Navajo Weavings

Alice Roy Spining Yarn

32" X 44 1/2"

$1475.

45" X 61"

$2850.

SOLD

Alice Roy

Light Plays across distant mesas, the spires of Monument Valley rise one hundred miles to the west, and only an occasional pinon or juniper tree breaks 180 degrees of sky. Alice Roy lives and weaves in this remote area of Teec Nos Pos on the Navajo reservation, near the area known as the Four Corners.

The views are spectacular. The land undulates away from Alice's simple home and breaks occasionally into an unexpected sandstone canyon where pools of water collect during the sparse summer rains. It is here that Alice and her husband raise a flock of thirty to forty sheep, plant a small garden in a canyon, and where Alice weaves her beautiful Teec Nos Pos rugs today.

Shearing the sheep in the spring, Alice then washes the wool with yucca root which produces a sudsy soap, leaving the wool soft and clean when dried in the high desert sun. She then separates the wool, the light from the dark, before carding it and spinning it into a soft and even yarn. The darker wool, which comes from the brown and black sheep, is then put into a large bucket of water and placed over an open fire. Pinon pitch, which is gathered from the pinon trees near Alice's house, is then added and when the yarn is fished out with a stick a couple of hours later, the yarn has become a deep rich black. Various shades of gray are made by carding white wool together with black wool. Colors are made by boiling the yarn either with native plants or package dyes from the store. Packaged dyes were in the Southwest and became part of Navajo weaving as early as 1870. Alice uses packaged dyes sparingly, preferring the natural greys, blacks and whites with only a touch of brighter color for accent.

Alice and her husband have brought up six children, five girls and one boy in this simple lifestyle. None of the girls have become weavers; all except one live off the reservation, and have jobs in unrelated fields. In all probability, when Alice passes away, Navajo weaving will come to an end in this family. It is a pattern which I see repeated far too often on the Navajo reservation today. Alice's mother was a weaver well into her eighties. At this point in her life Alice is making about one rug a year. I feel fortunate to have been a witness to this passing part of history, to have known Alice and her family, and to have been able to handle Alice's weavings for the past eighteen years.

All handspun wool from Alice's own sheep. This is an exquiste rug heavy enough for the floor or a beautiful decoration for the wall.

73" X 52

$3500.

SOLD

341/4" X 261/2"

$1875.

A beautiful early Navajo single saddle blanket 341/4inches by 261/2 inches. A diagnol twill weave. There are some remnants of indigo yarn in the corners. The green at the top and bottom is a combination of indigo and rabbit brush yellow. This is a beautiful piece in excellent condition.

$1875.00

21" X 22", $550

27" X 37", $975

SOLD

33" X 48"

$3875.00

A beautiful Teec Nos Pos rug by Darlene Littleben. All handspun wool and mostly vegetal dyes this rug is

33" X 48"

$3875.00

19" X 36 1/2", $125

SOLD

22" X 32"

$625.

A Yei weaving by Lula Mae Kenny from the Lukachukai area.

This weaving is22" X 32" is made with processed wool but hand dyed by Lula and her sisters. Some of the colors are made from ground lichen, juniper berries, and rabbit brush. The rainbow goddess circles and protects the Yei figures inside. A very nice little weaving. $625.

56" X 92"
SOLD

29" x 23", $375

A Navajo dye chart showing the different plants and the color they make. This one is made by Isabel Deschinny whose mother, Mabel Burnside Meyers, ( now deceased ) made the first one many years ago for her students at The Navajo Community College then located in Many Farms, Arizona. Mabel passed along the art of making these to Isabel. Even though the design was copy righted by the family, there have been many copies in recent years, but none as fine and beautiful as Isabel's. This one is covered with an ultra-violet blocking glass to prevent fading. Frame size is 29" by 23".....22 different plants.$375.

Also available 22" X 18" ...18 different plants $275.

All handspun vegetal dyed wool

42" by 51"

$7800.

Philomena Yazzie

Some years ago the Laboratory of Anthropology in Santa Fe applies for and received a grant to purchase a contemporary Navjo weaving. The selection committee, after looking at the 1974 issue of Arizona Highways magazine on Navajo weaving, decided that it wanted a rug woven by Philomena Yazzie. When members called the Navjo Arts and Crafts guild in Window Rock, Arizona, they were told that the guild had never heard of Philomena Yazzie. They called the Navajo Tribal Headquarters but whomever they spoke to either did not known of or own up to Philomena's existence. After meeting a few more stone walls they called the director of the lab at that time, (an old friend of mine), who suggested that they call me. I told them that I did not know Philomena, but that if she was alive, I was reasonably sure that I could find her.

One day when I was out on the Navajo reservation, I headed for the Burnt Water area. In my characteristic fashion of finding someone on the vast Navjo reservation, I went down one dirt road after another, turned off to the right, took the second left, went another seventeen miles, crossed an arroyo, then took a right, and came to a couple of houses where I said to myself, "I think I'll stop and ask."

"Oh yes," the woman said, "she lives right over there." She pointed to the house next door. "But she isn't home. She has gone to town. I'm her daughter."

I went back to Santa Fe and drew my friend at the lab an elaborate map on just how to get there. A representative went out, made an agreement with Philomena, who wove them a great rug which they purchased. Eventually they had an unveiling ceremony at the lab in Santa Fe for which Philomena, being a rather shy and traditional person, did not show up

For a number of years after that, whenever I would be traveling through that area, I would stop at her house. I never found her home. Finally one day several years ago I was in the area and stopped by. There she was. We struck up an acquaintance and now I have the opportunity to offer one of her rugs for sale.

64" X 82"

$4200.

A large early transitional blanket, 64" X 82", circa 1870's or 1880's. Brown warp, all natural brown and white. Beautiful soft wool, probably churo wool so it could date even earlier.

An interesting piece when worn as a blanket but very large.

50" X 84"

$4500. 

SOLD

A wonderful weaving from the J. B. Moore era of the Crystal Trading Post. A great example of the kinds of rugs this pioneer trader encouraged the weavers in the Crystal area to weave. This rug measures 4',2" X 7' and dates from 1905 to1920.

A very tight weave, in excellent condition but thin. More suitable for the wall than the floor. $4500.

20 1/2" X 31 1/2"

$425.

A little Two Grey Hills weaving circa. 1970's. Weaver unknown.

Made with all natural handspun wool. This piece came from a small Albuquerque collection. A very nice little weaving. 20 1/2" X 31 1/2"

$425.