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Chilkat Blanket

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Native Americana Start Price:30,000.00 USD Estimated At:60,000.00 - 90,000.00 USD
Chilkat Blanket
Circa Late 1800s, Very rare hand woven historic ceremonial robe with traditional figures, in remarkably good condition. See paragraph below. 32" x 41" + 17" fringe From the Johnson Collection.

CHILKAT ROBE

"Chilkat robes were traditionally woven by the Tlingit Indians of southeast Alaska and coastal British Columbia, and were constructed using mountain goat hair and cedar bark. The cedar bark was meticulously spun with the goat hair and was meant to ward off the pesky moth and its larvae. They were almost always five-sided, deeply fringed, and were worn as capes during important ceremonies. The traditional Chilkat robe/blanket died out about 100 years ago except for a few female weavers, especially in the Sitka area of southeastern Alaska, who worked well into the 1950’s. Today, there are contemporary Northwest Coast Indian robe makers whose inspiration is the Chilkat robe as well as the earlier Raven’s Tail. Both of these construction techniques help maintain the traditional weaving style. Antique Chilkat robes are currently priced in the $40,000 to $90,000+ range and sell most often in major auction sales.

This Chilkat robe was purchased by David Sellen in Portland Oregon and later sold to the Dixon family in Seattle. It was purchased by Charles Johnson in 2007 and is being offered by his estate as part of his private collection. The design is a traditional Diving Whale and the robe is in exceptional condition. I would date this Chilkat robe at 1890 to 1900.
This is a magnificent Tlingit Treasure for the discerning collector."

Jack G. Curtright
Curtright and Son Tribal Art