Navajo Saddle Blanket Modeled After Third Phase Chief Blanket

Navajo Saddle Blankets: A Tapestry of Artistry and Utility

The Navajo saddle blanket, woven by the Diné, holds a special place in the history of Western material culture. Among the earliest textiles crafted by the Navajo, the saddle blanket served practical purposes. Alongside wearing blankets, it was one of the few textiles woven primarily for their own use. Cowboys soon recognized its value due to its thick weave and convenient size, allowing it to fold over for double thickness. These durable blankets became indispensable for American cowboys.

By the late 1800s, the economy of the Navajo people relied significantly on textile sales. Traders encouraged the creation of rugs for Eastern markets, leading Navajo women to adapt their weaving style to cater to this demand. Weaving rugs proved more profitable than weaving saddle blankets, prompting weavers to focus their efforts on rug production. However, saddle blankets remained essential for both Navajo riders and cowboys.

The hallmark of Navajo saddle blankets lies in their intricate designs. This saddle blanket features two-inch banded strips in various colors.  One group of bands is bordered with deep blue yarn, interwoven with burnt orange and red yarns. Alternating strips consist of single rows of red and burnt orange yarn, creating a captivating visual rhythm.  The corner designs, composed of diamond shapes in brown, red, and burnt orange, draw inspiration from the Third Phase Chief Blanket style—a testament to the rich artistic heritage of the Navajo weavers.

Navajo saddle blankets represent more than singular utility; they offer a window into the past. Early saddle blankets, woven with artistic freedom, reflect the Navajo landscape's spatial dimensions.  These woven treasures, appreciated by collectors today, showcase the diversity and skill of Navajo artisans. From simple designs to vibrant patterns, each blanket tells a unique story.

To quote Lane Coulter, author of Navajo Saddle Blankets: Textiles to Ride in the American Southwest:

"Navajo saddle blankets are among the most underappreciated art forms in the American Southwest, the Cinderella of Navajo textiles. Saddle blankets have played a key role in Navajo life both as utilitarian objects and as a force in the economic sustainability of modern Navajo life. They represent a material link between Navajo weavers and traders. This modest textile has found a context in the cattle industry, inside rural cabins, on the floors of eastern bungalows, on the walls of art museums, and even on horseback. It has served countless cultural and utilitarian demands placed on it over the last century and a half, with no sunset in sight."

 This saddle blanket is of a single size, not intended to be folded over for use on a horse, but to be displayed fully open as a work of art. It was designed in the style of what has been named "Chief Blanket"—a name derived from the popularity of that design by Plains Indians. They were prized by members of those tribes and were so costly that it was assumed that an Indian who could afford one must be a Chief.

The Navajo saddle blanket—a blend of beauty, durability, and cultural significance—continues to captivate admirers and honor the legacy of the Navajo horsemen.

Condition: very good with some very minor soiling 

Provenance: this Navajo Saddle Blanket Modeled After Third Phase Chief Blanket is from the collection of a gentleman from California

Recommended Reading: Navajo Saddle Blankets: Textiles to Ride in the American Southwest by Lane Coulter

TAGS: textiles, Navajo Nation