Shipping Antiques And Artwork by Hannah Alvis
When shipping antique items, the process can be quite long in order to protect the antique. It is recommended that first, you have the appraised, this could come in handy down the road in case of damage. After getting the item appraised one should then take pictures of the antique, making sure to capture every angle. This is an important step so one can document the condition of the item prior to shipping. Both appraising and getting photos taking are important steps to follow before your antique is shipped, to ensure no damage is done while traveling. If what you are shipping has drawers, they should be checked beforehand and emptied. If there are any belongings left inside other than the item, it will weigh more and the loose item inside will be free to rattle around, which could cause damage like scrapes and dents to the interior. If your antique has drawers or delicate parts one should inform the movers, so they can use extra precautions when packing. When securing doors and drawers avoid using tape. The tape is sticky, which can often leave a residue. It also has the potential to ruin the finish on the object. More experienced shippers will use vacuum-tight sealed bags, but rubber bands in order to secure drawers and doors will work just as well.
When packing antiques, it is understandable to want to save money by reusing old boxes or materials, that you have laying around. In fact, doing these things may make it easier for ones valuable to break. Some packing materials that are safe to reuse are packing peanuts and bubble wrap. Materials that aren't as safe to use are old newspapers, food wrappers, and non conventional boxes. Once you choose what you are going to use to fill the box. It is important to see what box is going to be used. For example, it makes no sense to ship a long-chained necklace in a bulky oversized box. By doing this it could get tangled and damaged which could ruin its worth. One should also keep in mind that the packing chosen should be able to protect the antique from being jostled or even smashed by heavier loads. If one can help it, make sure to mention to your service provider that it is light and breakable. More commonly people mark their boxes as fragile to elaborate the importance of it being carefully within the packed box. Shipping antiques can be a long process, that requires a lot of work, to ensure that your antique is taken care of.
When shipping artwork you must take a similar process. In order to protect your item and ensure that it stays in perfect condition upon arrival. Start the process off right by measuring your artwork. This seems easy enough, and it very well is, but it is crucial. This is because you must order the right size box or shipping tube if preferred, so your piece of art will be protected.
After determining the size you must then weigh it to determine the price of shipping. As well as calculate its dimensional weight. This is also important because the billed weight will be greater than both. Picking a container can be difficult, so here are some tips to make it easier. Any unframed and framed artwork that is larger than forty-eight by forty-eight if unframed and eighteen by twenty-four if framed should be placed in a crate. You can build your own or take it to a shipping company and they will create it. Smaller artwork should be shipped in double wall boxes, that will allow padding on all sides as well as minimize movement while maximizing protection.
If the artwork can be rolled then it should be placed in a tube, with four inches extra on each side so that it will allow for padding as well. In all packages no matter the method padding should be provided by using cardboard, foam, bubble wrap, or cloth. Artwork unframed should be covered with glassine paper. This is supposed to prevent dust and moisture from getting to the art. If the painting is framed artist tape should be put in the shape of an x on the glass, this is to ensure that if the glass were to break it would not tear or damage the art.
Something that should not go unnoticed is the corners that are very susceptible to damage. All corners should be covered in cardboard covers. Another technique that is used to protect artwork is called the sandwich. This is when foam boards are on both sides to avoid damage. The final process, when packaged, would be to secure the box type you chose for your item with packing tape. You should cover all seams on top as well as the bottom. the ideal tape is pressure sensitive poly tape that measures at least two inches wide and is strong. Extra precaution can be taken by placing extra strips of tape across the box or tube. By following this guide, you will have a successful shipping experience.