Shipping Fine Art

Good fine art moving starts with a clear description of each work. Before you request a price, measure every piece at its outside edges, frame included, and estimate the weight of anything sculptural. Note whether a framed work is glazed with glass or acrylic, whether the frame is original or valuable in itself, and whether a sculpture lifts off its base or plinth.

Photograph each work front and back, close enough to show the current surface, edges and corners, and keep those images with any appraisal, invoice or provenance papers. If a painting is freshly finished, tell us how recently, since oil paint takes months to cure fully. Please do not wrap paintings in plastic yourself; leave the packing to us so nothing is pressed against the surface.

Our Fine Art Packing and Shipping Process

Every shipment follows the same five steps, from the first price to the hand-off at the other end.

• Price it: enter your works in the online estimator at shipsmart.com/estimate, or call (866) 333-8018. Our team answers Monday to Friday from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific, and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Pacific.
• Pick a date: pickups are scheduled 2 to 10 business days after you book. A same-week pickup is often possible, though extra fees may apply. If a work has to arrive before an exhibition opens or a house sale closes, book at least 10 days out.
• Pickup: every estimate includes white glove pickup from the first floor of your home, studio or gallery. Call (866) 333-8018 to check access at your building before you book.
• Packing: professional art packing services are included with every shipment. Custom crating is available for fragile and high-value work.
• On the road and delivery: the shipment moves through our network of 300+ partner locations, with local partners at both ends. At the far end you choose Will-Call at the destination terminal (the lowest price), Curbside Delivery to the nearest accessible point, or Full Service, which brings the work inside.

Which Works Usually Need a Custom Crate

Crating adds a layer of protection, so it is worth knowing which works need it. These are the details our team will ask about:

• Oil and acrylic paintings on canvas: the painted surface is the weak point, so nothing may rest against it. Large stretched canvases are also easy to puncture.
• Prints, drawings, photographs and watercolors under glass: glass is one of the classic reasons to crate, and acrylic glazing scratches easily.
• Bronze, stone and resin sculpture: the weight is concentrated in the body, but thin points such as hands, horns and finials are fragile. Tell us the approximate weight and whether the base detaches.
• Ceramics and art glass: high value for their size and unforgiving of a knock, so they are prime candidates for a crate.
• Carved or gilded frames: the frame can be worth as much as the picture, and gesso chips at the corners.

What Sets the Price of a Fine Art Shipment

The packed weight of the shipment and the room it occupies in the trailer set the base. Distance and the delivery option you choose change the total too.

For a sense of scale, about 500 lbs of goods (a few furniture pieces and some boxes) costs between $600 and $1,650 across our published routes. Your own price comes from the estimator. If you prefer to pay over time, financing is available through Enhancify.