We get calls and emails regularly from customers looking for rates to ship artworks of certain sizes from point A (typically their gallery or studio location) to several sample point B’s. Their expectation is that the cost will vary relative to volume and distance shipped, yes? Well, maybe.

The art shipping business is, fundamentally, the “what if” business. Cost depends upon a great many variables, which is why we will ask you (sorry) a raft of questions before responding with an estimate. We are also in the disclaimer business, but will save that for a later blog.

The first and most important variable is: what are we shipping? For artworks of low or modest value which can be rolled and secured in sturdy tubes, or boxed or crated and sent via package service such as UPS or Federal Express, yes, it is possible to create what is essentially a “tariff” based on distance shipped.  The artworks needless to say have to be durable enough to survive freight handling unharmed.  This is not recommended for fragile, hinged or delicate works where damage could ensue if the packages are turned topsy turvy. They will be turned topsy turvy, and no number of “this way up” arrows and markings is going to change that.

For more valuable artworks, larger scale artworks, and for delicate works the answer is, well, sometimes. Most of the United States is served by a network of art shuttles; these are insurable carriers whose trucks and crew are trained and qualified to handle fine art. Artworks are hand carried, tied into the vehicle, and orientation markings are observed. In many cases the trucks are climate controlled as well. They typically run on a predetermined route and schedule with a couple of days spent in each city or region picking up and dropping off. Pricing is largely determined by volume and distance so you could, theoretically, develop a model for a “typical” box or crate to travel to multiple cities, for example. But here the words “schedule” and “city” are key.

If the destination is rural, or the artwork has to meet a deadline which does not conform to the shuttle schedule, then the cost goes off the tariff and into the “custom” bin. And the relationship of distance to cost? Can be totally undone. For example, on our Los Angeles to San Francisco shuttle we can ship a large 50 x 4 x 60″ softpacked painting from city center to city center for under $ 200. That’s a trip of about 380 miles, 6 -7 hours in a truck depending upon stops. But to deliver that same artwork to Palm Springs, roughly 110 miles, the rate is going to be $300 at least, and higher if a date and time specific service is requested. And to deliver that same painting from Los Angeles up the coast to what we call “far Malibu”, in traffic, could run the same $300 or higher, based on hourly rates. Why? The shuttle is a consolidated service and pools multiple orders to a common destination. The Palm Springs and Malibu deliveries are custom services or, if consolidated, carry only one or two orders at a time, so the cost to each customer is greater. And the same math holds true for regions around other major cities as well.

Furthermore, if our San Francisco shuttle goes “off route”, i.e. makes a stop far off one of the major highways, then the cost increases as well, sometimes considerably. It can cost hundreds of dollars extra to pick up from our artist customers in what we affectionately call the “troll and redwood” reaches of Northern California; unfortunately bucolic often equals big ticket.

So for predictability of cost and most economical rates, ship major city to major city, have a flexible schedule, and do your own packing where feasible. For the rest, contact a fine art shipping company for a custom quote.

Betsy Dorfman

Many self storage facilities boast in their advertising and signage that they offer “climate controlled” storage. Chances are, they don’t. As they tilt towards full disclosure, this is amended  to “air conditioned” or “temperature controlled,” which is closer to the truth. For those needing to store sensitive or high value goods, understanding this terminology is crucial to selecting the appropriate storage venue.

At FINE ART SHIPPING, like many fine art handlers, we offer a mix of storage options including museum standard climate control.

In our case this means a facility:

 – heated and cooled as needed 24/7 to maintain a temperature range of 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit year round

–  relative humidity maintained between 45-55 percent year round

–  sufficient equipment to provide redundancy should a system experience failure

–  internet display monitored from on or offsite with snapshot printouts of readings as needed

–  filtering “clean air” technology to remove impurities from circulating air

When comparing rates among “climate controlled” services it is important to have the facility in question provide their climate specifications. They may or may not meet museum, or your, standards. An “air conditioned” facility may air condition to a point above or below the ideal for paintings.

Air conditioning, as delicious as it is, is for people; full climate control with monitored air balance is needed for correct storage of old master and other sensitive paintings and commodities.

Many  warehouses such as ourselves offering true climate controlled storage also provide  a range of companion services such as crating, inventory management, condition reporting,  viewing rooms, shipping, and insurance.  Asking for references is a good idea; if museums store at the facility you are considering it is likely the real deal.

Betsy Dorfman

FINE ART SHIPPING

A recent Washington Post article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/07/AR2009010702804.html?referrer=emailarticle) notes that the coat President Lincoln was wearing when shot by actor John Wilkes Booth has been deemed too delicate to be placed on public display at historic Ford’s theater. So the public will get to see a “replica”, aka a fake, instead. With or without ersatz presidential bloodstains. However for a few special occasions each year the embroidered coat will be brought out from storage and exposed to the, apparently highly damaging, gaze of the great unwashed.

On the surface this seems to make sense, given that textile experts have expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the garment over time. I am not a textile expert but common sense suggests that it is in the nature of textiles to degrade. Hence, lint. But then comes this sentence: “But some textile conservators expressed concern, saying the coat was too old, too fragile and too famous for long-term display.” Really? In what way does being famous degrade an object? And even in storage the coat is still going to be old, and fragile, and valuable, these factors not being reversible.

There is just too much here in fact that does not make sense. First, current climate control technologies can protect all sort of objects from environmental insults, including light and atmospheric conditions. Museums do this all the time. In essence, the same conditions that will protect the item in storage can protect it while on public view. This has been done with rarities including, not far away, the U.S. Constitution which is on display at the National Archives in Washington DC. So the too delicate etc. argument is hooey.

Next comes the delicious part about bringing the bloodstained coat out of storage and putting it on display for special occasions such as the anniversary of Lincoln’s death. Again, really? Anyone in the fine art handling and shipping world, and all insurers of such commodities, can attest to the fact that objects are at increased risk each time they are moved and handled. Insurers correctly charge more to cover items in transit over items in stable storage. So in order to preserve the coat they are NOT going to house it in a permanent and stable display environment, they are going to pack and unpack it several times a year, schlep it to and fro from wherever and put it up on view for a day or a few days under conditions that are not going to be ideal.

The Theater is spending $50 million on a renovation which, when completed, will include a new gift shop but will not include a proper installation for climate controlled and secure display of arguably the single most historic artifact in their possession. And the one which, presumably, would draw the highest number of visitors to shop in the….you get the point.

For $50 million I suggest they take the whole theater apart and put it into storage for safekeeping. My company will be the first to offer space in our climate controlled warehouse to accommodate the pieces. Each piece will be numbered and the theater can be reassembled in the future when an enlightened public has reclaimed its history from the curators.

Betsy Dorfman

At FINE ART SHIPPING we specify in our estimates how a shipment will be transported, whether by air freight, ocean freight, van lines or other subcontracted trucking service, art shuttle, or exclusive use truck. The type of handing, equipment used, packing standard, security standard, and transit time is different for each of these modes of transport. In some cases the insurer of record may also have criteria that must be met in terms of security or handling. The more a customer understands the terminology the better so that there is a clear understanding of what service is being purchased and performed.

So, what is an ART SHUTTLE and why and when do I want to use one?

COMMODITIES :

Art shuttles are trucks specializing in handling artworks and sometimes antiques. They typically do not ship other commodities, general freight, or household goods. They are staffed by trained art handlers capable of packing and unpacking artworks and handling them appropriately at stops and within the truck. They are essential for transport of very high value and fragile works and are typically full service including the ability to pack, unpack, install, and insure artworks of all descriptions.

EQUIPMENT:

The art shuttle can be a tractor trailer sized truck operating nationwide or a smaller truck making more local or regional stops. Most art handling trucks are museum quality which means they have dual drivers, are climate controlled, and have air ride suspensions. Some art shuttles are not climatized or have only a single driver and in most cases the carrier will note this in their paperwork. Most art shuttle trucks also have logistics systems to assist with tying in and stabilizing packed works in the truck.

PACKING STANDARD:

Art shuttles are suitable for transport of softpacked or crated works. Most will have minimum packing standards and can upgrade packing to their standard or provide packing as needed. “Blanket wrapped” is really a furniture term and does not apply to art shuttles except in unusual circumstances. Art shuttles can be trusted to observe orientation (this way up, or ride flat) markings and will keep artworks properly oriented in transit.

ROUTES and SCHEDULING:

Most art shuttles operate on a route that is pre-scheduled between cities so that institutions and frequent shippers can plan ahead. The time in transit varies based on each shipment’s origin and delivery point. But as a rule of thumb most art shuttles take a week to two weeks to complete a route. This is therefore not a service that is going to work when items need to be moved in just a couple of days. Within their appointed schedules, also, timing may change by a day or so and customers need to have some flexibility in their receiving or releasing schedules. Most shuttles reserve the right to charge an additional fee for “first off” or “last on” or other custom timing requests.

HANDLING:

Many times customers assume that an “art shuttle” will not cross dock or handle a work more than twice: once when it is loaded and the second time when it is delivered. Well, maybe, but don’t count on it. An art shuttle is a consolidated service with items belonging to many customers commingled in the truck. As the truck makes its stops artworks are offloaded and others onloaded and space must be made accordingly. So it is likely that your shipment will be moved around, perhaps several times. Some carriers will cross dock as well which means transfer items from one truck to another at a regional hub. Art shuttles do an excellent job at this and problems are few. However if you have a shipment that can’t be handled several times or where the packing is insufficient for this, an exclusive use truck might be a safer choice.

INSURANCE:

Art shuttles can provide insurance in transit in most cases. Some have restrictions for items packed by the shipper. Insurance ,or declared valuation coverage as it is properly known, must be in place before the artwork is moved or handled. The value of the item or items must be stipulated and the coverage at the stated value will be noted on the related bill of lading. There is no “automatic” insurance except for what is essentially salvage value in some states.

SECURITY:

Most art shuttle trucks are equipped with GPS tracking devices and the trucks themselves have custom locking and other security measures installed as a part of their equipment. Many run “dual driver” trucks which means that the truck is staffed with two people, and in some cases the crew sleeps on board during cross country or longer routes. When in doubt, and if your insurer has specific requirements for coverage, the carrier involved can supply further details of their security arrangements. For ultra high value items an exclusive use truck with a courier on board, or with a security detail in accompanying vehicles, may be elected by the customer or insurer.

COST:

An art shuttle is a costly service due to the custom nature of the equipment and personnel involved. Operating costs are high and shuttles cannot cut corners without jeopardizing their reputation and the safety of the goods entrusted to their care. There is no such thing as a “discount” art shuttle. You wouldn’t want one if there were! Most shuttles charge a minimum and thereafter provide custom quotes based on the dimensions and number of the works to be transported, the locations to be served, and the precise services requested. Costs range from several hundred into the many thousands of dollars.

In figuring costs, mileage is not the most critical factor. Generally costs are most competitive between large markets. For example, it can be relatively affordable to ship a single painting from Los Angeles to New York. That same painting shipped far fewer miles from Los Angeles to a rural location in far northern California however would be considerably more expensive.

OVERVIEW:

So you want a fine art shuttle when you have a valuable or fragile artwork to ship, or one that must be climate controlled or kept in a specific orientation, or where packing, unpacking, installation or insurance is required enroute. A van line, moving company, or general trucker is not going to have trained personnel qualified to properly handle artworks and perform those related services. Art shuttles exist specifically to service this market for custom handling and transport of delicate goods.

WHEN IS AN ART SHUTTLE NOT AN ART SHUTTLE?

For purposes of comparing estimates between companies, always ask the type of service and specifically whether the quote is via art shuttle or some other type of trucking service. Most art shippers, including ourselves, will send shipments subcontracted to van lines or freight carriers as part of our normal constellation of services. There is nothing wrong with this so long as the customer understands the nature of the service and the packages and artworks themselves are suited to the chosen type of trucking and handling.

The term “art shuttle” does have a specific meaning, and it does not mean freight truck, air freight, common carrier, or van line trucking. Look for the terms “climate controlled”, “museum quality” and “air ride trucking” to be sure you are getting a true shuttle where this is needed. If an art services company won’t reveal the actual carrier or define the service in those terms then it is time to try another company who will.

Betsy Dorfman / Fine Art Shipping