Featured in this lot is this Navajo Old Pawn Trading Post Gallup rug circa 1950's. The rug features a wonderfully and professionally crafted wool construction and shows a stepped crystal dazzler design with the traditional fringe of the rug typical with Gallup design. The coloration includes off white, red, brown and gray.
The Old Crystal trading post was established in 1894, in a remote part of the Navajo Reservation southwest of Two Grey Hills and northwest of Gallup, NM. In 1896\, J.B. Moore purchased an interest in the trading post and re-named it Crystal after a pure sparkling mountain spring that was in the area. Due to the remoteness of the Trading Post, he started using a mail order catalog to sell his rugs to the eastern market. The first catalog came out in 1903, with another in 1911. He left the reservation in 1911. During his stay at Crystal, he greatly influenced the change in styles of Navajo rugs being produced at the Crystal Trading Post. The condition of this rug is good with a tight weave and heathered coloration denoting hand dyeing of the rug. The measurements of this rug are 38" x 16 1/2".