Rug Appraisal in San Diego, by a Family of Rug Dealers Since 1956
People bring us a rug for appraisal when they need it covered. The most common reason is insurance. A fine handmade rug is worth more than a standard homeowner policy assumes, and to schedule it properly, or to settle a claim after a flood, a fire or a theft, an insurer wants a document that states what the rug is and what it is worth.
The Zeytounian family has bought, sold, washed and repaired rugs since 1956, first in Lebanon and now in San Diego under the third generation, brothers Anthony and Alexander. Reading a rug is the daily work of that trade. When you handle thousands of pieces, you learn quickly what a rug is, what it took to make, and what the market pays for it.
What happens on the inspection table
The appraisal itself happens on the inspection table. We turn the rug over and read the back, where the knots, the foundation and the true colors show plainly. We count the knot density, look at how the pile is tied, check the foundation fibers, and study the dyes for the small shifts of tone that hand dyeing leaves and machine work does not.
From that reading comes a written document: where the rug was made, roughly when, what it is made of, the condition it is in, and a replacement value figure you can give to an insurer or an estate. Estimates are free, and if the rug is hard to move we can arrange a pickup.