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By the 1890s, the internal demand for Navajo weaving was almost non-existent. To make matters worse a widespread financial panic seized the US economy in 1893, depressing commodity prices for the raw wool that had come to replace weavings as the Navajo’s primary trade item. During this difficult time, several traders realized that there could be an external market for Navajo weavings made as rugs rather than blankets. The nascent market for Indian rugs was fueled at the turn of the century by a growing national interest in Native peoples and artifacts.

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The best way to identify a genuine Navajo rug is to look for the warp and selvage lines. These lines are often continuous, although the weaver can vary. Fake rugs can be harder to spot, particularly if they are priced at less than $200. The warp threads in a fake rug will also have ridges on the end since they are made of wool rather than cotton.

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Your website is wonderful. I have learned a lot. Our family lived in Church Rock, Texas, in the 70s. My parents bought a few rugs in a trade post near the area now called "Legacy Park", and from a Navajo weaving family. They also raised the sheep and lived inside a hagon. I still have the recipe for the mutton stew, and the fry bread. They're not the names my mother remembers. Please help me to identify the type of rug they are. They are five in all.

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Wool is the standard material used in the making of a Navajo rug. There are a few genuine Navajo rugs made using synthetic materials such as acrylic. If encountering one, it could be looked at as the result of a Navajo woman weaving her own cheap knock-off. In such case, it probably doesn't matter is it is real or not. The imitators may use wool but there are poor fakes made in Mexico that use polyester. Some fakes made in India or Pakistan use a blend of wool and polyester or acrylic. Contrary to another author, sniffing the rug to determine if the rug is made from wool is not useful. Much of the wool use in contemporary Navajo rugs has very little lanolin and doesn't smell at all. Older rugs may have been cleaned or have acquired other odors. It is comic to watch a potential buyer go through a store's inventory sniffing the rugs. A buyer should learn to distinguish the look and feel of wool from other materials. While there are more scientific means of testing for wool, they are usually not practical in the context of purchasing a rug from a store or Indian arts dealer.

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places to sell antique native american rugs
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There will usually be 3 bands of wavy lines or a solid color between one or two more complex bands,which are patterned with motifs such as squash blossoms, arrows, stars,crosses, triangles, etc. Muted earthen colors such as rust, grey, and rich brown, aswell as pastel greens, pinks, or yellow are common. This design was said to be influenced by the serape blanketsworn in New Mexico.The design is usually a simple geometric shape such as a chevron, diamond,serrate, or triangle, etc. These are either repeated throughout the rug or as a border or evencan appear in blocks set against a solid background. The design will appearquite busy and can have a combination of colors. When Germantown wool from Pennsylvania was originally imported, it afforded the weavers a wonderful range of new colors to work with and this design wasperfect for the combining contrasting colors.

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These are small, loosely woven, pictorial mats meant for the tourist trade and woven in Gallup, New Mexico. They were small, inexpensive and easy to transport, making them popular souvenirs for visits to the Navajo Nation. Gentle scrubbing continues. Note the wringer in the background-the next step in the washing process after rinsing. After thorough rinsing, the rug is sent slowly and carefully through the wringer to take out as much of the water as possible before being hung on racks in the drying room. Learn all about antique Native American Art while having fun! Joining Red Mesa Gallery News gets you your Navajo Rug checklist, monthly updates, offers and promotions re all things antique native american art. Quit anytime!

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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.
As soon as your order ships, you will receive an email with tracking info and then following emails with shipping updates.
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.
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.
Yes, please let us know within 3 days from when you placed your order.
We accept all major credit or debit cards. You can also pay with your PayPal account.
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.