I went during lunch today to look at the American Indian Art display for auction at Christie’s. I had been reading the catalog all weekend and there were so many things I wanted to see and get the chance to touch. When I went today they only had a few of the rugs on display, all of the rest had been taken away in preparation for the auction. I would have had to ask one of the specialists to bring me back into the rooms where the stuff was stored, and I figured I didn’t have enough time to do that, so I went back to work after seeing the rugs. I guess I am disappointed, I did really want to see the pottery. It would be up close with no glass between. There were some exceptionally beautiful rugs, though. This one in particular.

Estimate:
$25,000-35,000

A TLINGIT CEREMONIAL DANCE BLANKET, CHILCAT
of classic form, finger woven with commercial wool in yellow, blue, ivory and black, mountain goat’s wool and twisted cedar bark fiber, with a highly stylized totemic crest design, probably representing a killer whale, composed of typical conventionalized formline elements, a panel of long twisted fringe at bottom, smaller panels of twisted and plaited fringe along the sides, with tag sewn onto the reverse, inscribed, 1-82.5.21.2
Dimensions: 70 x 35 in. (177.8 x 88.9 cm.)