Antique Navajo Blanket Appraisal

Navajo Third Phase Chief's Blanket

This is a hand-woven Navajo Chief's style blanket, specifically identifying as a 'Third Phase' pattern due to the inclusion of full and partial diamond/star motifs integrated into the traditional striped background. The textile features a landscape orientation, woven with hand-spun wool in a palette of deep madder red, ivory, grey, and natural dark brown. The design consists of alternating wide bands and narrow stripes, overlaid with nine geometric points: three full eight-pointed stars in the center and six partial stars along the perimeter. The construction showcases characteristic Navajo tapestry weaving techniques with a tight, even tension. Regarding condition, the blanket exhibits signs of significant age and historical use; there are visible surface stains, particularly in the lower central and right ivory sections, and fringe loss or fraying at the corner tassels. The selvage edges appear relatively straight, though slight undulating 'waisting' is present, typical of hand-loomed textiles. The coloration of the red suggests the use of early synthetic dyes or cochineal, placing the estimated age in the late 19th century Transition Period (circa 1880-1895). The craftsmanship is of high quality, evidenced by the symmetry of the complex geometric star patterns across the join lines.