Whether you buy or sell art across borders, it’s in your best interest to guarantee the total intactness of the shipped assets. Nobody wants to have their precious belongings damaged or lost in the delivery process, even if all emergencies are covered by art insurance. Thus, it’s important to approach international shipping with due care and understanding of the intricacies it may involve. How do you ship art internationally? What things do you need to take care of? Here is a full guide to organizing the process properly and safely.
What Does International Art Shipping Entail?
Sending or receiving your artwork across the border is more complicated than having it shipped from one city or state to another. Since it is an international delivery, you will need to deal with customs and provide the full package of documents for your shipment.
Besides, international logistics is often more complex than domestic delivery, and your artwork may change many hands in the process. Thus, it is imperative to package it safely, ensuring it avoids damage no matter how many checkpoints it has to go through.
Here are the main points to consider when planning an overseas shipment.
Thorough Packaging
Measure your artwork and choose a proper sturdy cardboard box for its initial packaging. Protect the surface with extra materials, which should be professional and non-adhesive. Ensure extra protection for glass-framed art. Fill all the voids and wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap. Finally, pack the artwork in a custom wooden crate. If you’re unsure about proper packaging, ask professionals to perform it.
Documentation
Arrange all the documents your artwork will need to cross the border. Depending on the country where you’re shipping art to and from, you may need a customs declaration, a commercial invoice, a VAT payment declaration, shipping insurance, etc.
Shipping Vendor
You may go for regular international shippers, like FedEx or UPS, but when it comes to art, it’s always safer to work with specialized teams. Talk to several art logistics service providers in your city and find the ones that may handle your artwork with due care.
Ship Art Internationally with Fine Art Shippers
Once you’re determined to send or receive artwork across the border, it’s vital to evaluate how much experience you have in this area. If you’re new to international shipping, a safe bet is to turn to seasoned professionals for a consultation or end-to-end shipping service.
At Fine Art Shippers, we ship art internationally on a regular basis and know all the nuances of art preparation, documentation, insurance, and proper handling throughout the process. Working with us, you preserve peace of mind and get a full guarantee of safe and timely shipping. Contact our representatives to learn all the details and book a safe trip for your precious art.