OPEN/EXHIBITION

Stephen Waite and Oliver Reed have been transporting fine art and antiques within the UK and throughout Europe for more than 10 years.  I caught up with Steve and asked him to share some of their experiences and tips for moving and transporting artwork, whether to an Open Exhibition, a gallery or from the studio to your customers

OE: You move all types of art and antiques, from small paintings to large sculptures. What piece has presented the biggest challenge and how did you cope with it?

SW: There have been many challenges over the years but the one that springs to mind most was a very large totem pole that was located in a mews house rear garden and could not be brought through the house as it was simply too large & heavy, and there wasn't any access to rear garden. Nobody seemed to know how it got into the garden in the first place, not even the present owner. The only option available was  to negotiate a large mobile crane down a very small street, and lift the pole over the top of the house and onto he back of a flat-bed vehicle. Obviously we had to ensure that the straps were correctly positioned on the pole to avoid damage but also to avoid it slipping during the lifting process. It created a lot of local interest at the time, and it turned out the totem pole was unique and was sold at Sotheby's.

OE: Even for the most experienced professionals sometimes things go wrong. I remember reading about a large painting at the Tate being dropped from its frame as it was being hung. Any disasters or close calls that you care to share? What were the lessons learned and what would you say are the most important things to take into account when transporting work?

SW: We had a very last minute removal of large gilt framed mirror from a house in Eaton Square. It looked like a fairly simple job, lift the mirror from the wall and place it into a wooden travel frame. Unfortunately once we had it in our hands and away from the hooks holding it on the wall parts of the frame started to ping off. It must have been on the wall for over 60 years and was so brittle. In hind site we should have secured batons behind the mirror before attempting to move it. They would have sturdy the back board and kept the mirror more rigid during the handling process.

OE: What about insuring art work, I know for example that many general courier companies exclude artwork from their coverage or refuse to insure against glass.

SW: Any item that is being transported should be insured. If required we can arrange comprehensive insurance cover. We can quote in advance and offer very competitive rates. If clients discover that their item is damaged they should notify us or their insurer immediately. They should take photographs of the damaged area and of the item as a whole. They should also photograph the packaging and look for any signs of damage in the packing. If they notice upon delivery that the packaging is damaged they should make a remark on the delivery note before accepting the delivery.

OE: Many artists transport their own work or rely on general couriers rather than art transport specialists. What advise can you give them about wrapping and preparing their work so it has the best chance of arriving safely?

SW: Objects should be very well wrapped in tissue and air-cap (bubble). They should be placed into a carton with at least two inches of dense foam lining. Any voids between package and carton should be filled with poly-chips or scrunched tissue to stop the object moving whilst it is in transit. If the item is very valuable or fragile we would recommend that the carton in then packed into a foam or polystyrene lined wooden case.

Paintings that are framed should be wrapped with a cushioned wrapping material similar to Furni-soft. It's a laminated bubble wrap with thin foam lining.

Unframed paintings should be wrapped in glacine (non-stick paper that you get in photograph albums) and then in the wrapping material. Try to avoid standard bubble paper unless it is the heavy duty type.

If the painting is unframed and has thick lumps of painting on the surface that could easily be damaged you could consider a travel frame. The worked would be secured into the frame with batons or mirror plates. The depth of the frame exceeds the depth of the painting and therefore nothing touches the surface. You can transport the work in this frame if you use a Fine Art carrier, but if you are using a commercial carrier the frame has to be packed into a wooden case. An example of a travel frame can be seen on our website under the 'packing' tab.

OE: I see on your website there is a list of packing materials, what are some of their uses, and which would you say are the most important. ... I wouldn't know for example if it was best to use bubble wrap with big bubbles or small bubbles, or if I should put the bubbles facing out or against the canvas?

OE: Is there a product that won't stick to paintings that haven't cured completely, if some one must transport an oil painting or a painting where the varnish may still be soft what should they do to protect the surface?

SW: Please try not to send paintings that are not totally dry. Tyvek is used by restorers and glacine is a non-stick product but you couldn't guarantee that it would remove or smudge paint upon unwrapping. If you know for sure that the surface it still tacky we would definitely recommend using the travel frame method. That way nothing touches the surface of the work.

OE:  What other tips and suggestions can you offer?

SW: Always make sure that anything you send in is well packed and is secure in the packaging. If it can move it will get damaged. Prepare your paperwork properly. Any item being shipped through a customs control border requires an invoice showing shipper, consignee, full description, value, and original art work declaration.

OE: If you need professional assistance to transport or move your work you will find expert assistance by ringing Sterling Arts Services at 01753 699750 or going online to www.sterlingartservices.co.uk