In this blog, we’re getting to the bottom of why shipping paintings isn’t as simple as it seems.
If you’ve ever marvelled at a priceless painting hung in a gallery or ogled pieces at an auction house, you might have overlooked one critical detail: how these works travel safely from one location to the next.
Fine art transportation isn’t exactly straightforward… You can’t just place them in a box, organise a courier, and hope for the best. It is a scrupulous process that requires thorough planning, high security, precision, and care.
Here at Aardvark, we have a built reputation for being reliable and secure transportation specialists across the UK. We work with numerous galleries, museums, auctioneers, private collectors, and artists, and therefore understand the complexities and risks involved with shipping high-value pieces. Here’s why shipping paintings isn’t as simple as it seems.
Why Shipping Paintings Isn’t As Simple As It Seems
1. Fragile Pieces
We know first-hand that the value of paintings is more than just painting on a canvas. The art itself holds immense value, not to mention its ageing beauty, the delicate nature of materials, and intricate, ornate frames.
Moving these immensely fragile works can be a meticulous process. The smallest jolt, sun exposure, layering of dust, or fluctuation in temperature can cause irreversible damage.
Despite being common materials used by artists, paints, textiles, and colour pigments are designed to naturally break down over time. The degradation of materials must be factored into how they are stored and handled.
The condition of art will determine its value. This makes our role ever more important, as we preserve the history, integrity, and value of the artwork we handle. We take the time to understand the handling requirements for art and deploy regularity measures such as climate-controlled vehicles and shock-absorbent packaging.
Find out more about how to protect your collection during transportation.
2. Perfect Packaging
Packaging fine art and antiques is a science and art in and of itself. It takes skill, expertise and access to specific packing materials. Run-of-the-mill materials won’t do when it comes to packaging priceless artworks.
Some pieces have intricate shapes, requiring custom packaging. Others require pH-controlled packing paper to maintain the colour pigments and prevent scratches (glassine paper).
To protect works in transit, here at Aardvark, we use custom-built crates, surrounded by shock absorbers and bumpers. While for some pieces, bubble wrap does the trick, for more delicate works, it can leave marks or cause sweating.
3. The Importance Of Insurance
As a fine art shipping service, it is our job to put as many measures in place as possible to protect your pieces. However, even with all these assurances, we would always recommend insuring your art and antiques when shipping.
While Aardvark offers Goods In Transit (GIT) insurance for your property, covering lost, damaged or stolen goods, we still recommend insuring your art and antiques before handing them to us. This will ensure they are fully protected, whether they’re on the road or hung up in a gallery. Find out more about art insurance and how we can help here.
4. Environmental Challenges
Another factor impacting why shipping paintings isn’t as simple as it seems is the environment.
External environments can be a tricky one to manage- but not for us. Fine art is incredibly sensitive to the environment. Temperature, humidity, light, and dust all pose a significant challenge. While in transit, it is paramount that your paintings be shielded from external hazards.
To manage this, we equip all our transportation vehicles with climate control systems. And we ensure our packaging is sealed effectively with pH-controlled materials. We don’t overlook a single detail and will consider any environmental challenge when shipping your art.
5. Expertise You Can Trust
Art and antique transportation services have the refined expertise to ship your paintings with confidence. A standard courier service will not have the necessary skills or awareness as the trained professionals we hire to handle the unique needs of your piece.
The logistics and safety procedures involved with moving priceless art pieces require expertise you can trust. Aardvark has lived up to the task for over 25 years, delivering art nationwide and establishing trusted relationships with countless clients, galleries, and auction houses.
With a strong network and decades of experience, Aardvark can guarantee a seamless and stress-free experience.
Why Shipping Paintings Can Be Simple With Aardvark
Shipping paintings isn’t as simple as it seems, but it can be with Aardvark.
Art transportation can be a complex process that demands specialised care, meticulous planning, and a deep understanding of the unique challenges involved. We go above and beyond for our clients, so shipping paintings is as straightforward as possible.
If you would like to know more about us, follow this link.
Need to ship paintings with a service you can trust? Contact us today and we will do the rest. You can call us on 01253 794673 or email us at [email protected].