Just some nice pieces to look at. The Ernest Begay squash is in a case at Cameron Trading Post in Cameron, AZ…a beauty! We stopped there on vacation a couple weeks ago.
Then this collection of things was in my local shop… Garrett’s Antiques and Indian Shop in Charlotte. So many great items here in this picture alone , but particularly loved the rougher nature and pure color of the stones of the squash.
Love Cameron’s Trading Post, have quite a few things from there. If anyone is out that way, the hotel is a lovely place to stay. Hope you had a great trip!
Lucky you, Xtina. Love that place. Agree that the hotel is quite nice, and so reasonable. But let’s get real, it’s all about the best-ever Navajo tacos in the restaurant. 
OK, and the blue corn pancakes for breakfast.
Cameron’s inventory has changed dramatically over the years, now vastly more weighted toward tchotchkes. Twenty years ago or so they were a great resource for tons of quality Navajo rugs and Pueblo pottery, far less so today. The collector room is still amazing.
Hmmm. Last time I was there was 2018, and I still enjoyed their small pawn section. I bought what I felt was a lovely little ring. Most of what I’ve gotten there was pawn, except my favorite Hopi earrings, and a nice smallish Santa Clara pot (those were bought quite awhile ago though). I do agree the collector room is amazing, but out of my price range.
The food, yes, yum. Can’t remember what I had except that it involved a lot of red and green chile.
When I first went there, in I think 2000, I bought a contemporary Two Grey Hills tapestry rug and a small, superb Santa Clara pot. My impression was that they just don’t have the volume and selection now of non-jewelry treasures (we were there in Sept. 2022). I was especially surprised at the rugs dept. being vastly smaller.
A little off topic but we also heard that the now-relocated Tuba City Trading Post has radically changed in a similar way. Back in the day it really was a Navajo pawn trading post.
That’s kind of a bummer. I’ve never visited that trading post. Not sure why, mostly because I think we were short on time every time we drove through the area. Like I’ve said on here before, so many of my favorite places have changed hands and are not what they were, or closed. I’ve mentioned many times on here the place called Four Winds Traders in Flagstaff that was amazing. I stumbled on it in 1990. It was on Rt 66, but a bit away from the other tourist shops. The owner was wonderful, and spent so much time informing me about Native American jewelry. If I remember right, pretty much everything in the store was pawn, including saddles and guns. In all the times I visited there (over a course of about 10 yrs), I saw very few other anglos; most customers were Navajo. Unfortunately when we back went back in the mid 2000’s it had changed hands and wasn’t anything like previously. I haven’t gone back since.
We’ve all heard “you can’t go home again”. Well, its true. I’ve tried several times and each time a disappointment. Too many changes over the years. I think as time goes on the changes and disappearances are also more frequent than back in the more “stable” days when you could count on something still being there. And I heartily agree with @Ziacat, not worth going back. Just my opinion.
The Tuba City post was extremely interesting years back, because it was my first experience of a truly old-timey trader situation involving pawn. Local Navajo folks and others milled around, some preparing to pawn or redeem. Tourism wasn’t its main concern. I saw my first “dinner plate” Zuni turquoise cluster pin there, close to 5" across and spectacular. Or 4", anyway. The other object I’d never seen before that was in the pawn case was a silver crown from a Navajo pageant. So cool. Did pick up two beautiful old Navajo wedding baskets and a smaller turquoise cluster bracelet for my daughter.
We had a wonderful time visiting Arizona… We drove all over so did not get to stay there in Cameron, and merely visited the store and restaurant. Yes, the Navajo taco was awesome! We also bought some prickly pear jelly.
Yes, the place is definitely changed since I visited there back in 2006. More touristy and store does sell a lot of touristy things, but they still have a nice jewelry and rug selection, albeit I seem to recall more rugs and pottery last time. They’re still is a pretty decent sized pawn section. Very much enjoyed moving through the display cabinets and the staff there were very helpful and catering to my wanting to see everything! Haha
I know this is an older post, but I was talking with the shop owner in Mancos, CO, Kelly, she said she grew up in a trading post in Tuba City. She and her mom moved the shop a few times and is now located in Mancos. She has some amazing NA items. Her shop is Kilgore American Indian Art. Wonder if she is the Tuba City TP you’re speaking about? 
Tuba City’s trading post was legendary, and probably the one she meant. I’m still sorry I didn’t get out there to see the new version last year.
Seems like most of the things we remember fondly have or are changing, and unfortunately not in a good way.
