Inherited a rug? Here’s how to find out what you actually have.
Estate rugs are often more valuable — and more fragile — than their new owners realize. Here is the right way to handle them.
What to do in the first 48 hours
- Photograph the rug. Full surface from above, both sides, all four corners, any damage or staining. Date the photos. Your baseline for insurance and appraisal.
- Roll it properly if you need to move it. Pile side out, no tight rolls. Never fold — folds create permanent crease stress.
- Store flat or loosely rolled in a clean, dry room. Not a basement, not a garage. Concrete breathes moisture upward continuously.
- Don’t clean it yourself before assessment. A rug with unknown dye stability can be permanently damaged by well-intentioned cleaning.
- Don’t steam clean or take it to a carpet cleaning service. See why this matters →
- Don’t roll tightly in plastic. Plastic traps moisture. Moisture causes mold.
What kind of rug is it?
Hand-knotted vs hand-tufted vs machine-made
Turn the rug over. If the pattern is visible on the back with the same clarity as the front, it is probably hand-knotted — the most valuable construction. Canvas or felt backing means hand-tufted. Uniform woven texture with no individual knots means machine-made.
Wool vs silk
Rub a small section briskly with your palm for 10 seconds. Silk warms quickly and feels smooth. Wool stays cool and feels slightly rougher. Visible sheen that changes with viewing angle indicates silk content.
Age indicators
Natural dyes — madder reds, indigo blues, pomegranate golds — have a softness synthetic dyes don’t replicate. Abrash (subtle color variations) indicates hand-spun wool that took dye unevenly. Both are signs of significant age.
None of these observations replace a professional assessment. They give you a starting point.
Two paths depending on what you need
Free verbal consultation
If you want to know what you have before deciding anything else. Bobby reviews photos and gives you a ballpark: probable origin, age range, estimated condition. Informal, not a legal document.
RICA-certified written appraisal
For insurance, estate division, or potential sale. A formal written appraisal from Bobby Ahmadi includes condition assessment, provenance notes, market comparables, and a signed certificate verifiable on The RUG Index.
Four common scenarios
The rug needs cleaning
Many inherited rugs have been in storage for years. They need professional hand washing before assessment can be fully accurate. We clean first, then document.
The rug needs repair
Moth damage, fringe loss, and foundation stress are common in stored pieces. Many repairs that look significant are straightforward with the right skills.
The rug is going into an estate
For estate division or probate, a RICA-certified written appraisal establishes fair market value that holds up to IRS and court scrutiny.
You want to sell it
We can provide a pre-sale appraisal. We also have relationships with Hindman and Wright auction houses in Chicago if the piece warrants that channel.
Common questions
How do I know if an inherited rug is valuable?
Construction type and age are the primary value drivers. Hand-knotted rugs with natural dyes and wool or silk pile — particularly antique Persian, Turkish, or Caucasian pieces — have significant market value. A free verbal consultation with photos is the fastest way to get a preliminary read.
Do I need to bring the rug in for an assessment?
No. Send photos first. Bobby reviews them and advises whether an in-person assessment is warranted. Most initial assessments can be done from good photographs.
What if the rug needs cleaning before appraisal?
We can clean it first. Professional cleaning reveals the true colors and condition and allows a more accurate assessment. We document the pre-cleaning condition as well.
Can you help with estate division or probate paperwork?
Yes. A RICA-certified written appraisal from Bobby Ahmadi is accepted for probate, IRS charitable donation deductions, estate division, and insurance documentation.
Send Bobby a few photos.
Free written assessment within two hours. No commitment. We tell you what you have before you decide anything else.
The Rug Owner’s Care Guide
10 pages covering fiber care, rotation schedules, spill response, moth prevention, and when to call a professional. Written by Ghorban from 40 years of conservation work.