Why The RUG Index

Los Angeles’s rug market — and why standardized appraisals matter

Los Angeles has one of the densest concentrations of fine Persian rugs in the country, driven by the largest Iranian-American community in the United States. A great many of these pieces — particularly pre-Revolution Tabriz, Kashan, Qom, and Isfahan rugs — were brought to LA between 1979 and the early 1990s, and are now antique-grade. Most are significantly under-insured today because the original owner’s policy still reflects the cost basis from a generation ago, not the current retail-replacement value.

We work regularly with LA interior designers staging high-value homes (where a current appraisal becomes part of the property file), estate attorneys managing celebrity and entertainment-industry estates, and individual collectors in the Persian community who need scheduled appraisals for insurance. Our reports are formatted to meet documentation requirements commonly requested by carriers and probate courts; acceptance is subject to individual requirements.

Insurance valuations for Los Angeles collectors

The most common gap we see is insurance under-coverage. A rug purchased two or three decades ago at fair market is now often worth 3–6× its original price at retail-replacement — the figure your insurer actually needs. A current RUG Index appraisal corrects the schedule before a loss event. Formatted to meet documentation requirements commonly requested by U.S. insurance carriers. Acceptance is subject to individual carrier requirements and policy terms.

Estate & probate appraisals nationwide

For collections inherited or being settled in California, our Legal/Estate report ($150) is a USPAP appraisal report formatted for potential use in probate proceedings and IRS filings; admissibility and acceptance are determined solely by the court or agency. The signed PDF is delivered remotely.

Common rug types in Los Angeles collections

Persian City Rugs

Tabriz, Isfahan, Kashan, Qom — the dominant category in LA collections

Heriz & Serapi

Common room-size pieces in Brentwood, Hancock Park, and Pasadena homes

Persian Tribal & Village

Bakhtiari, Qashqai, Heriz tribal — frequent in long-held family collections

Modern Persian (post-1980)

Workshop pieces from Tabriz and Nain in interior-design installations

Turkish & Caucasian

Hereke silks and antique Caucasians in Beverly Hills and Bel Air

How It Works

Four steps from booking to report — from anywhere in California

Our Digital and Certified appraisals are 100% remote. Submit photos and rug details online; we handle the rest.

1

Submit photos online

Upload clear photos of your rug — top surface, back, fringes, and a tape measure for scale. Fill in dimensions and known history.

2

RICA appraiser evaluates

A RICA-certified appraiser applies the five-pillar RUG Index formula to your rug’s origin, material, age, condition, and knot density.

3

Report prepared

Your USPAP-compliant report is signed and includes four certified value outputs: resale, insurance, retail, and auction estimate.

4

PDF delivered by email

3–5 business days for Digital and Certified. Legal/Estate reports prioritized in 1–2 business days when needed.

Pricing

Three report types — all available remotely in Los Angeles

No travel fee, no in-person required. Same prices as anywhere else in the U.S.

Digital

$35

100% remote, photo-based · Five-pillar grading · Value range output · Digital PDF in 3–5 days · Best for resale and quick reference

Certified

$95

Everything in Digital · Comparable sales analysis · Four certified value outputs · USPAP appraisal report · Formatted for carrier documentation requirements

Legal / Estate

$150

Everything in Certified · USPAP-formatted for legal use · Formatted for IRS Form 8283 · Wet signature · Admissibility determined by the court

FAQ

Los Angeles rug appraisal questions

Not yet. Our remote Digital and Certified appraisals serve Los Angeles collectors today — submit photos and receive a signed PDF in 3–5 business days. An in-person RICA appraiser for the LA basin is on the expansion roadmap.

You upload clear photos of your rug — the entire top surface, the back, any damage or repairs, and a tape measure laid across the rug for scale. Submit your rug’s dimensions and any known history (where it was purchased, when, and any documentation). A RICA-certified appraiser reviews the submission, applies the five-pillar formula, and prepares your signed PDF report. Most clients receive their report within 3–5 business days.

Our Certified and Legal/Estate reports are USPAP appraisal reports formatted with the insurance replacement value and retail replacement cost that underwriters typically request to schedule personal property. Formatted to meet documentation requirements commonly requested by U.S. insurance carriers. Acceptance is subject to individual carrier requirements and policy terms.

Yes. Our Legal/Estate report ($150) is a USPAP appraisal report formatted for potential use in probate proceedings; admissibility is determined solely by the court. This includes California. The report meets USPAP Standard 7 for personal property appraisal and includes the qualified-appraisal language required by the IRS for Form 8283 charitable-donation deductions over $5,000.

For high-value antique pieces, we offer a video review call as part of the Certified and Legal/Estate tiers — the appraiser walks you through specific angles, knot-back close-ups, and provenance markers. This is included at no additional cost. For collections of 5+ rugs or unusually valuable single pieces, contact us to discuss a tailored on-site arrangement.

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