vintage navajo native american rugs

genisis native american rugs

Navajo culture thoroughly embraced the horse in the late 19th century, and saddle blankets were commonly produced until the 1950s.

Compared to the other types of rugs, the weaving method is a bit different which is both a tricky and exhausting process. Because, these rugs are made with handlooms which are operated manually. Back in that time, the weavers used to set up their looms between two trees. But nowadays, they use poles instead of trees and sit on a small tool or just on the floor while weaving on the loom. The weavers overlap the threads in several stages for a perfect base pattern and then put layers of other designs over them. Often black and white stripes on them are known as distinctive patterns by which people can recognize these rugs. If you notice the wool and fabric of the Navajo rugs, you can surely tell the difference from other types of rugs. The Navajos made high-quality hand-spun wool from their own sheep for using on the rugs. Besides, they used a special type of yarn named Saxony, which was silky and naturally tinted. So, these rugs were made with all-natural components, which ensured the high quality of the Navajo rugs. Besides, it was difficult to spin these wools, which made these rugs so expensive as a price of the exhausting work and effort of the weavers. Some unique designs of the Navajo rugs made them distinctive and special. These rugs hold different types of geometric patterns on the surface, which are quite unique from most other rugs. As we have discussed before, the Navajo weavers overlap different yarns on their handlooms for several strips of design. These stripes were extremely thin but distinctive among the hundred other stripes on the same rug.

southwestern rug runners

Authentic Navajo rugs are made by hand, often over a period of several years, and are usually made of quality sheep wool. They can cost thousands of dollars and are meant to be heirlooms for generations to come. Authentic Navajo rugs have unique designs, such as the Teec Nos Pas rugs from northeastern Arizona. This uniqueness makes each piece more beautiful and adds to the price tag.

pueblo rugs

pueblo rugs

Dr. J. Mark Sublette explains the proper care of authentic Navajo rugs. This video is a must see for anyone interested in authentic Navajo rugs. Dr. J. Mark Sublette breaks down the pitfalls and condenses more than 25 years' experience into one tutorial. This video was made by Medicine Man Gallery CEO, Dr. J. Mark Sublette explains how professional art dealer can buy authentic Navajo rugs. This video is for everyone, no matter if this is your first rug purchase or you have been collecting for many years. The Navajo Chiefs blanket is probably the most popular of all Navajo style blankets. Native American artist Dr. J. Mark Sublette explains everything you need to know about authentic Navajo Chief’s Blankets.

vintage navajo native american rugs

native american flat weave rugs

The 4 rectangles,one in each corner of the rug, represent the homes of the four winds or thefour sacred mountains of the Navajo world. Zigzag lightning lines connect thesecorners with the center. Colors of the original storm rugs were usually red, black,and white on a natural gray or red background. Today you will find naturalbrowns and vegetal dye colors. There will usually be a dark border which can be embellishedon one side with ‘teeth.’ Clouds, water beetles, arrows, feathers, andgeometric designs are throughout. A pictorial usuallyfeatures items in the daily life of a weaver. There can be landscapes with animals, plants, etc., even tractors. If there are borders, they will usually be dark.

native american flat weave rugs
native american rugs antique
native american rugs antique

The 4 rectangles,one in each corner of the rug, represent the homes of the four winds or thefour sacred mountains of the Navajo world. Zigzag lightning lines connect thesecorners with the center. Colors of the original storm rugs were usually red, black,and white on a natural gray or red background. Today you will find naturalbrowns and vegetal dye colors. There will usually be a dark border which can be embellishedon one side with ‘teeth.’ Clouds, water beetles, arrows, feathers, andgeometric designs are throughout. A pictorial usuallyfeatures items in the daily life of a weaver. There can be landscapes with animals, plants, etc., even tractors. If there are borders, they will usually be dark.

native american cobteporary rugs

Pendleton Woolen Mills is Pendleton's only remaining pioneer mill for blankets. They also sell to other non-Indians, but almost half of their annual output goes to Indians. Navajo rugs start at $100 for a smaller one and can go up to several thousands for a larger, more old-fashioned one. As you can see, the young lady seated behind Jane Hyden is wearing a Navajo a Biil (pronounced “beel”) and also known as a Rug Dress.

native american cobteporary rugs

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, please let us know within 3 days from when you placed your order.
As soon as your order ships, you will receive an email with tracking info and then following emails with shipping updates.
We accept all major credit or debit cards. You can also pay with your PayPal account.
Just send us an email with your order number and we’ll send you instructions.  We will give you a full refund within the first 60 days after your order ships out.  After that, we have to charge a 25% restocking fee. You are responsible for return shipping fees unless you are swapping for a different design or size.
Yes! We can ship anywhere in the world. Please send us an email with your address before placing an order outside of the US and Canada though. We need to partially charge you for shipping when you place your order.
All of our rugs are made to order and go through a rigorous inspection process. You can typically expect your rug to be shipped 2 weeks from when you make your purchase.
We find rug pads are not necessary to protect your flooring. However, some people choose to use rug pads to prevent their rug from sliding around.