The five pillars, applied to a real rug.
Every RUG Index valuation is produced by the same reproducible formula — no subjective judgment, no hidden factors. Without a shared formula, two qualified appraisers can land far apart on the same rug — see why appraisals differ between appraisers.
The five pillars, applied to a real rug.
| Region Group | Includes | Multiplier Range |
|---|---|---|
| Persian Workshop Cities | Tabriz, Isfahan, Kashan, Nain, Qom | 2.4×–3.2× |
| Appraiser assigns city-specific multiplier based on verified attribution. | ||
| Persian Village & Tribal | Heriz, Kerman, Sarouk, Bijar, Qashqai, Bakhtiari, Kurdish, Gabbeh, and others | 1.0×–1.9× |
| Turkish | Hereke, Oushak, Kayseri, Konya, Gördes, Bergama, and others | 1.0×–3.4× |
| Hereke silk pieces command the highest multiplier in this category. | ||
| Caucasian | Kazak, Karabagh, Shirvan, Kuba, Baku, Talish, and others | 1.2×–1.7× |
| Central Asian & Afghan | Afghan, Bukhara, Tekke, Yomut, Ersari, Baluch, Pakistani, and others | 1.0×–1.6× |
| Indian | Agra, Jaipur, Kashmir, Indo-Persian, Mughal antique, and others | 0.8×–2.0× |
| Chinese & East Asian | Antique Chinese, Ningxia, Peking, Tibetan, and others | 1.0×–2.0× |
| North African & European | Moroccan tribal, Egyptian, French Savonnerie, Spanish antique, and others | 0.9×–2.2× |
| Specialty Techniques | Kilim, Soumak, Flatweave, Needlepoint, Hooked | 0.7×–1.0× |
| Unknown / Unattributed | — | 1.0× |
| Conservative baseline applied pending verification. | ||
Certified appraisals use city-specific and workshop-specific origin keys from The RUG Index's 106-entry origin taxonomy. The ranges above represent each category's span. The appraiser's attribution determination is the authoritative input.
The appraiser assigns a single condition grade based on direct evaluation of the submitted photographs. The grade reflects overall condition considering pile wear, structural integrity, repairs, staining, fading, and other observable factors.
| Grade | Label | Multiplier | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Mint / Showroom | 1.00× | No wear, no repairs, full even pile, original condition |
| B | Excellent | 0.85× | Full to slightly reduced pile from normal use, minimal fading, repairs noted if present |
| C | Good | 0.70× | Moderate pile wear and minor fading in traffic areas, repairs noted if present, foundation sound |
| D | Fair | 0.50× | Substantial pile loss and noticeable fading from significant use, foundation condition noted case-by-case |
| E | Poor | 0.30× | Extensive wear, damage, or deterioration; substantial pile loss; professional conservation recommended |
| F | Damaged | 0.15× | Structural damage materially affecting integrity and value |
Note: The self-serve Valuation Snapshot tool uses a structured damage selector (10 damage categories with severity levels) to derive a condition grade. See the Valuation Snapshot Methodology for details.
Certified Appraisal ($175) and Legal, Estate or Tax Appraisal ($295): No confidence band is shown — the appraiser's professional judgment produces a point estimate, not a formula range.
Valuation Snapshot ($35, self-serve tool): Uses a confidence band based on how many inputs are known. See the Valuation Snapshot Methodology for details.
Want to see this standard applied to a real rug? View a sample Certified Appraisal report →
Scope: Hand-knotted and hand-woven rugs and textiles. Remote appraisal from submitted photographs.
Full origin table expanded to include all major weaving regions. Condition grading section clarified to reflect direct professional assessment. Scope statement added.
Initial publication.