Rug Collecting Michele Laughing-Reeves

Native americaNCollecting rugs

By Michele Laughing-Reeves

Having a collection of any kind, whether coins, shoes, rocks, vinyl records, or cars requires diligence and knowledge — and, for most collections, a lot of money. There are two types of collectors, those who collect free stuff and serious collectors who buy stuff. Items such as rocks, feathers, unusual pictures, or unclaimed luggage left on the carousel cost no money and have sentimental value for the collector. Collecting of stamps, comics, coins, rare books, fine art, or classic cars can be expensive, and it’s considered a financial investment. Consider Jay Leno’s massive car collection; one of his more than 100 cars is worth $12 million. The 1982 Paul Gauguin painting of two Tahitian girls was recently purchased by the country of Qatar for $300 million; that’s $100 million dollars more than a Picasso. For $30.8 million, Bill Gates added Leonardo da Vinci’s Scientific Journal to his rare book collection. Fortunately, he also scanned some pages to be used as Windows 95 screensavers. Simply stated, having a collection is valuable, and it may take years to compile an impressive number of items.

Of course, the average Joe does not have the bank roll of millionaire collectors, but a collection can be as small or as large as you want, and from the owner’s perspective, is priceless. Right here in New Mexico, we are surrounded by opportunities to become a collector of Native American art. There are people who collect specific Native American jewelry or art, such as ranger sets, kachina dolls, pottery, sculptures, or paintings. However, the rarest kind of Native American art collecting is of Navajo or Pueblo weavings. Collecting weavings requires in-depth knowledge: being able to tell the difference between a Pine Springs weaving and a Wide Ruins weaving, what is the weft count of a tapestry, and which plants yield what color wool. There is so much to know about Navajo weavings. A weaving connoisseur will know exactly what they are purchasing, and know how to display and care for their art.

For starters, Navajo weavings originated from regional areas from all corners of the reservations, from Teec Nos Pos to Klagetoh to Chinle. The initial ten regional designs were distinct in pattern, color, and style, so a knowledgeable collector would know that Pine Springs weavings use subtler vegetal dyed colors and have a variant diamond design compared to the vibrant dyed color and banded diamond design of a Wide Ruins weaving, and that a tapestry has a weft count of 80 or more, and that cochineal is a red dye color made from

Crystal sampler weaving

Eye dazzler weaving Pictorial, JB Moore Crystal, and Two Grey Hills weavings

Vibrant Crystal table-runner weaving

bugs. However, there is so much more to Navajo weaving now than there was long ago when Spider Woman came to teach the Navajos how to weave. The simple weavings of the 1800s were used for blankets. So, having a chief’s blanket in a collection will serve as a great conversation starter. From there, a well-rounded collection should include various regional styles from Crystal, Ganado, Two Grey Hills, Burntwater, Yei’s/Yeibichai’s, a saddle blanket, and the previously mentioned styles. Weaving is an evolving art, and all these regional styles have become more variant and intricate, some leading to a whole new contemporary design. As weaving evolves, collectors continue to add to their collections, but how will the ever-dwindling number of Navajo weavers be able to pass this art form to the future generations.

According to gallery owners, including the likes of Garland’s Rug Gallery in Sedona, Arizona, the art of rug weaving is trending toward dyingout. There are simply fewer weavers now than ever before. Only two generations ago, young girls and boys were raised to either know how to weave or to be able to help in some capacity, such as shearing sheep or carding wool, or spinning wool or dying wool. In contrast, the current generation is preoccupied with technology and know very little of weaving rugs. The skill and talent are dying with the generation that relied on the selling of Navajo rugs to get through the Depression and World War II. In addition, Navajo weavers do not earn a comparable income to a job with a salary. Current rug collectors are aware of this trend and are more optimistic about their investment; perhaps it will motivate young children to learn how to weave.

Another factor that makes rug collecting rare is that weaving is a fine art. It is art that should be displayed, preferably on a flat, dry, out-ofdirect-light surface. Buyers usually already have a place in mind when they are considering a purchase. They will know what dimensions and colors will coordinate with their home décor. Weavings are not meant to be stored like other collectables. They need to avoid sunlight, moths, and moisture. Weavings require more care than other items and require attentive wool cleaning by hand. Therefore, rug collectors are a rare breed.

Back here in Gallup, there are plenty of stores that offer a variety of Native American jewelry and art. We take it for granted that we have the opportunity to window shop and generate a wish list. These great works of art are physically accessible in our community, whereas people from far away are seeing only images on their computer screen. Online shoppers are unable to touch and feel the smooth wool, smell the residual sheep scent, feel the weight and sight of a large weaving, and they are missing out on the experience of walking out with the purchase in hand, rather than waiting for a delivery weeks later. Having a collection, however small, is doable in this small town. Leave the high-end collecting to Leno, Gates, and tiny rich countries.