RARE EARLY 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN ANTIQUE NAVAJO NATIVE AMERICAN HAND DYED, HAND WOVEN GEOMETRIC PATTERN WOOL RUG, in BERRY RED, PEWTER GRAY, SEPIA BROWN, COFFEE, SAND & PUTTY WHITE COLORS, with LARGE DIAMOND CENTER MEDALLION & STEP (GREEK SCROLL) BORDER DESIGN 

(62 1/2" x 43 1/2")

[Old black lined, hand-sewn repair to right margin using black linen, done many years ago] 

(Circa 1900-1925)

Early 20th century Navajo Native American hand dyed & hand woven wool rugs

DIMENSIONS: 

 62 ½" x 43 ½" 

 DESCRIPTION: 

This fairly early 20th century antique Navajo Native American hand-woven, hand-dyed wool rug, measuring roughly 5 1/4' x 3 1/2' (or 62 1/2" x 43 1/2") has a few (3 or 4) small, minor stains, which resemble coffee stains and some minor to moderate wood edge loss on one side of the rug, no doubt demonstrating which side of the rug received the heaviest traffic over the years where it was placed on the floor of the home where it was removed from. This directional wear caused by foot traffic and subsequent loss of wool fibers, which cut away and wore into the right side of the outer triple thin banded border, was remedied by encasing it in early black muslin linen fabric, base stitched to hide this damage and loss and to shore up the frayed right edge. This damage all occurred many, many years ago as well as the old repair trying to hide it. The rug is otherwise in fairly well-preserved overall antique condition, with fairly vivid, saturated and bright, crisp colors. The organic vegetable dyes used to color the wool have largely withstood years of light and exposure to unkind foot traffic and the unfortunate, occasional spill. We've only gently broomed the rug to raise the wool fibers and to gently loosen and remove dirt, tiny stones and other particulate, that may have been lodged toward the base of the wool fibers with a wicker carpet beater. There are no tears, repairs (old or new) anywhere else on the entire rug. There are a few very minor episodes of some weakening of the extreme margins of the rug's edges but no real, noticeable or appreciable material loss. The stepped, 'Greek scroll,' geometric pattern features a center medallion that resembles a complex architectural floor print or Aztec temple complex. From another world and from another mind, found in the time-honored cultural lineage and embedded cultural, tribal visual language of  the North American Navajo people. This is not just a rug but like language and food, is inseparable from the people who made it. Not perfect but still absolutely wonderful. 100-120 years old. Striking and in still fairly well-preserved overall antique condition. Splendid.

CONDITION:

Good-Very Good overall antique condition. 

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