Wright's Collection of Indian Art - Albuquerque, New Mexico - Curio Shop with a Hundred-Year History

Wright's has been doing business in the Albuquerque area since 1907. It started with Charles Wright coming from Kansas and setting up the Indian Shop at Fred Harvey's Hotel, which later led to the establishment of El Curio, Wright's Indian Trading Post, downtown. The business remained in the Wright family until the 1950s, when it was sold to Sam and Marguerite Chernoff.

Today, the Chernoff's son-in-law, Wayne Bobrick, runs Wright's Collection of Indian Art, where he and his staff handpick the items on sale. Those include Native American Indian jewelry and pottery, kachina dolls, fetishes, sculptures, Zapotec rugs, Navajo folk art, masks, blown glass items, and much more. Gift items range in price from a few dollars up to $12,000 for original masterworks.

All of the merchandise here is handmade. Rigorous standards are applied to ensure that the various stones and metals are as represented, based upon purchasing practices and relationships with local artists that span three generations. The result is one of the largest inventories and finest collections of any Indian arts and crafts business in the Southwest.

Wright's Collection of Indian Art is located due east of UNM Hospital, just off Lomas Boulevard, at Suite 21, 1100 San Mateo Boulevard Northeast, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110-6486. Operating hours are from 10am to 5:30pm on Tuesday through Friday and until 5pm on Saturdays.