Featured Identifying a Native American Rug

I'm starting my first post with a new thread, I'm sure there will be more to come between the various collecting interests.

Some backstory on this rug: my father got it in Idaho in the late 1970s when a neighbor threw it into his back yard for the dog to sleep on, or so the story goes, and he decided to "exchange" it for a less interesting one. It was at his home in Washington for some years, then spent ten years on the wall of a vacation house he shared with friends in France. After they moved out, it went to my sister's in the UK, where she had no place for it, and now she sent it on to me in Berlin.

My wife and I carefully spot washed a few places using a damp cloth with good success. We also did some non-invasive threading where the rug is unraveling on one edge (see photo below showing weave details) to prevent further unraveling until after lockdown when we can get it to a Turkish or Arabic rug expert for repair -- I'd presume they'd know how to fix it properly. We carefully hand-stitched a cotton backing onto the back top of the rug so we can hang it on the wall in our living room with a dowel at the top in a way that spreads the stress of hanging so it won't be further damaged.

My father says that "somebody" told him it was from a tribe in Montana, possibly Crow, from the 1890s, but I don't see many rugs from that part of the country online, and those I have seen are very bright colors and much different patterns, nothing like this one. The size of the rug is 71 by 47 inches (180 x 120 cm).

Anyway we love it, don't care about its value if any, but as academics we'd love to know its approximate origin and date. Any educated opinions would be greatly welcome!

 

@Taupou

 

Just some clues to eliminate the possibility of it being Native American, when you find an "unknown" rug:
1) it was woven with fringe on both ends
2) it was woven with a "split" stitch, where there is a distinct straight line and space between the areas where two colors meet
3) it has been hemmed on both ends
4) it has thick twisted cords sticking out of each corner
5) it has ridges of thicker yarn, or a "bundle" of more than 3 warps along the outside edges

Your rug doesn't appear, from the photos, to have any of those most-common indications of a non-Navajo rug, and from what I can see, is Navajo, woven largely from hand spun wool, probably from the 1920s-1940s.

The Navajo are the only Native American tribe that wove rugs like this, so you can discount the story about it being Crow, or from Montana, or anywhere other than Navajo country.

I would say to enjoy it as it is. In any event, do not take it for repair to anyone other than a Navajo rug restorer, (which will probably be rather expensive). Any attempt by a "Turkish or Arabic" rug expert, or a local dry cleaner (I've heard stories!) is likely to do more harm than good. You need someone who specializes in the area, who has the right materials and techniques to do the repair.

There aren't too many, and most are located in the southwest. If that is what you decide to do, however, it's best to get recommendations first. This forum might be a good place to ask, if you don't have local access to collectors or dealers who specialize in Navajo textiles.

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you've done everything right........now leave it alone and enjoy the heck out of it !!!!

 

@Taupou ...
it has thick twisted cords sticking out of each corner

Where do those come from ??

 

Thanks for the advice, @Taupou, we'll keep the Kelim experts away from it and keep enjoying it in all its patina'd glory. The Southwest here means Bavaria, so I guess that is out too -- though I'll bet they could brew some good beer from it... ; )

 

not as good though, as a Fraken Wine !!

 

Those thick cords are usually found on Mexican-made, "fake Navajo" rugs. They weave the fringe back into the body of the rug, and attach a type of cordage across the ends, to make it look superficially like a Navajo rug.

There are more cord ends left over, however, so they are twisted together, or braided sometimes, to look similar to the four yarn tassels in the corners of the real thing. They don't, though, and you therefore can spot a fake from across the room!

 

Here's a good example of what I'm talking about, in a link to an eBay listing. (I don't want to copy the photo, for obvious reasons, but a link should be okay.)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Navajo-Rug...361628?hash=item2d26da2fdc:g:ie0AAOSwB~ZevC0e

Another example, also clearly showing the thick outer warp thread:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Na...129468?hash=item48fa3fc8bc:g:U2oAAOSwGXNgOsYi

 

Those are good examples of "not Navajo" rugs then, as they are falsely claiming the rugs to be Navajo when they are not. There are some beautiful examples of genuine 19th century Navajo weaving at the Metropolitan Museum, though! Some of these have corner tassels, by the way.

 

my tassels look like these....not the rug......so talking about corner tassels always get me nervous..

 

Here's a closeup Navajo "chief's blanket" dated 1855-1860 with a provenance going back to 1865 from the Metropolitan. This rug does have corner tassels, so there seem to be exceptions to the above rules. As so often with vintage handmade objects of art, it takes years of hands-on experience to get the skills necessary to identify a quality work from a poor or average one. Funny how personal taste comes into it, this rug is probably worth six figures but I wouldn't like it on my wall. I'd be happy with the results of selling it at Sotheby's though, ha.

 

Your tassels are fine. Navajo rugs are supposed to have tassels on the corners, they just are not supposed to be thick, twisted, tied together or braided together into a stiff piece sticking out like on the fake Mexican copies. Sometimes on older rugs they will have been worn off.

Yes, the examples I gave in the links on post No. 9 are good examples of the non-Navajo rugs that people are claiming to be Navajo, and the type of tassels to avoid, if you are looking for an authentic Navajo rug.