Featured Help Id Weaving

Hi, Folks-
Can anyone identify what we have here? Looks like a Navajo rug but we have no experience with that. Measures about 78" by 54". Quite heavy. That fringe is on 3 sides. Any thoughts. Thanks in advance.

 

let's be very careful with this one .........

it has the look of a Late classic 3rd Phase Navajo Chiefs blanket....


https://turquoisevillage.com/products/third-phase-navajo-rug


or......

.

those fringes could have been a later addition..........or..........it could be a revival piece......not meant to deceive ....

I've found that here , we are not rug experts ....try as we may....and this deserves to be seen by a Gallery offering original, traditional, Navajo rugs...........or a high end auction site with better expertise than we can provide here !!!!!!!!!

 

if it's a copy by some other country............they've done a very nice job !!!!!!!

 

Whoever made it, it is beautiful.

The thin lines of black wool where the fringes are don't look Navajo though. I am no expert, but on the ones I've seen or had the pattern goes all the way to the edges.

 

Thanks, Komokwa. I'm not sure yet how to proceed but I'll post here if/when I find anything out.

 

Thanks for the observation Any Jewelry.

 

From the features I can see, I suspect this is a copy made by a weaver from somewhere in the middle east - Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan. It looks like the fringe is a continuation/finish of the actual warps (at least on 2 sides), and the selvage edge shows 2 thick rows, which indicates bunched warps. Neither of these techniques are characteristic of Navajo weaving. The yarn looks hardspun (thin and tight), more like the yarn seen in kilims. You say the piece is heavy. Does it also feel rather stiff? Navajo yarn is usually softer. The design of stepped triangles in the center is also more reminiscent of kilims.

 

I wouldn't say stiff in that it's supple enough to fold easily. I'm too ignorant to comment on your other observations but thank you for thinking about this.

 

You can learn more about the characteristics of Navajo textiles by searching the forum for other posts, particularly by @Taupou.

If you don't feel comfortable assessing various technical features, it is probably best to take it to a dealer or curator familiar with Navajo and/or middle eastern textiles, as komokwa suggested. It is always helpful to see and feel textiles in person.

 

Thank you.

 

one way or another it's a lovely design.....and I'll bet there's value there !!!

 

Sorry, I was unable to get to Antiquers due to the site certificate situation until now (thank you, Peter, for fixing it!)

2manybooks, thankfully, got here first, and gave the right answer...it's a well-made copy of a 3rd Phase Navajo Chief's blanket, evidenced by the fringe on both ends, and the thick outer warp threads.

Navajo textiles are never woven with fringe on both ends. They were sometimes added after the rug was taken off the loom, because that was what customers were used to, since the rest of the world uses a different type of loom than the Navajo. The thick warp threads on the edges are necessary to keep the weaving tight and straight, because of the different loom used. And it's obvious, in this case, that the fringe has been tied off to keep it from unraveling, not added afterwards.

No need to find an "expert," (which are few and far between these days.) Here's a good website that shows what to look for: https://www.navajorugrepair.com/fake.htm

The small booklet Genuine Navajo Rug, How to Tell by Noel Bennett, published by the Indian Arts and Crafts Association, also is a good source for how to tell the difference between a genuine Navajo rug, and a Mexican copy.

 

Thank you all for your scholarship and willingness to share your knowledge. It is much appreciated.