Germantown Moki

I will forego my customary radio silence when I am traveling to share something beautiful that I purchased today. As most of you are aware, I am exhibiting at the preeminent Native American and Ethnographic Show in the country, Whitehawk in Santa Fe. 

About 125 of the best dealers in the world are here. I am still setting up, opening night starts tomorrow evening. My booth is quite small compared to what I am used to but I am making it work and having a good time. Crossing my fingers.

I bought this Navajo Germantown Moki blanket today. 

I have probably sold less than twenty great Germantowns in my life but I have sold quite a few of those to museums, both in Oklahoma and California.  This is a great one, with a large center diamond medallion, a classic wearing blanket motif, but they are honestly all beautiful.

A Moki pattern refers to the repeating blue and black striped background that was originally borrowed from the neighboring Pueblo Indians. Moki or Moqui is another name for Hopi, from Mookwi. The Hopi tribe learned to weave them from the Spaniards in the Coronado Expedition around 1540, the Navajo in the 17th century.

These blankets are highly prized by collectors. This one was woven sometime in the last quarter of the 19th century. I don't have an accurate measurement on hand for this one, but it is quite large.

I did a Google search on Germantown Moki. Take a look and you will see what they retail for. I will sell this one for far less.

Here is something I wrote about Germantown blankets earlier this year:

The Navajos have long been known for their beautiful weaving. In the early part of the 19th century they wove blankets with homespun wool and native dyes.  

But in 1863 the tribe was forced on what is known as “The long walk” to a remote encampment at Ft. Sumner, New Mexico called Bosque Redondo where they were interned by the United States government until 1868.  

It was at Bosque Redondo where, some say in order to placate them and keep them busy, the government issued them a new and exciting commercial wool from a suburb of Philadelphia called Germantown. 

This new analine dyed wool, originally a three ply but then quickly becoming a four ply, allowed them to create a brilliant new type of weaving called an eyedazzler.  

These new weavings were very time intensive to weave and much denser, almost four times the knots per inch compared to the older wool. In a visual sense they were very kinetic, with a pattern that often resembled what later became known as op art. 

They were typically created with a cotton warp, making them a bit more fragile than blankets created with a wool warp. Fringe was added sometimes but only after the weaving was finished, not a part of the general field. 

The advent of the railroad and the trading post, as well as the popularity of shows like Wild Bill Hickock’s Exposition at Niagara Falls greatly increased the desire of Americans to buy Native goods of all kinds including blankets. 

Most germantown blankets date from 1870 to 1900 although there was a minor revival from 1910 to 1915. While they were no longer woven, their design complexity and color continued to influence navajo weavings in what is known as the transitional era.

The transitional period began in 1895 and blankets largely gave way to rugs at that point in the timeline. Germantown eyedazzlers occupy a special historical apex in Navajo weaving that will never be eclipsed on a design level.

Hope you get a chance to check out this blanket! If you are around, come see the show!