Classic Chief's Blanket Variant

The earliest surviving Navajo blankets date to the late 18th century. A new boldness emerged in blanket design in the mid-19th century which is evidenced by a radical geometric treatment of the well-known Chief's Blanket. A part of this new boldness is also attributed to the introduction of bayeta, a red cochineal-dyed trade wool, to the region by 1825.

By 1850 the stark brown- or blue-on-white striped First-Phase Chief's Blanket became more complex as thin red stripes were added to the center and end bands of the textile. Color became even more important in Second-Phase Blankets with the addition of both thin red stripes and rectangular blocks within the center and end bands. The balanced design scheme of the Second-Phase Blanket was enhanced even further with the addition of enlarged terraced diamonds occupying the space where the rectangular blocks of the Second-Phase Blanket were placed. In some variations the diamonds would expand outside of the banded decoration to become the dominant elements in the overall design layout.

A number of variations of all three blanket phases are known. This blanket is a variation of a Second-Phase Chief's Blanket. The nine-block standard pattern is replaced by a red X motif employed with bars in-between. The use of red cochineal dye and a combination of brown and red native wool dates this piece to a period between 1855 and 1865.