Navajo Storm Pattern Rug, circa 1940s [SOLD]

This is an excellent Navajo Storm Pattern rug—most likely from the Western part of the Reservation. It is a very nice specimen of the Storm Pattern textile. The central square, rendered in white natural wool, represents the Navajo Reservation and the four boxes at the extremities represent the four sacred mountains of the Reservation. The grey design at each end of the rug is defined as a “water bug.” The zigzag elements emanating from the central square represent lightning.

Despite misinformation from early dealers and traders (going back to J.B. Moore and his catalog of 1911) and unfortunately persisting to the present; the Storm Pattern is not religious in nature, relating to no known dry painting pattern. This pattern originated in the Western part of the Reservation and was adopted by traders like Moore into the general repertoire of available patterns at Crystal Trading Post. Kate Peck Kent makes mention of this pattern's use on flour sacks in the late 1890s (Rodee, One Hundred Years of Navajo Rugs, 1995:157).

This is an excellent rug of the finest quality worked in natural variegated wools of white, black, and plum colors and homespun aniline-dyed red wool. Most often the background field of the rug is woven in grey wool but this weaver chose to dye her wool in a plum color which makes for a striking appearance.

Condition: The condition is excellent.  There are some minor soil marks but nothing of significance.

Reference: One Hundred Years of Navajo Rugs by Marian Rodee