GOING....GOING€¦ SOLD!
THE FAMOUS CROWNPOINT
NAVAJO RUG AUCTION
 A 9 x 12 Five in One Storm Pattern vegetal dyed rug sold at the Crownpoint auction for $8,100
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By James W. Stilley
CROWNPOINT, NM -- Once each month, Navajo weavers from all over the Southwest converge on a small rural New Mexico town to sell their decorative rugs by way of an auction.
An extraordinary experience to attend, the Crownpoint Rug Auction is the premier venue for the purchase of authentic Navajo rugs. It is an opportunity for buyers from all over the country and the world to purchase directly from the weavers at prices well below retail.
The auction is run by the weavers themselves in the form of the Crownpoint Rug Weavers Association and it is the primary rug auction for the Navajo Nation.
Navajo rugs are flat-woven rugs made somewhat like Kilims but are woven on an upright loom using weft faced tapestry weave.
One unique characteristic about a Navajo rug is that the foundation warp thread turns back at the top and bottom continuously so the exact length of the rug is therefore predetermined.
The weaver needs to have great skill for her design to be finished when she reaches end of the rug. (Women are the weavers in the Navajo culture). In the entire world there are no other weavings made in this way.
Most rugs are rectangular in shape and can range in size from 12 " x18 " to 12 ' x 18.' The rugs offered at the Crownpoint auction are typically 3' x 5' to 5' x 8' although some can be some as large as 9' x 12.'
Many of the rugs are created as artwork to be hung on walls but there are also many large rugs that are made to be floor coverings.
The variety and combination of designs and coloring is awe-inspiring and shows that the art of rug weaving is thriving in the 21'st century.
As auction manager Christina Ellsworth observed, "Some people say that weaving is a dying art but I don't think so. There are a lot of young girls and teenagers taking up weaving to pay for school expenses. We get a lot of rugs in the fall before school starts.€VbCrLf
According to Ellsworth, the Crownpoint Rug Auction was started in 1968 by a local Indian trader named Lavonne Palmer who operated Palmer Trading Co. along with her husband, Bill Palmer. Lavonne Palmer saw there was an over supply of rugs for her market and was concerned that the weavers were not finding enough buyers. She devised a plan to auction the rugs directly from the weaver to the buyer. In order to get things going, she donated many rugs to the cause. The first auction was a mild success with subsequent auctions gaining in fame and popularity. Within two years, auctions were being held once a month.
 Auction goers entering the Crownpoint Elementary school.
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The rug auction is held in the elementary school in Crownpoint, NM, a rural community situated in the northeastern quadrant of McKinley County, 43 miles northeast of Gallup, NM.
Crownpoint has a population of about 3,000 and is the location of the administrative seat of the Nation's Eastern Agency. It derives its name from the striking mountain rock formations nearby. The town is located in a large region known as the "Checkerboard€VbCrLf where there are at least eight land ownership categories due to the various land exchanges, assignments, allotments and purchases by the Navajo tribe and by individual tribal members and others.
Although occupied almost exclusively by Navajo people, it is not technically part of the Navajo reservation but it still falls under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. A well paved north-south State Highway 371 connects Crownpoint with Thoreau, 20 miles to the south at Interstate 40.
Held in the school gymnasium on the third Friday of each month, the auction can best be described as energetic.
Rug viewing begins at 3 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m. allowing the prospective buyers to examine the rugs prior to the auction , which begins at 7 p.m. The hour in between is for the staff to gather and arrange the rugs before the auction begins.
During the viewing, potential bidders can meet and talk with the actual weavers of the rugs. Navajo weavers come from all over the reservation to auction their rugs at Crownpoint. It is typical for rug weavers to come from Teec Nos Pos, Gallup, Pinon, Round Rock, Chinle, Window Rock and even as far away as Coal Mine Mesa or Tuba City.
During our recent visit to the Crown Point auction, there appeared to be about 250 non-Indian spectators seated in folding chairs on the gym floor.
Because most in the audience were couples, some with older children, there were only 98 actual bidding numbers issued. A show of hands at the beginning of the auction indicated that almost all bidders were there for the first time. Crowding the back of the basketball court and out the back door, the Navajo weavers who created the rugs follow the auction intently.This night there were 370 lots offered which is about one third more than usual.
If a rug does not sell, the weaver will often show it to traders and Indian Arts dealers in Gallup the next day. It is important for the rug to sell because the money it generates can be extremely important to the financial welfare of the weaver's family. What a Navajo weaver earns from the sale of her rug may have to support her family for long time.
This evening, with more rugs than buyers, it was obvious some rugs would have to go unsold.
Aside from the summer thunderstorms eliminating the outside food stands and the high temperature within the gymnasium, the night started out well with the first lot starting at $800 and selling at $1,700. This 5 x 8 rug could sell at retail for $2,400 so it was a good deal for both buyer and seller.
As the night went on, it appeared that about a third of the rugs would not sell. Sometimes the weaver had placed a minimum reserve on the rug that may have been too high or sometimes no buyer was in attendance that would have been attracted to a particular rug.
The Navajo weaver pays a 5% fee upon the successful sale of her rug at the auction. The fee pays for the auctioneer and helpers and leaves a small amount for the Association to keep operating. There are no other fees and there is no buyers' premium charged.
THE RUGS OF CROWNPOINT
 Teec Nos Pos style rug. Did not sell.
 Rug woven by Rosanne Jim of Window Rock. Started at $1,000 and sold at $1,500.
 Rug by Elizabeth Yazzie or Ganado. Started at $1,400 and sold at $1,950.
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It is a clean auction in that there are no shills, no bidding pools and there is no trickery from the auctioneer. The arrangement is good for both buyer and seller. Because of the minimal costs of marketing and selling, a buyer is able to purchase a rug at a substantial savings, often an amount close to what a reputable dealer might ordinarily pay. The weaver gets more money than she would by traveling to the various Indian arts stores (some not so reputable) and getting her price beat down by desperation.
There are negatives, however.
Friday night is not the optimum time for bidders who may be coming from distant points.
In addition, the venue is very small. The stuffed gym has reached its capacity and cannot hold many more customers. In the hot summer, the lack of adequate air conditioning makes buying less than pleasant.
On top of that, there is no lodging in Crownpoint. The closest hotels are in Grants or Gallup, about 43 miles away. If a buyer stays for that last great rug at the auction's end, it can be midnight before reaching a hotel.
These issues may be the reason there are now competing rug auctions. The Gallup Inter-tribal Ceremonial organization holds a monthly auction and the Hubbell Trading Post holds Indian arts auctions as well.
While the 36 year old Crownpoint Auction may have its imperfections, the advantages it offers cannot be denied.
The fact that it is a clean, honest auction and that the money goes directly to the artisan weavers is compelling enough. The low cost for the weavers and the successful marketing that the auction offers make it the foremost auction of Navajo rugs in the country.
It is clear that attending the Crownpoint Rug Auction is a must for anyone interested in purchasing beautiful, high quality Navajo rugs at excellent prices.
One other significant bonus: you get to do business with some very nice people.
 Vendors in the hallway selling jewelry and pottery.
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 On the road to the Crownpoint Rug Auction
IF YOU GO: From Gallup, NM, take I-40 East. At Thoreau (exit 53), take Route 371 north. Turn left at the sign for Crownpoint. Turn right at the second four-way stop and you will find the Elementary School on the right-hand (east) side of the street. There are few street signs but Crownpoint is a small town so if you get lost, just drive around and you will find the school.
for a map of the area, click here
 The stark beauty of the New Mexico landscape is a contrast the lively colorful rug designs of Navajo weavers
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ED NOTE: James W. Stilley is the owner of Oriental Rug Repair Co. in Tucson, AZ. The company specializes in Navajo and Oriental rug reweaving, cleaning, restoration and appraisal. Contact Stilley at jws@navajorugrepair.com
www.navajorugrepair.com.
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