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Navajo Old Crystal Germantown Rug c. 1890-1910

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 4,500.00 USD
Navajo Old Crystal Germantown Rug c. 1890-1910
This is an exceptional rare Old Crystal Trading Post Germantown Navajo Rug from the Tiny Smith Ranch Estate. The rug dates to circa 1890-1910’s and is truly a scarce piece showing Germantown wool construction in excellent bright mineral pigment colors such as red, purple, orange, black, white, and grey/brown. The rug shows an Old Crystal Banded pattern with parallelogram band pattern having a defined alternating color border. The Old Crystal Trading Post was established in 1894, in this remote part of the Navajo Reservation Southwest of Two Grey Hills and Northwest of Gallup. In 1896 J.B. Moore purchased an interest in the trading post and re-named it Crystal after a pure sparkling mountain spring that was in the area. J.B. Moore realized the rugs being woven on the reservation needed to be upgraded. He started paying more for the rugs with better workmanship and design. This caused the weavers in the area to produce better quality rugs. Due to the remoteness of the Trading Post he started using a mail order catalog to sell his rugs to the Eastern market. The first catalog came out in 1903, with another in 1911. He left the reservation in 1911. During his stay at Crystal he greatly influenced the change in styles of Navajo rugs being produced at the Crystal Trading Post. This rug was collected from the Tiny Smith Ranch Estate near Lame Deer, Montana. The Tiny Smith Ranch Estate supposedly purchased the rug directly from the Crystal Trading Post. The rug shows a very fine construction with a tight hand weaved knot, bright colors, very rare pattern, and large size. This is one of the finest rugs we have offered for sale and shows a very good condition. Measures overall 68 1/2" wide x 49 1/2" tall. Other Germantown Old Crystal rugs have been valued at $15,000 to $30,000 and sold at auction for $7,000 to $12,000.