What Teec Nos Pos Trading Post Actually Is
It is a working trading post on the Navajo Nation near Chinle, Arizona, right off Highway 191, a few miles from Canyon de Chelly National Monument. The place has been operating since the 1920s, mostly under the Begay family, and it functions as both a retail operation and a cultural hub. You go there to buy jewelry, pottery, rugs, silversmith work, and a few other pieces of Southwestern material culture. The inventory is not curated for tourists in the glossy way you see online. It is curated for people who know what they want or who are willing to spend time looking. I used to run supply orders through them when I was coordinating with Navajo artisans on a grant project back in the late 2010s. I would order directly from their catalog, which is more of a printed booklet you pick up at the post or email them a request for. They do not have a modern e-commerce checkout. I still remember one specific order for a set of squash blossom necklaces where the photos did not match the actual items that came. The stones looked different under natural light than they did in the catalog. I resolved it by calling the post directly and requesting to see the actual pieces before the shipment went out. They had a man named Al who handled the inventory calls, and he walked me through each item on a landline with about fifteen seconds of static between us. That is the level of process you are dealing with here.
Teec Nos Pos Trading Post: How to Navigate a Purchase or Visit
If you are ordering remotely, call during their hours, which are usually early morning through mid-afternoon, but confirm because the phone ring is sporadic depending on weather and staff schedules. You can reach them at (928) 674-3351. Ask for the current pricing sheet. Bring a list of exactly what you want, including size, stone type, and weight range if you are buying silverwork. They will quote you and tell you when it can ship. Shipping usually takes one to three weeks for domestic orders and longer for international. Payment methods vary. Some transactions go through bank transfer, some are cash on delivery, and some accept credit cards if you are dealing with a larger order. Do not send money without a written confirmation, even if it is just an email receipt. If you drive there, get there early. The post opens around nine in the morning and gets busy by eleven. The parking lot fills up. The staff hands you a price list. You browse. You ask questions. Prices are marked on tags but they are often handwritten and sometimes inaccurate for newer items. A good rule of thumb is to verify any price over two hundred dollars before you commit. Cash is accepted, but if you are buying more than five hundred dollars worth, a card is easier and they usually accommodate that. There is a common misconception that everything here is antique. It is not. A lot of the inventory is contemporary work made by Navajo and Hopi artisans. The older pieces are real and they are priced accordingly. A vintage sterling silver squash blossom from the mid-century can easily run four to eight thousand dollars depending on condition and quality. A modern piece might be eight hundred to two thousand. The difference is usually in the craftsmanship and the age of the stones. Look for turquoise that has a matrix pattern consistent with known mines. Boynton, Sleeping Beauty, and Bisbee are common references. If the stone looks too uniform or the matrix looks painted on, it probably is.
One edge case I ran into involved a rug I ordered. The photo showed a classic Two Grey Hills design with tight weaving and natural dyes. When it arrived, the colors were slightly off. Not wrong enough to be synthetic, but definitely not the exact palette from the image. I called the post, described the discrepancy, and they offered a partial refund. I kept the rug because the weave quality was still excellent. The lesson here is to describe the issue in writing and reference the original catalog photo if possible. They do respond to documented complaints. They also do not accept returns on custom or one-of-a-kind items once you leave the post, so inspect everything before you walk away. The post also serves as a resource for researchers and documentarians who need authentic material samples or photography references. If you are working on an academic project or a film, call ahead and ask about permissions and fees. They can usually accommodate you for a reasonable rate, but they expect you to explain exactly what you need. Vague requests get vague answers. Bottom line: Teec Nos Pos Trading Post is a legitimate operation with decades of history. It is not a museum gift shop and it is not a bargain outlet. It is a working business run by people who have been doing this for generations. If you go in with patience, a clear idea of what you want, and a willingness to deal with older communication styles, you will leave with something real.
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