A remarkable 19th-century Navajo textile achieved $217,600 at Freeman’s September 2026 Native American Art auction, highlighting continued demand for historically significant Indigenous American art and exceptional examples of traditional craftsmanship.
The Navajo Late Classic “Claflin” Serape, dating to circa 1860, is distinguished by its sophisticated weaving and striking palette of cochineal red, cream, indigo and turquoise. Beyond its artistic quality, the textile carries an exceptional history of ownership that connects it to prominent American collectors and the early documentation of Native American material culture.
The serape was reportedly collected by Eliza Hosmer during her travels in New Mexico in 1890 before entering the collection of Boston collector William Claflin in 1932. It subsequently remained within the Claflin family, preserving an important record of private collecting across generations.
The result was among the highlights of Freeman’s September Native American Art auctions, which achieved a combined total of approximately $1.3 million. The sales also demonstrated the depth of the market for significant private collections, including the Larry Ness Collection of Native American Photography, which achieved a 100% sell-through rate.
The sale underscores Freeman’s longstanding expertise in Native American art and material culture, as well as the importance of provenance, scholarship and specialist knowledge in bringing exceptional works to the international collecting market.
For Freeman’s, the result represents more than a strong auction price: it is a testament to the enduring cultural, historical and artistic significance of Native American objects and the collectors who have preserved them.
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