b'GARAGE DOOR REPAIRBy Jim and Bobbi Jeen Olson,WesternTradingPost.comW hen collecting textiles associated with the West, a few different styles come tothe scene during the mid to late 1800s. Of mind. Hudson Bay and other trade blankets including Pendleton were tradedthese, Pendleton remains the most well-on the frontier and are still collected today. Chimayo weavings were woven inknown. The first Pendleton blankets were New Mexico and remain a popular tradition. Serapes made their way up from oldmade in the 1890s and are in production Mexico. However, the Navajo textile, in our opinion, is by far the most desirable andto this day. Many Pendleton blankets sought after by collectors. are sought after by collectors, especially those made before WWII. The 1890s It is a generally accepted fact the Navajo learned to weave blankets from contactto 1940s blankets bring a premium by with their neighbors in the Pueblos starting a couple of hundred years ago. Thefar over the ones made since. However, introduction of sheep into the Southwest by the Spaniards had been a key part of thisthere are certain later patterns and development. The Pueblos were using cotton for weaving textiles before the arrivallimited editions that will still fetch good of sheep, but with their introduction, the blanket weaving craft took on a whole newmoney on the resale market.Check outlevel. By the 1800s, the Navajo had started weaving in earnest and liked sheep for their dual-purpose, food and wool supply. Chimayo weavings have been woven all of the areasin New Mexico by descendants of the Like many things adopted by the Navajo, they took this craft and turned it intoSpaniards ever since they introduced we service! something all their own. Navajo textiles have long been the standard in Nativesheep to the New World. The standard American textiles. There is no other group of people so universally known in the WestChimayo design consists of colored for weaving as the Navajo and their name is synonymous with fine hand-woven textiles.stripes at each end with a center design and the Rio Grande is a Before the late 1800s, their textiles were generally wearing blankets made forbanded design which is also a very themselves or trade with other Native Americans. However, in the late 1800s, theypopular Chimayo weaving. Chimayo From PrescottOUR SERVICES: started weaving rugs for the tourist trade, thanks to encouragement from the tradingtextiles are a little less prevalent in posts and other traders on and around the reservation. Not that their weavings werentthe collectors world than some of the prized possessions prior to this. A few lucky frontiersmen were fortunate enough toother textiles mentioned, but there & Prescott Valleyhave traded for one in the early days. are still some fine examples out there that are sought after. to WickenburgResidential Repair Specialist As a way to better market the textiles being traded for, the traders would encourage weavers to make certain designs or color patterns that appealed to their buyers. ThisWearing blankets known as serapes andPanels & Rollers Replaced led to what is known as regional textiles. Some well-known regions for weavingon the frontier, mostly in the Southwest. & Buckeye to within the vast reservation are Ganado, Two Grey Hills, Crystal, Burntwater, Chinle,other weavings from Mexico also appearedBroken Springs & Cables to name just a few. Each of these regions became known for various patterns orWhile these are collected by collectors Apache Junctiondesigns and colors. The traders used these unique designs to market the textiles. Theof Mexican related items, for the most regional period lasted during approximately the first half of the twentieth century,part, they also enjoy a crossover & Queen Creek togive or take a little on each end. Before that, as mentioned, most Navajo weavingsmarket with Western and NativeGarage Door Openers were wearing or Chiefs blankets and after that period, the regions have become aAmerican collectors. Rio Verde & bit blurred. Nowadays, weavers often weave basic patterns they consider traditionalNew Garage Doors & Entry Doors to their areas, but may also use design elements from other places as well. Today, it isWhat should we be wary of? There Scottsdale. not as cut and dried which region of the reservation a textile came from simply by itsare many Southwest style textilesAutomatic Gate Openers & Motors color pattern and style. made overseas and imported. THE ENTIRE VALLEYAnother thing which has changed over the years is wool. Expert collectors and dealersHardcore collectors usually avoid these. Also, there areCommercial & Residential judge the wool and other design elements when ascertaining the age of a weaving.many modern blankets and & ITS OUTSKIRTS! In the early days, textiles used only wool from the Churro sheep which is what therugs woven in Mexico which Sales, Service & Installation Spanish had brought with them when they first arrived. Churro wool was a longare sometimes confused staple, fine, silky wool which was then hand-spun and hand-dyed. Over the years,with those made by the SAVE 5% New Construction. and Much More! the Churro were crossbred with meat sheep such as the Merino. This was done toNavajo. It is wise to learn improve meat production, but it had an unintended negative effect on the wool andthe difference. Not that when you mention you saw us inthe wool changed to a coarser, shorter variety which was not as conducive to finethere isnt a collectors weaving. In modern times, commercial yarn is often used. Experts, who are good atmarket for good Mexican ARIZONA REAL COUNTRY! dating when a Navajo textile was made, tend to look at the wool, type of dyes used,handmade textilesand the overall pattern or design. By combing the various data, a fairly accurateespecially the vintage and antique conclusion can be drawn as to when and where a particular weaving was made. stuff. Just be sure you know which isTop: An example of a Navajo 928-222-DOOR (3667) What do collectors collect when it comes to textiles? The short answer isjust aboutwhich. Avoid textiles with too muchTwo Grey Hills rug.damage when possible. Also, as a everything mentioned in the beginning. However, you will generally find that a highergeneral rule, collectible textiles of the premium is paid for older textiles in great condition. Old and rare patterns are highlyWest are made of wool, not cotton. Bottom: An example of asought after and Navajo wearing or Chiefs blankets from the 1800s are generally theNavajo Ganado rug.602-335-1077 highest valued. Well made, tightly woven textiles of any age are also desirable. Just asIn closing, it is always advisable to with most types of collectibles, items surviving a long time and that are still in gooddeal with a reputable dealer or expert condition are very treasured. collector when looking to purchase collectible textiles. Especially since some of them can be worth many thousands of dollars, while others are worth only hundreds of Besides a great old Navajo rug, other textiles sought after by collectors includedollars. So you want to make sure you dont get the two mixed upor fall prey to an 480-451-1931 Chimayo weavings, Hudson Bay Company (HBC), and other trade blankets. Tradeunscrupulous seller who sells you the latter for the price of the former. Education blankets appeared on the frontier during the 1700s. The originals were made inis important. Read books, look at pictures, go to shows where you can see them in England and eventually were traded with many Native Americans and frontiersmen.person. Talk to other collectors and dealers before making a purchase. But most MILITARY & Although HBC blankets were the first and most popular trade blanket, there wereimportantly, enjoy the process. A fine, collectible textile is a treasure that can be LOCALLY OWNED SENIOR DISCOUNTS other companies who made them as well. Most of these other companies appeared onenjoyed for many years to come.& OPERATED Licensed Contractor ROC 222636 ArizonaRealCountry.com February 2021 57'