Vicky Blair (left) and Virginia Burnham flash their bidder numbers at Saturday's Friends of Hubbell Auction.

Last Saturday’s Friends of Hubbell Native American Arts Auction was nothing short of a standing room only, no holds barred success as 450 lots of exquisite original art were presented to the audience.  There was a very low percentage of no-sale items and Friends of Hubbell reported an estimated sales total of just under $200,000,  not quite a record but tantalizingly close.  We have selected the pictures for an album presentation for you and will have them posted later this week when the captioning is completed, but we had to post this great picture of Vicky Blair and Virginia Burnham right away!

We’ll be trying to help the Friends of Hubbell break that record again on September 17, 2011.  If you’d like to stop by and help us, click here for more details on the auction.

Once again, ahé’hee (thank you from the bottom of our hearts).

Weaver Ella Mae Nez with her latest weaving inspired by her serivce in the Middle East.

In 2009, Ella Mae Nez amazed us with an enchanting Burntwater rug based on Persian carpet patterns that she had photographed during her tour of duty in Iraq.  The rug won Best in Class at the 2009 Inter-tribal Ceremonial.  Today, she came in with a sister to it that is every bit as amazing, but is larger by about one third.   It is woven with Burnham’s Wilde and Wooley Trading Post yarn in size 1 and is 76 inches wide (7 feet, 4 inches) and 102 inches long (8 feet, 6 inches).   It is an intricate double diamond pattern beautifully bordered with medallions in pink, blues, violets and literally dozens of coordinating colors that merge in Ella’s vision to create a unique blend of Navajo weaving heritage with the textile traditions of the Middle East.  It is a testament to the ability of the Navajo people to recognize, treasure and create beauty no matter where they find themselves in the world

You can see the rug on the floor of our gallery below with Ella Mae and her son seated on the gallery couch to provide some scale.  It is completely floor worthy with an appropriate pad.  Please contact us if you would like additional pictures and we’ll get them right out to you.   The rug is priced at $17,500 and is available for purchase through our online store.

Hank Blair (left) and Bill Malone at a trader's gathering in 2009.

On a morning in June  2004 a 140 year long tradition of Indian trading at Hubbell Trading Post was transformed over the course of a few hours.  Federal agents awakened trader Bill Malone and presented him with search warrants authorizing the seizure of evidence relating to charges that included mail fraud, embezzlement and rackteering.   Over the next three years, Bill would exhaust his personal savings in defending himself against these charges before ultimately being exonerated on all of them.

The story of the investigation, written by retired NPS agent Paul Berkowitz, who conducted the part of the investigation that resulted in all charges being dropped, would make a compelling whistle blower movie plot.  This, however, is no movie.  The central focus of the story, Billy Malone is a world renowned expert in the Native American arts of the Southwest, with a trading career spanning four decades and more than 20 years as the trader at Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site.  Bill ran the trading post at Hubbell as trading posts had always been run; he let artists have credit, he took goods on consignment, he gave weavers a six pack of soda when he bought a rug,  When the trading post couldn’t buy a rug or a piece of jewelry, Bill might buy it himself.  By 2004, he had amassed a collection of over 500 rugs and 6000 pieces of jewelry, all of which was seized on that day in June.

Author Berkowitz explains the complex legal, personal and cultural aspects of this story in a way that we think is compelling and fascinating.   As Bruce says, “The whole thing is indicative of how modern business has moved on and left Indian trading behind.  It’s a well written book and so relevant to what’s going on in trading today.”   We are proud to offer this University of New Mexico publication at 34.95 plus shipping.  Click here to order your copy.

The Museum of Northern Arizona Rug Auction, previously scheduled on June 4, has been re-scheduled for June 11. All other details of the auction remain the same. The venue is the beautiful and comfortable Coconino Cetner for the Arts, located at 2300 N. Fort Valley Rd. in Flagstaff, Arizona. You’ll find the Center on your right as you travel north of Flagstaff on Route 180 towards the Grand Canyon. The auction preview will begin at 9 AM and will continue until 1 PM. The auction will begin at 2 PM. Remember that Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, so all of the times given are Mountain Standard Time. During Daylight Savings Time, it is one hour earlier in Flagstaff than it is in Albuquerque or on the Navajo Nation. To view the auction listing, click here.

We hope to see you in Flagstaff on June 11 and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience that this date change may cause.