Most people don’t think of Salt Lake City as a hub for oriental rug collecting. But according to Jossi Raffi Daghlian, one of the region’s foremost rug experts, Utah’s capital has quietly become one of the best places in the American West to find exceptional rugs.
“Salt Lake City has a sophisticated collector base that most people don’t know about,” explains Raffi. “The combination of affluent neighborhoods, a strong design community, and access to estate collections makes this a remarkable market.”
Raffi Daghlian has spent decades building relationships with collectors, dealers, and estates throughout the Intermountain West. His Salt Lake City showroom has become a destination for serious collectors who appreciate the combination of expert curation and personal service that Raffi provides.
The SLC rug market benefits from several unique factors: proximity to estate sales across Utah, Nevada, and Idaho; a growing population of design-conscious homeowners; and a business environment that supports specialty retail. For collectors willing to look beyond the traditional East Coast markets, Salt Lake City offers genuine opportunities.
“I’ve handled pieces here that would command attention in any major auction house,” says Raffi Daghlian. “The quality is here. You just need to know where to look — and that’s where I come in.”