Why The RUG Index

San Francisco’s rug market — and why standardized appraisals matter

San Francisco has an unusual rug market for a U.S. metro of its size, with two distinct collector bases. The first is the long-established Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights households, where antique Persian, Turkish, and Caucasian rugs have moved through Victorian and Edwardian houses for over a century. The second is the more recent tech-executive demand for both contemporary design pieces and museum-grade Asian rugs (particularly Tibetan and Khotan) that has reshaped Peninsula collecting since the late 1990s.

We work with Bay Area estate attorneys on large-trust estates that frequently include rugs as a significant personal-property line item, with private-banking and family-office clients needing scheduled appraisals for fine-art riders, and with individual collectors preparing pieces for Bonhams San Francisco or Clars Auction Gallery. Our reports are formatted to meet documentation requirements commonly requested by carriers and probate courts; acceptance is subject to individual requirements.

Insurance valuations for San Francisco 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 San Francisco collections

Persian City Rugs

Tabriz, Isfahan, Kashan — common in Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights

Tibetan & Khotan

Antique Tibetan and East Turkestan pieces — signature Bay Area collector category

Caucasian Antiques

Kazak, Shirvan — long-held Victorian-house collections

Turkish Oushak

Late 19th-century pieces in Atherton and Hillsborough estates

Contemporary Design

Tibetan-knot and modern Persian workshop in tech-executive homes

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 San Francisco

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

San Francisco rug appraisal questions

Not yet. Our remote Digital and Certified appraisals serve the Bay Area today — submit photos and receive a signed PDF by email. An in-person RICA appraiser for the Bay Area 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.

Oriental rug appraisal in San Francisco