Navajo rugs are often made with a side-selvage cord. To maintain a straight edge, Navajo weavers use a twisted side-selvage cord. Although a fringe is more reliable than a side-selvage cord, the presence of a cord can be a strong indicator that the cord is Navajo. Mexican weavers use three to four warps, or even one very thick warp or rope, to keep their pieces straight. You can see the fringe on a rug that has outside warps that are visible thicker. This is evidence that the warp ends were sewn back in.
Most Navajo rugs don't have a fringe. Most Navajo rugs do not have fringes. This is 99.5%. Ask the seller if the fringe on the piece you are looking at is Navajo-made. It doesn't matter if the seller believes their grandmother bought it from J. L. Hubbell. If it has fringe it is probably not Navajo. Navajo rugs have a continuous figure 8 weave and are warped in a continuous weaving technique. A rug is being weaved in the picture to the left. These loops can be seen at the ends if you carefully look at a Navajo rug.
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.
northwest native american rugs and blanketsSerapes 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.
The Mexican imitation Navajo rugs’ end borders are typically wider than those on a real Navajo rug. Side borders can be even wider. If the rug's fringe at one end is not a Navajo rug, it could be a fake. Wool (the standard material for making Navajo rugs) is the preferred choice. There are a few authentic Navajo rugs manufactured using synthetic materials such like acrylic. If you find one, you could consider it a Navajo woman weaving a knockoff. It doesn't seem to matter if this is real. Some imitations use wool while others use polyester. Some imitations of Pakistani or Indian wool use a blend from acrylic and polyester. Contrary to what another author claims, smelling the rug to determine whether it is made of wool is ineffective. Most modern Navajo rugs' wool contains very little lanolin.
Many people who would never visit the Reservation appreciated the exotic designs and laborious handcraftsmanship of Navajo weaving. Proponents of the Arts & Crafts design movement found that the bold, geometric designs harmonized beautifully with their simple furniture and handmade accessories. By 1896, C.N. Cotton, a trader in Gallup, New Mexico had issued a catalogue in an effort to expand his market to eastern retailers. Other traders, most notably Lorenzo Hubble at Ganado, Arizona and J.B. Moore at Crystal, New Mexico, followed up with their own catalogues in the early years of the new century, focusing specifically on rugs. Navajo weaving had quickly gained a national audience.
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.