58

Navajo Old Crystal Trading Post Rug c. 1940's

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:150.00 USD Estimated At:550.00 - 1,100.00 USD
Navajo Old Crystal Trading Post Rug c. 1940's
Featured in this lot is this Navajo Old Crystal Trading Post rug circa 1940's. The rug features a wonderfully and professionally crafted wool construction that features a beautiful Crystal Eye dazzler decoration that forms geometric patters and creates a central medallion and shows colors such as red, brown and set to a cream field. Originally 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. 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. The rugs had an Oriental motif with multiple borders, large central medallions and numerous hooks. The condition of this rug is good with some bleeding to the naturally dyed sections and some fraying to one of the corner edges but otherwise shows good overall condition. The measurements of this rug are 53 1/2" x 23 1/2"