Transporting fine art collections safely is a crucial step in expanding your personal and professional artistic endeavors. Whether you’re a casual collector or have a network of connections, ensuring your art arrives in one piece is imperative. Even the slightest nick can diminish the value of your collection.
Discover how to properly transport fine art collections.
Avoid Bargain Shopping
Although it can be important to shop around, you don’t want to settle for the cheapest option just to save a few dollars. According to the Conservation Register, the biggest problem collectors run into during this transportation process is the risk of breakage, tears, and smudges. Things like fingerprints, chemical and light exposure, and food stains are also common problems. Generally, these issues arise when collectors choose a method solely focused on cutting costs. Cut the risk of damaging your collections by working with the right fine art logistics professionals.
Crate Collections for Transportation
Transporting painting collections can be very tricky. Whether you’re moving framed or unframed pieces to a new location, you must avoid directly touching the artwork. Moisture can also be a big problem. It’s important to wrap your frameless collections in acid-free protection and crate your framed paintings.
Sculptures are even more delicate collections to transport. These pieces have unique shapes and corners that often require special internal supports, consideration of weight distribution and more. This is why crating is a great option for both paintings and sculptures.
The biggest benefit of crating your collections is the ability to customize them. At ArtWork FAS, we know that every piece of art is unique and believe your crates should be too. We recommend using a custom crate lined with additional support for your collections for optimal preservation during transport.
Utilize Private Delivery
In addition to ensuring your collections are properly packaged for transportation, you need to determine which delivery method is best. For traveling along the West Coast and Pacific Northwest, we recommend taking advantage of an art shuttle. Shuttles like those at ArtWork FAS head out bi-weekly to deliver a variety of pieces and collections to their new destinations. If you’re looking for an economical method, shuttles are the optimal choice for you.
If you have a larger collection or want a more white-glove service, you want to consider an exclusive fine art delivery option. This method allows for you to have a truck all your own and a team of drivers solely dedicated to your collection. This method is extremely convenient especially if you live in rural areas or destinations that are not on shuttle routes.
When transporting an art collection, there are many moving parts. From packaging, loading, and unloading, it’s crucial that you choose a professional art handler with experience.
Do you need help transporting your fine art collections? Contact us for an estimate.
Specialized Knowledge From Our Experts
For nearly 30 years, Art Work Fine Art Services has served as the trusted logistics partner to some of America’s most highly-regarded museums, galleries, collectors, and artists. We specialize in expert and custom solutions for domestic and international shipping, warehousing, and preservation of artwork.
Our team is made up of passionate experts in many mediums, including design, painting, printmaking, carpentry, photography, and sculpture. Art Work FAS offers services in Portland and Seattle, in addition to California’s Bay Area and Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, New York City, and across the Rocky Mountains.
To request an estimate or find out more about the services Art Work Fine Art Services offers, contact us.