|  |   Native American Indian Trade BlanketsTrade blankets are the personal wraps of the old west that replaced hand loomed blankets worn by Native Americans as robes and used as dance wraps. Something of a status symbol they also came to be called chief's blankets because the chief's of the tribes would become known for the colorful trade blankets they wore. One of the most famous being Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce.
Trade blankets came to be famous and synonymous with Indian blankets as Europeans began to trade in North America. The story is quite interesting in that Native Americans were the prime inspiration for the designs and production of trade blankets as well as the main market for sales of the southwest blankets. The ironic twist is that Native Americans did not weave the blankets that came to be known as Indian blankets.
A trade blanket was made on a machine by large weaving companies for the express purpose of supplying the Indians with needed blankets. These blankets were then supplied to the frontier trading posts where the Native people would buy and trade for the blankets. Trade blankets were what the Native Americans wrapped themselves in instead of a modern coat or jacket. Trade blankets were small blankets that we might call a throw blanket, lap blanket or shawl.
Because the Indians were the primary buyers and traders purchasing and using the trade blankets, people began to refer to them as Indian blankets. The blankets were well made and evolved into patterns and designs that came to be identified with Native American blankets. All Americans began to love the lively look of the red and green, blue and black with white and other colorful accents.
The “Indian blankets” became sought after by people across the country being used as decorative couch or chair covers, accent pieces as well as for camping canoeing and a new pass time called motoring. The Indian trade blankets were perfect for covering ones legs exposed when riding on a wagon, sleigh or buggy, and later in the new horseless carriages. The Native Americans of the American west such as the Navajo weavers would actually trade their hand woven Navajo blankets which today are prized collector items, for the quality and warmth of the inexpensive trade blankets.
In the spirit of the trade blankets that made the old west warm and comfortable we offer these beautiful modern personal sized blankets for your use in southwest decorating, as well as cabin, lodge or ranch settings or in the special rustic or Native American room in your home. These western blankets are also great for keeping warm in outdoor sporting events, a personal cover for traveling in a car, a picnic blanket or interior decorating accent across a bed or chair. Made of durable acrylic each blanket measures 48" x 60".
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|  | |  | |  | Western Indian Style Trade Blanket 4x5
Weatern Indian trade blankets were a colorful part of the wild west shows of the early 20th century with performers such as Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickock of western legend. The show featuring Native Americans in full tribal dress and regalia, used the popular Indian blankets because they had become the national symbol of Native Americana. 4x5 | | Southwest Indian Trade Blanket 4x5
In the early 1900’s several large textile mills made Southwest Indian trade blankets a common western product in all of the frontier stores. Producing the blankets with a wide variety of Native images, symbols and designs, the traditional blanket size used in Navajo blankets woven on a vertical loom proved just right for all types of uses. 4x5 | | Southwestern Indian Pattern Trade Blanket 4x5
Southwestern Indian trade blankets emerged in the early 1900’s as fashionable decorator accessories. As women began to look to interior design, southwest décor and western designs were very popular. Some manufacturers such as pendelton made trade blankets a household word and one manufacturer went so far as to say that women prize them more than any other single decoration in their homes. 4x5 acrylic | | |  | |  | |  | Indian Style Trade Blanket 4x5
Native American Indian style trade blankets and textiles have always been items used in commerce and trade between tribes and merchants. The history of trade blankets dates to the 17th century when European traders first established trading posts in North America, especially the southwestern and western states. Replacing animal hide robes and woven handwoven blankets of previous generations the trade blanket became the symbol of Native American life. 4x5 acrylic | | Native American Style Trade Blanket 4x5
Native American trade blankets played a pivotal role in Native American culture of the southwest tribes. Indians have a rich tradition of weaving and for generations had furnished blankets for their families to wear as wraps or robes. Even though Native weavings such as Navajo blankets represented a rich heritage, the Navajo women began to weave their traditional blankets for outsiders. The new wave of comfort was the commercial trade blanket that they chose for themselves and their families. 4x5 acrylic | | Rustic Trading Post Blanket 4x5
Rustic trading post trade blankets were made commercially by large weaving companies to supply the needs of the American Indians. In Native economy, it was decorative cloth and clothing as well as decorative items the were traded for at frontier trading posts. While the painted buffalo robes and hand woven blankets of the Pueblo Indians as well as Navajo blankets were prized possessions, they gave way to the quality and warmth of the trade blanket. 4x5 acrylic | | |  | Western Frontier Trade Blanket 4x5
Many frontier trade blankets were made using patterns from Navajo blanket designs and became famous by companies like Pendleton. While each tribe had their favorite designs and colors it was common to see both Zuni, Hopi and Pueblo Indian men wearing the commercial trade blankets.4x5 acrylic | |
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