The fine art market is broad and diverse; art owners may have extensive collections spanning paintings, sculptures, and collectible furniture. So, who should you hire if you need to move the entire collection to another place? Here, the art shipping company vs. moving company dilemma surfaces – which one can handle all tasks well? Or is there one option that can address both needs?
What Does an Art Shipping Company Do?
Art shipping companies mostly deal with the safe transportation of delicate, fragile art objects and antiques. Their clientele includes auction houses, museums, private collectors, estate managers, artists, and galleries. The service range typically spans onsite packaging, custom crating, short-distance and long-distance transportation using specialized vehicles, art installation and deinstallation, climate-controlled storage, and fine art insurance. Some companies also provide international freight coordination services and customs brokerage for cross-border art deliveries.
Services of a Moving Company
A general-purpose moving company typically handles the relocation of homes, offices, and commercial premises. Its benefits include lower prices and efficiency in dealing with moving projects of any volume. The core competencies of such companies cover packing, loading, transportation, and unloading large quantities of regular household or office goods.
Solving the Art Shipping Company vs. Moving Company Dilemma
Now that you know the art shipping company vs. moving company service difference, you can choose the right option for your transportation project. If you’re moving items of significant monetary or emotional value, it’s better to hire an art shipper to handle these objects with proper regard for safety. The same applies to museum loans and exhibition transfers, estate clearances involving a fine art collection, and climate-sensitive art transportation – each of these project types requires a specialized art shipping company. A moving company will do for whole-home and office relocations, furniture of standard, non-antique value, and commercial or office moves.
If you’re relocating and need moving services at scale, it’s better to divide the items into two categories – low-risk, general-purpose freight and high-value, fragile freight. The first part can be delegated to a moving company, which also takes care of safety and comprehensive packaging, but may lack the expertise for fine art management in transit. The high-value portion of the freight may be assigned to a professional fine art logistics company, thus securing your financial interests and protecting invaluable cultural heritage.