The Charles “Don” Snow (b1926) NAVAJO CHIEF’S BLANKET, Indigo, Provenance,19th C

Description

The Charles “Don” Snow (b1926) NAVAJO CHIEF’S BLANKET, Indigo, Provenance,19th C
This beautiful Navajo Chief’s Blanket was finely woven sometime in the late 19th C and collected by Geologist Don Snow out West while working in the uranium business.  The artwork and condition of this textile are impeccable with one dark brown band that is uncommonly wide at one end that gives an unique asymmetry to the entire piece.  The stripes are especially pleasing with creamy white, dark brown, rich indigo blue and an unusual light brown.  The use of yellow instead of red is a nice subtle touch.
Measures approximately 53” x 55”.  Additional provenance will be sent to buyer.
All Handspun Wool:
White - natural handspun
Light Brown - natural handspun and possibly natural white recarded with natural dark brown
Dark Brown - natural handspun overdyed with black aniline
Indigo - Natural handspun possibly dyed with vegetal indigo (not dye tested)
Orange Brown - cross at center is probably natural white dyed with aniline
Yellow - probably natural white dyed with aniline yellow
Selvage Cords and Tassels - natural dark bown handspun and probably natural white dyed with aniline yellow
IN
an effort to assist Buyers with understanding the way I describe the condition of Navajo weavings that I’m selling on ebay, I spoke with Navajo textile author and expert Tyrone Campbell about his ‘Classification Categories for Condition’ that he first published in his NEWSLETTER in 1981.
After discussing with him that we may have to tweak it a bit because its been 40 years since it was originally comprised and has gotten nearly impossible to find weavings in excellent, let alone mint condition these days, I concluded, what the hell, why mess with a good thing.  It’s a standard worth sticking to!  So here it is as originally written (and with permission to reprint from Tyrone, July 2020).
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“CLASSIFICATION
CATEGORIES
FOR DETERMINING PHYSICAL CONDITION
FRAGMENT:           Any portion of an entire weaving.
DETERIORATED:  Heavily damaged, warps exposed, selvage missing, large holes, serious fading or running, corners or areas missing.
AVERAGE:               Shows floor wear or small holes, some selvage damage, very minor bleeding, etc.
GOOD:                      Above average classification may still show use, but not broken warps.  In some cases a very small hole or two or a minor selvage break or two is acceptable.
EXCELLENT:           No holes, no bleeding or fading, no exposed warps or serious selvage damage.
MINT:                        This classification means that the textile is in pristine condition.
NOTE:  In the case of rare weavings we will up-grade the condition classification from Average to Good or from Good to Excellent, but in no case to Mint or from Deteriorated to Average condition.”
From THE TYRONE D. CAMPBELL NEWSLETTER, Published at Albuquerque, N.M., 1981.
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