Shipping art pieces is much more than loading them into a truck and bringing them to the destination point. Fine art shipping is a complex process aimed at ensuring that fragile and precious objects of art, such as oil paintings, sculptures, vintage furniture, etc., reach the customer unharmed. Below, you can find a description of the most popular services that shipping companies, such as Fine Art Shippers, provide to their clients.
Services Provided by Fine Art Shipping Companies
Packing
Packing is a crucial stage of fine art transportation. Art shipping companies evaluate the size, fragility, and shape of the art piece and choose the materials that will best protect it, from acid-free paper to specifically designed wooden crates. The Fine Art Shippers team takes pride in using the best-tested materials that protect the objects from humidity, light, and physical damage.
Logistics
Fine art transportation presupposes the design of the perfect route and transportation means. Shipping companies have a logistics team that can calculate the quickest and most cost-effective route. With Fine Art Shippers, you always get your art objects shipped via a secure, well-equipped, and climate-controlled art shuttle where art objects are held securely in ideal environmental conditions.
Insurance
The security aspect of fine art shipping is the most stressful, so transportation companies take this burden off the clients’ shoulders. For example, they can assist with purchasing suitable insurance coverage. They can also help with export/import customs clearance when international shipping is involved.
Storage
If you cannot ensure perfect conditions for your art pieces, art shipping companies can offer storage options. For instance, Fine Art Shippers has a museum-grade storage facility in New York, with 24/7 surveillance and climate control. Keeping your artwork in a specialized storage space will incur additional expenditures, but it is definitely worth it if you own valuable objects and cannot provide fully suitable storage conditions for them at the moment.
It is also important to note that the number and scope of services can be discussed for each particular case. For example, you may want to pack your belongings yourself and delegate transportation to the experts. The choice ultimately depends on your financial means, knowledge, amount of time, and personal preferences.
What’s Not Covered?
While companies such as Fine Art Shippers can be of great help to art collectors, they remain within their area of expertise – safe art handling and transportation. It means that additional services, such as assessment of the artwork’s value and light arrangement, are typically beyond the scope of the art shipping service.