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New York City, NY

Oriental rug appraisal in New York City

For New York collectors, estate attorneys, and the auction-house circuit. Our Digital and Certified appraisals are 100% remote — submit photos from Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Hamptons, or anywhere in the tri-state area. Documented Valuation Estimates from $35 and USPAP appraisal reports from $95, delivered in 3–5 business days.

Why The RUG Index

New York City’s rug market — and why standardized appraisals matter

New York holds one of the largest and most active fine-rug markets in the country, anchored by the Manhattan auction houses, decades of dealer inventory along Madison Avenue and in TriBeCa, and the concentration of estate sales in the Hamptons and Westchester. The volume of antique Persian, Caucasian, and Turkish rugs that have changed hands through New York since the 1950s means that a meaningful portion of the current U.S. inventory of museum-grade pieces is held by New York households — often without current documentation.

Our most common engagements in New York are pre-auction valuations (collectors who want a calibrated reserve before consigning to Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Doyle, or Rago), insurance scheduling for fine-art riders, and Manhattan probate appraisals where the rug is one of several significant personal-property items in the inventory. The Certified and Legal/Estate reports are formatted to meet documentation requirements commonly requested by carriers and probate courts; acceptance is subject to individual requirements.

Insurance valuations for New York City 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 New York, 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 New York City collections
Persian City Rugs
Tabriz, Isfahan, Kashan, Qom — common in Manhattan and Westchester estates
Heriz & Serapi
Large room-size pieces frequent in pre-war townhouse collections
Caucasian & Tribal
Kazak, Shirvan, Karabakh — auction-grade pieces from estate consignments
Turkish & Hereke
Silk Hereke and Oushak found in Madison Avenue dealer-acquired collections
Indian Workshop
Agra, Jaipur — common in Hamptons and Connecticut homes
How It Works

Four steps from booking to report — from anywhere in New York

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 New York City

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

New York City rug appraisal questions

Not yet. Our Digital and Certified appraisals are fully remote and serve New York collectors today — submit photos and we issue the signed report by email. An in-person RICA appraiser network for the New York metro is on the roadmap as the RICA program expands.
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 New York. 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.

Book your New York City rug appraisal

Submit photos online and receive a certified report by email in 3–5 business days. Plans start at $35.

Questions? Contact us · See pricing details