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Navajo Rug Auction
Provides Rare Opportunity to Purchase Original Weavings at the Autry National
Center
Saturday, April 5, 2008 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Preview and Appraisal Clinic Appraisals
Free for Autry members
$10 per rug for nonmembers
Free admission
Sunday, April 6, 2008 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Preview
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm: Lecture by Bruce Burnham /
“The Story of Navajo Rugs”
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm: Auction Free admission
 Participate
in an authentic Navajo rug auction in the style of those at Crownpoint, New
Mexico. Now in its seventh year, the Autry National Center’s Navajo Rug
Auction is the only auction of its kind in Southern California. It is presented
by Bruce Burnham of R. B. Burnham and Company—a leading trader based in
Sanders, Arizona. For the first time, the auction will also feature a lecture by
Burnham and a Navajo rug appraisal clinic.
This year, the April auction takes place at the Autry National Center, which
is celebrating 20 years in Griffith Park. The appraisal clinic on Saturday,
April 5, is free for Autry National Center members and available to all other
visitors at $10 per rug. There is a four-rug limit, and appointments can be made
by calling 323.667.2000, ext. 232. Bruce Burnham will discuss “The Story of
Navajo Rugs” on Sunday, April 6, at noon. The free seating is on a first-come,
first-served basis.
Navajo weaving styles are distinctly regional, and each rug reflects the
individuality of its creator. Weaving families, who have passed the tradition
down, often rely on their own resources, raising the sheep themselves, shearing
and carding the wool, and using locally gathered vegetable pigments to dye the
wool.
Auctions play a critical part in the Navajo weaving tradition by extending
the market for the rugs beyond the walls of regional trading posts. Weavings for
every budget will be offered, from first weavings of the young masters of
tomorrow to a special selection of older, highly collectible works. The Autry is
proud to bring the Navajo Rug Auction and its wonderful works of art to Southern
California.
About R. B. Burnham
The Burnham Family has been trading with Native peoples in the Southwestern
United States for four generations. Their trading post serves as a support
center for weavers by stocking supplies as well as offering trading
opportunities. Over the past 30 years, the Burnhams have been credited with
helping to develop several weaving styles, including the revival of the
Germantown style, named for the colorful wool that was originally brought to the
Navajo weavers from mills in Germantown, Pennsylvania.
About the Autry National Center
The Autry National Center is an intercultural history center that includes the
Southwest Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of the American West
(formerly the Autry Museum of Western Heritage), and the Institute for the Study
of the American West. Each institution maintains its individual identity;
however, the convergence of resources allows us to expand our understanding of
the diverse peoples of the American West, connecting the past with the present
to inform our shared future. The Autry National Center’s executive offices are
located in Griffith Park.
Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027
323.667.2000 www.autrynationalcenter.org
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