The Classic Rio Grande Blanket

 

A very early Rio Grande blanket, all brown wool with fine lines of indigo blue

 

A close up of the same blanket showing the fine indigo lines. This blanket could date from 1750 to 1850.

 

My main interest is in mid 19th century Rio Grande blankets before the development of synthetic dyes.  This window with all natural dyes existed from the 17th century till around 1870 with the arrival of synthetic dyes These are the beautiful early weavings that can mimmick Navajo weavings. They are made of churro wool and have all natural dyes such as indigo.  The high price for a classic Navajo blanket has drawn more attention to the classic Rio Grande blanket and its affordability. While the value has historically been that Rios are less expensive than Navajo, this feature is less so with the advent of more collectors for the classic Rio Grande blankets coming onto the scene.

 

Rio Grande Slave Blankets

To complicate this story even further, Spanish households often had Navajos, and sometimes Pueblos, as workers to create the textiles they needed.  While many of these Natives were slaves, some of them were hired or paid helpers. This cross cultural situation sets up a blanket woven on a Spanish loom but with evidence of, or an aesthetic of, Navajo design.   We can also see clear evidence of Navajos weaving Spanish blankets on Navajo looms (in this case, vertical looms with a continuous warp).

 

An early and rare example of a Navajo slave blanket, circa 1840 – 1860. This blanket was likely woven by a Navajo but in a Spanish Colonial household.

 

The Spanish Treadle Loom

 

Early photo of a treadle loom, courtesy of The Project Gutenberg eBook of Textiles and Clothing, by Kate Heinz Watson

 

Rio Grande blankets of the 19th century are woven on narrow, horizontal looms at a width typically no greater than 28″. Because of these narrow looms, blankets had to be woven in two parts and joined down the center with a seam. This is particularly true of more complex designed blankets. With blankets limited to only banded designs, weavers could weave a complete blanket all at once on the narrow loom by doubling up the warps so that they weave a blanket where only one half of it is visible.  With these blankets, there is no seam in the middle, but instead grouped warps where the weaver was able to make the turn from the lower half to the upper half. These types of blankets can be confused with classic Navajo blankets since without the seam they can look more similar.

 

What Makes A Rio Grande Blanket Not Be Navajo?

 

An early Rio Grande blanket showing the end knots and the resulting fringe. Notice that the fringe is a 2 ply wool warp, characteristic of Rio Grande weaving and not Navajo weaving.

 

Rio Grande blankets have distinctive features that help separate them out from Navajo or Pueblo blankets.   The most decisive trait is that Rio Grande blankets have 2 ply wool warps, where as Navajo and Pueblo have one play. As well, Rio grande blankets have doubled up warps along the sides, sometimes doubled up from 5 to 6 warps in. These doubled up, 2 plied warps results in no side selvage typically found on most all Navajo and some Pueblo blankets.   There is also no end selvage on Rio Grande blankets. Instead, the warps, which are always cut and never continuous (unless woven by a Navajo on a vertical, Navajo loom) are left exposed and tied into knots.  So a Rio typically has fringe on the ends in the form of warped knots.

 

An early Rio Grande blanket with a small Saltillo diamond center

 

Dyes Used With Rio Grande Blankets

The early dyes are the same used for Navajo textiles, that being natural hand spun sheep wool colors of white, golden, grey, brown, tan and black.  The only dyes used early on are indigo blue, indigo green and natural dyes of deep reds, browns and tans.  The term used for earthy colors is “Brazilwood”, but it is not known if the actual Brazilwood dye was used.  In same cases it was, but in other cases the colors come from other local plants.  It should be noted here that it is very rare for Navajo blankets to use a Brazilwood dye and seeing Brazilwood type of dyes in a blanket likely suggests Rio Grande or a Navajo slave blanket.

 

Indigo Blue As A Staple Of Classic Rio Grande Blankets

 

A classic Rio Grande blanket with two shades of indigo blue and indigo green, which is indigo mixed with rabbit brush for the yellow.

 

The classic Rio Grande blanket is rarely seen without some shade of indigo blue.  It is here that these blankets sing the most.  The early churro wool takes the indigo dye so well and one ends up with some of the richest indigo blue ever seen outside of classic Navajo weavings.   The earliest Rios tend to have a lighter indigo blue and that’s not a rule easily applied.  Some blankets will mix deep indigo with light indigo blue with spectacular results.

 

Late 19th Century Use Of Synthetic Dyes in Rio Grande Blankets

 

Rio Grande blanket circa 1880 with natural colored yarns and synthetically dyed orange and pink yarns.

 

By the 1870s and perhaps even earlier, synthetic dyes came into the Southwest being used by all the weavers: Navajo, Pueblo and Rio Grande.  That being said, the Rio Grande weavers had a more specific color palate that differed from Navajo and Pueblo. With Rio Grande weavers we see a higher use of purple, orange, green, various shades of red, pink and mauve.  Over time, these colors fad and the palate has a more pastel look rather than the solid color.

 

Rio Grande Blankets Into The 20th Century

 

Chimayo blanket, circa 1935, with a Park Ranger in the center – highly unusual!

 

It is in the early part of the 20th century that the weaving of Rio Grande blankets as we know them come to an end.  They are replaced by what are called Chimayo blankets, or blankets woven in the region of Chimayo, NM where machine plied yarns are typically used on the horizontal treadle loom.  This weaving has become popular not just with blankets, but also as clothing and purses and bags.  The look continues with many similarities to Rio Grande blankets with fringed, knotted ends, and no side selvage.  Here the looms are wider and the blankets are woven as one piece and no longer have a central seam.

 

What is a Rio Grande Blanket Worth?

Rio Grande blankets are much more rare than Navajo blankets, but they are a better value when compared to Navajo weavings.  Their rarity is due to the limited number of weavers for this sort of commodity.   Rios were used for bedding and as well as shoulder blankets to keep warm.  They were a commodity sold locally in the Southwest, but also exported further south into what is now Mexico.

Class era (1820 – 1870) Rio Grande blankets have a better value than Navajo blankets of the same period.  While these Rios are not as finely woven, the wool is the same churro wool used to make the Navajo blankets.  The indigo and the cochineal are the same dyes used by the Navajos.  If one is interested in acquiring a fine, classic period weaving of the Southwest, then the Rio Grande blanket is a smart buy as they continue to be undervalued by the market.

A classic Rio Grande, banded blanket with indigo blue has a value range of between $1500 and $12,000 depending on condition, design appeal and quality of the wool.  A classic period example with design work, such as saltillo diamonds, can range from $3500 to $50,000.  Late classic (1870 – 1900) examples can range from $300 to $4500.  The late classic generally is all synthetic dyes with no indigo blue or green dyes.

Jergas, or floor coverings, are even more rare than Rio Grande blankets.  These were not meant as shoulder blankets but to either cover the floor, which would often be hard packed earth, or to carry bundles of things such as wood pieces or husks of corn. They are valued between $300 and $2500 depending on age, condition and fineness.

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