Navaho Weaving: Its Technic and History

By Charles A. Amsden

Book Overview

Navajo Weaving: Its Technic and History by Charles Avery Amsden is a comprehensive guide to the art of Navajo weaving. The book covers the history of Navajo weaving, including the influence of Spanish settlers and the development of the Navajo rug. It also provides detailed instructions on the techniques used in Navajo weaving, such as the warp and weft, the loom, and the various designs and patterns. The book includes numerous illustrations and photographs of Navajo rugs and weavers, as well as diagrams and charts to help readers understand the weaving process. Navajo Weaving: Its Technic and History is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Navajo weaving, Native American art, or textile history.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 143671639X
• ISBN13: 9781436716390
• Release Date: June 2008
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
• Length: 420 Pages
• Weight: 1.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Contents

navajo weaving its technic and its history charles a amsden FIRST SOFTCOVER EDITION 1990 Detailed and comprehensive study of the techniques of primitive weaving, from the building of the loom with materials at hand to the cleaning, carding and handling the raw wool from the sheared sheep It is a remarkable accounting of a primitive people developing a most sophisticated skill. At the time this book was first published in 1934, no non-Navajo Indian or Whiteman had ever developed the ability so beautifully displayed in this extraordinary art form. No book has ever so carefully described this most ancient of crafts. Heavily illustrated. 7 color plates of masterpieces. Bibliography. Index. 460 pages.

Historic Details of Navaho Textiles

A must for any Navajo textile collector for its rich detail and painstaking description of techniques plus a valuable history of Navaho weaving. First published in 1934,this book would be a rare find if it were a First Edition or even hard cover of the second printing. Navaho Weaving - Its Technic and Its History (sic)features 261 pp. of text, 123 pp. of illustrations including photos and renderings of over 100 blankets with a large fold-out color illustration of an old Chief White Antelope Blanket that is eight times larger than the book and colored magnificently. Printed from 14 handcut rubber blocks, this blanket's design is breathtaking. The author, Charles Avery Amsden served as curator of The Southwest Museum and secretary and treasurer until he died in 1941. This book represents years of in-depth research written in amazing detail. If you can find an affordable (around $50 as of 2005) second printing (circa 1969) perhaps even a library binding edition, you will still receive the book's First Edition effect of a stunning and rich reference tome. The paperback is a lesser version, as it has many of the illustrations shrunk, plus lacks the huge Saxony yard serape illustration.

For Collectors of Antique Navajo Weavings

Originally published in 1934, Amsden is considered the basic foundational text by authors writing on the history of Navajo blankets and rugs. While much new and helpful information has been written on Navajo weaving since then, most of these books used Amsden as original source material for much of their information. Pre-1940 Navajo blankets and rugs are among the most collectible artifacts in both the investment and art worlds today. Most all serious Indian art collectors, Native American Indian museum curators and related authors and academics will have a copy of this seminal work in their libraries.Other recommendations: (1)Photos of antique blankets : "Navajo Textiles" The William Randolph Hearst Collection" by Nancy Blomberg; and (2)"Navajo Weaving Tradition" by Kaufman and Selser is one of the few "in print" books with and overview of the history of Navajo weaving. There is always a need for many more books in this area as so many titles are short run or specialty press issues. (Periodicals: (3) American Indian Art magazine with offices in Scottsdale, AZ publishes a quarterly and often features articles on early weavings.)(Regarding other critiques of this book ; this is much more a book for collectors and investors and those interested in identifying and understanding the history and development of Navajo weavings and is not a "how to" book for those wishing to "learn to weave". Hobbyist shops have plenty of the latter available.)