Special Value Offer: Hopi Hand Woven Man’s Shoulder Blanket [SOLD]

Special Value Offer: The owner of this blanket has authorized a price reduction of 1/3 from the original price of $3250 to a new price of $2150.

It has been well established that the Pueblo Indians were weaving long before the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16^th century and that they preceded the Navajo in weaving. At first, the Pueblo weavers were growing and using cotton but accepted the wool from the Spaniard's sheep after their arrival, although they never gave up weaving with cotton.

Pueblo blankets were made to use as ordinary wearing blankets. Generally, they are longer than wide and are weft-faced. They generally are loosely woven with coarsely spun yarns and patterned with broad bands of colored stripes. This mention of loosely woven with coarsely spun yarns is not to be taken as detrimental. The loose weave with thick yarns provides for entrapment of air for warmth.

Pueblo blankets are often thought of as wearing blankets for men only, however, there are documented photographs showing women wearing them as well as using them as totes for children or material goods.  Men have been photographed using blankets as carrying sacks.

Banded blankets were made by Navajo and Hispanic weavers as well as Pueblo individuals, and sometimes it is difficult to determine which group made any particular blanket. Many pueblo blankets have been woven with brown wool warps.  Generally, Pueblo blankets do not have lazy lines as seen in Navajo textiles.

This blanket is a loosely woven plain, weft-faced weave with no lazy lines. It is constructed on dark brown wool warp with natural and dyed Churro wool weft. The outer warp yarn is single strand and the end cords are tucked back in to the warp.  On Navajo textiles the end cords are tied together and left as fringe. The use of brown wool for the warp is not a Navajo trait, but definitely that of Pueblo weavers.

Condition: Overall the blanket is generally in good condition. There are two small areas where some of the weft threads are broken, resulting in small holes.  Some of the edge and end cords are broken.  There are a few stains on one side of the textile. 

Provenance: ex. coll. Patricia Michaels, Taos, NM

                    ex. coll. Larry Frank, Arroyo Hondo, NM