Collectors, art lovers gear up for Navajo rug auction
Traditional to contemporary pieces all up for bid Saturday
The Ninth Annual Navajo Rug auction offers a tapestry of tumbling diamonds, climbing stair steps and bold stripes for both collectors and droolers on Saturday, Nov. 18.
Slated for the Prairie Star Restaurant at Santa Ana Casino, the event gathers more than 200 weavings, with the proceeds benefitting both the artists and the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. There will be no sales tax.
The styles range from traditional to contemporary, with historic rugs from the R. B. Burnham Trading Post, Maxwell Museum public programs manager Mary Beth Hermans said. Burnham and his family have traded Navajo rugs in the Four Corners area for five generations.
Potential buyers can also see Newlands Outline weavings, she added.
“It’s a very detailed rug with a border around it and a lot of geometric patterns, she said.
The designs encompass a wide range of regional styles, including pictorial, Ganado, Two Grey Hills, Teec Nos Pos, Crystal, Burnt Water, Chinle, Wide Ruins, Klagetoh Red and diamond twill.
Prices range from $100$150 for a small tapestry to $1,200-$1,800 for more stellar works. The average price for a 24-by-30-inch rug is from $400-$500, Hermans said.
The auction typically draws a crowd of about 150, lowering the competition. When the bidding ends, fans can buy an unsold rug at the opening bid price.
“We like to make it an educational event, too,” Hermans said. “People can come and learn a lot about Navajo rugs.”
Collectors who want to know the value of their own rugs can talk to an appraiser at Friday night’s preview.