An Oregon City Woolen Mills blanket from the 1920s offers an unusual turquoise color palette.

An atypical Scandinavian-looking design highlights this early 1900s example from Oregon City Woolen Mills.

In excellent condition, this Pendleton weaving dates from the 1920s.

Made by Schuler & Benninghofen Woolen Mill Co., this Apache pattern blanket measures 6' x 7', making it larger than many.















THINGS TO CONSIDER
Price: You can purchase a new Indian blanket from Pendleton for around $200. If you crave a vintage blanket, however, Barry Friedman says pre-1942 blankets start at $500 and climb from there, depending on condition, pattern, age, manufacturer and rarity. He notes the most expensive blanket sold was a Pendleton—circa 1904—for $10,000.
Label: Labels were not always sewn on; Friedman explains that some manufacturers attached a paper or cardboard label that usually was discarded by the buyer. “Most veteran collectors consider a label a bonus rather than a necessity and do not pay a huge premium because the label remains,” says Friedman.
Ownership: On reservations, trade blankets were common utilitarian items that were used until they wore out. Therefore, very few early trade blankets originating from Native American sources have survived. Blankets sold to the public at large, however, are almost universally the ones that have entered the collectors’ market.

WHAT TO AVOID
Shrinkage: “This is the real value killer,” says Friedman. Lay a blanket flat on the floor; if the edges ripple, the blanket has shrunk.
Damage: Hold a blanket to bright light and flaws such as holes or considerable wear will be readily visible. Blankets with major damage should be avoided.

WHERE TO FIND THEM
Current designs: Pendleton Woolen Mills is the only company currently making Indian trade blankets. Go to pendleton-usa.com.
Vintage blankets: Friedman has bought and sold more than 26,000 blankets over his 40 years of trading; visit his Web site at barryfriedmanblankets.com. Another dealer is Cindy Rennels of Clinton, Oklahoma, cindysantiquequilts.com. Arizona galleries such as Jonathan Day Indian Arts in Flagstaff and Morning Star Traders in Tucson also carry the blankets. In addition, Friedman encourages novice collectors to visit the High Noon Western Americana Show & Auction, highnoon.com, which is held each winter in Phoenix.