James Compton Gallery Blog

An Early and Rare Rio Grande Blanket

This Rio Grande blanket is one of the most beautiful examples I’ve had the fortune of finding. It’s early, it’s simple, it’s complex and it speaks to my aesthetic in the world of exceptional blankets. Let me speak briefly here about the qualities that...

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Shell As A Pueblo Ornament, From Prehistoric to Modern Times

Prehistoric Pueblo Shell Ornamentation Shells have been used for well over 2000 years in the Southwest by the ancient ones continuing up to modern Pueblo days.  The early agricultural period (1200 B.C. to A.D. 150) saw the simplest use of shells by puncturing holes...

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3 Blankets on a Shoulder Mount

Showing Blankets With A Shoulder Mount I have three, rare blankets up on my wall at the gallery and all three are hanging off of a shoulder mount. I love the effect these mounts give to the blankets. Blankets are typically shown as 2-dimensional...

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On Disply At The Gallery – the Spanish Colonial Wall

The New Gallery Spanish Colonial Wall This wall is a new set up in my gallery and it shows an assortment of early, New Mexican Spanish Colonial items.  A pair of doors, a large spindled window, a couple of early chests, a “Bishops” chair,...

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Ahkima Honyumptewa is the winner Best of Class Textiles at SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market

A Beautiful Hopi White Manta with Accents Ahkima Honyumptewa (Hopi) from Paagvavi in Third Mesa is the winner for SWAIA’s Santa Fe Indian Market for Best of Class in Textiles. Ahkima is both a painter and a weaver.  I am very proud to sponsor...

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James Compton Gallery will Sponsor Best of Class in Textiles at SWAIA

For the first time the James Compton Gallery is sponsoring the winner for the 100 anniversary of the 2022 SWAIA (Southwestern Association For Indian Arts) in Classification IV – Textiles Best of Class. I am proud to contribute to the mastering of weaving and...

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An Eskimo Excavated Sculpture of a Whale

A Sperm Whale Interpretation? This streamline carving a whale, perhaps a sperm whale,  has the most beautiful form and surface patina.  The elegant lines suggest a sperm whale with the high, angular head.  This item was most likely excavated (the collection history is lost)...

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New to the Gallery a Max Luna Library Table

This Spanish Colonial New Mexican table came from a client born in New Mexico who’s grandfather knew Max Luna, having worked along side him. He purchased this table directly from him around the time that it was made.  It’s a really lovely example of...

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An Early New Mexican Rio Grande Weaving, Possibly 18th Century

Clues Defining this Weaving as a Rio Grande Blanket A rare and unusual blanket came into my gallery. The blanket was brought to me as a pueblo weaving. I discovered with close inspection that it was a New Mexican Rio Grande blanket woven by...

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A Group of Early Zuni Tourist Fetishes

A group of early Zuni tourist fetishes were purchased from the Tres Compadres Ranch of the McMahon family of Houston, TX. Patricia Bennett McMahon (1929-2017) and her sister had one of the early art galleries in Santa Fe, NM and I imagine that these...

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