Navajo Rugs come in. The most popular sizes are 4x6, 6x8, and 6x9 ..... There are many sizes to choose from, such as 4x6, 5x8, 6x9 and 6x8.
When it comes to size, the larger the rug is, the longer it takes to weave. This will increase the price, the larger the rug is. The largest rugs can take up to three years to make. Given the extra hours put into making it, it will cost significantly more than a more common 4'x6′ rug. Antique rugs will cost more than modern ones, given their value has risen as a result of their rarity. However, even contemporary Navajo rugs can fetch upwards of several thousand dollars. This is because the number of Navajo weavers is diminishing every year. There is a great deal of time and discipline needed to create a rug.
Chinle Revival rugs typically feature bands of repeating geometric motifs alternated with plain or striped bands of contrasting colors. Common colors for Chinle rugs include yellow, gold, brown, tan, terra cotta, soft pink and other earth tones, as well as natural wool colors ranging from white to black. About the time of World War II, Crystal-area weavers developed their own banded revival rugs bearing no resemblance to Moore’s early designs. Generally known as Modern Crystal rugs, these borderless patterns often combine vegetal and aniline colors in shades of brown, yellow, and terra cotta with natural greys and whites. This is accomplished by alternating weft threads of two contrasting colors and tightly “battening” or packing them together, giving the effect of a thin, undulating line.
Whether your goal is to buy a rug or simply want to learn more about the value and importance of a professional appraisal, we can help you. Appraisers have a large customer base and the expertise to determine the worth of a Navajo rugs. There are three options available when selling a Navajo rugs: a professional retailer (museum), or online through sites such as eBay. Potential buyers are more likely to buy professional appraisals. They include a certificate for authenticity. A network of potential customers is available to certified appraisers, who attend state conventions. To verify that your Native American Rug is authentic, you can look at certain characteristics. You should look out for slender corner ties that connect the end cords to the selvage.
J. Sublette, Navajo textile expert. Mark Sublette explains the reasons why Navajo blankets have such a high value. It boils down to three factors: rarity, scarcity, and artistry. Navajo blankets, an older version of Navajo weavings that were made between 1840-1890, are an older type. These textiles were soft and drapable and could be wrapped around the body to be worn. They are commonly called "wearing blankets". Note: Saddle blankets are a smaller, thicker type, but they don't have the same value as a wearing blanket. Even at their peak production, Navajo weavings proved difficult to find. It took a weaver as long as a year to create a blanket, not counting the time it took to raise the sheep to make the wool.
The major exceptions to this rule, however, were weavings that portrayed Yeis, or Navajo Holy People, and weavings that recreated sacred ceremonial sand paintings. A small number of weavers made Sand Painting Rugs as early as the 1890s in the area around Two Grey Hills. Most famously, the medicine man Hosteen Klah made a series of sand painting rugs with the help of his mother and nieces between 1919 and 1936. Nevertheless, sand painting rugs were very rare before the 1960s when weavers in the Ganado area began producing them in larger numbers. Although they are not sacred objects in themselves, rugs showing sacred sandpainting images have always been somewhat controversial within the Navajo community, and many weavers still decline to make such representations.