175: A LARGE, INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL NAVAJO WEAVING C. 1900

The 8' 9' x 4' 6' textile is woven with a very unusual green and displays an equally unusual design of long columns with thorn-like or sawtooth points. Interpreting this imagery includes a number of motifs from a variant 'Tree of Life' design to barbed wire. The central column, woven in a very unusual, and possibly vegetal, green dye is very unusual and desirable. Navajo rugs with a central design but banded ends and no full border are from a period of transition when Eastern traders were encouraging weavers to incorporate a border. suggesting a date of circa 1890 to 1910. Before long, the vast majority of weavings would have distinct borders framing the central design.
Measures 105 x 54 inches.
Good to very good, noting scattered short separations in the left and small breaks up to 1/4 of an inch, one opening at 1/2 inch, light stain and some fade of the green on half of one side, intact sides and ends with interesting green corner tassels.
Provenance: Living estate, Des Moines, Iowa.
$1,000 - $1,500