Collectors of Navajo rugs: An analysis and comparison of the Marjorie Merriweather Post and Washington Matthews Smithsonian Collection Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Tacheenie-Campoy, Glory, 1952- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 30/09/2021 03:43:34 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/291582 INFORMATION TO USERS The most advanced technology has been used to photograph and reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. 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Ann Arbor, MI 48106 COLLECTORS OF NAVAJO RUGS: AN ANALYSIS AND COMPARISON OF THE MARJORIE MERRIHEATHER POST AND WASHINGTON MATTHEWS SMITHSONIAN COLLECTION by Glory Tacheenie-Campoy Copyright © Glory Tacheenie-Campoy 1990 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the COMMITTEE ON AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES (GRADUATE) In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1990 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fullment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. ! SIGNED: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: Zepeda / Date irect of Indian Studies 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For my mother and father for teaching me the art of weaving...my husband Hector for his love and financial support. The American Indian Studies Department faculty: Tom Holm, Scott Momaday, Vine Deloria Jr., Robert Thomas, and Leslie Silko for teaching me the importance of < American Indian Studies, and Shirley Dickey for her encouragement. My thesis committee Nancy J. Parezo, Ofelia Zepeda, and Larry Evers. For computing assistance Mary Sue Passe- Smith, The Minority Graduate Committee, and Andrea Learner. Special thanks to the following: Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Grant in supporting this research especially JoAllyn Archambault, Bob Smith, Kris Arnold, and the Laboratory Processing lab staff, Chip Clark, Museum Photographer at The National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Rueben Mendoza for photographic expertise. Nancy Parezo for sharing her knowledge and total support in completion of this research and thesis. To Navajo weavers, and Matthews and Post for collecting Navajo textiles. 4 TABLE OP CONTENTS LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS 5 LIST OF TABLES 6 ABSTRACT 8 CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 9 CHAPTER II: WASHINGTON MATTHEWS (1843-1905) 11 Introduction 11 Early Life 14 Professional and Personal Life 15 Army Assignments and Military Life 17 Life Amongst the Indians 18 Matthews' Marriages 21 The Southwest and Navajos: 1880-1894 23 CHAPTER III: MARJORIE MERRIWEATHER POST (1887-1973). 29 Businesswoman 29 Lifestyle and Art Collector 31 Post's Collection of Navajo Blankets and Rugs. 37 CHAPTER IV: HISTORY OF NAVAJO TEXTILES AND COLLECTION (1600-1950) 41 Classic Period, 1600-1900 42 The First Phase: Striped Style (Beginning- 1800) 50 The Second Phase: Terraced Style (1800-1863) 50 The Third Phase: Diamond Style (1863-1900) 51 The Transition Period: Blanket to Rug Style (1870-1890) 55 The Fourth Phase: (1863-1900) 67 The Rug Period (1890-1920): Post Collection ... 69 The Revival: (1920-1940), Post Collection 75 The Regional4Style (1920-1950), Post Collection. 78 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION 82 Matthews Collection of Blankets 83 Post's Collection of Blankets and Rugs 84 REFERENCES 108 Published 108 Unpublished Ill 5 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS WASHINGTON MATTHEWS' COLLECTION Figure 1: Cat. 281473 (76-333) a Third Phase Chief's Blanket, Dated 1880-1884 53 Figure 2: Cat. 281,481 (76-381); Diagonal Weave Saddle Blanket, Dated 1890 54 Figure 3: Cat. T-1006 (76-293); Wedgeweave Saddle Throw, Dated 1870s. 59 Figure 4: Three blankets in Exhibit Photograph (76-393) 61 Figure 5: Cat. 281,467 (76-291-292) Blanket in Bayeta with Greek Fret Design 62 Figure 6: Cat. 418,956A (76-6671) Diyugi Rug From Transition Period, 1885 65 Figure 7: Cat. 418,961A (76-6676) Big, Coarse Pound Rug, Dated 1890s-1900s 66 Figure 8: Cat. 418,962A (76-6678A) Germantown Child's Blanket, Dated 1885-1890 68 Figure 9: Cat. 418,958A (76-6673) Moki Pattern Blanket in Black and Blue-Banded Stripes, Not Dated 74 Figure 10: Cat. 418,935A (76-6684A) Whirling Logs Sandpainting Rug (possibly made by the Klah family, Two Grey Hills), Dated Mid-19 20s-1940s 77 6 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Matthews and Post Collection: Comparison of Design and Style 86 Table 2: Matthews and Post Collection: Comparison by Function 89 Table 3: Matthews and Post Collection: Comparison by Weave Types 90 Table 4: Matthews and Post collection: Comparison by Material 91 Table 5: Specialty Rugs by Region: Post Collection Only, 1920S-1950 93 Table 6: Colors in the Matthews Blanket Collection: Red 94 Table 7: Colors in the Matthews Blanket Collection: Blue 95 Table 8: Colors in the Matthews Blanket Collection: White . 96 Table 9: Colors in the Matthews Blanket Collection: Green 97 Table 10: Colors in the Matthews Blanket Collection: Yellow 97 Table 11: Colors in the Matthews Blanket Collection: Gray 98 Table 12: Colors in the Matthews Blanket Collection: Black 98 Table 13: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: Purple 98 Table 14: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: Red 99 Table 15: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: Orange 100 7 LIST OF TABLES (continued) Table 16: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: Blue 100 Table 17: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: White 101 Table 18: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: Green 102 Table 19: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: Yellow 103 Table 20: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: Various - 104 Table 21: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: Gray 105 Table 22: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: Black 106 Table 23: Colors in the Post Blanket/Rug Collection: Brown 107 8 ABSTRACT Navajo blankets and rugs collected by Washington Matthews and Marjorie Merriweather Post are now held by the Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Matthews, medical doctor and anthropologist, actively collected Navajo blankets; to preserve them in museums and gather knowledge about them in publications. His goal was to learn about the Navajos before they merged into dominant American culture. Post, philanthropist, art collector, and socialite, collected Navajo blankets and rugs as status symbols, decorations and souvenirs when they were marketed by traders and weavers. Her collection once exhibited at her estates are now exhibited at the Hillwood Museum and the Museum of Natural History, in Washington, D.C. This thesis is about the collectors, their collections and why they collected Navajo blankets and rugs. Tables and photographs illustrate the collection. 9 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Marjorie Merriweather Post and Washington Matthews made us aware, through their collection held by the Smithsonian Institution, of the academic, artistic, and economic value of collecting Navajo rugs. The text will be accompanied by photographs of the Post and Matthews collection. A brief biographical account will place the collectors and their collections in a historical context. The analysis will be embedded within a discussion of the relationship between Indians and Whites focusing on why Whites began to collect Indian art. Indian-White relations in the U.S. was in part determined by Eighteenth century European philosophy of such theories as the origin of man, progress and degeneration. Eighteenth century thought gave nineteenth century social scientists ideas which determined the treatment and study of American Indians. Europeans portrayed Indians as children of nature and thus wild, uncivilized and inferior. They implied that Whites who shared the same land base were destined for the same fate.