What does moving art entail?

The process of moving fine art is largely dependent on the size and value of the piece. However, Elliott’s art relocation team approaches every move, whether large or small, with the same professionalism and proficiency.

Just like great art is a one-of-a-kind, so is every relocation

Every relocation, whether of your art or your household items, begins with a comprehensive survey of the items to be moved. It is crucial that every artwork be available for viewing when our consultants are on site so that an accurate quotation and moving plan can be provided. If an item is missed and crates are custom built off site, the item may not fit in any of the prebuilt crates and may not be able to be moved with the consignment. Where crates are built on site, our team may not have sufficient crating materials for unplanned builds. This causes unnecessary delays and adds to the financial stress of the move. 

How is my artwork packed?

Elliott offers a white glove art moving service. This means that the team is trained in packing, wrapping, crating, loading, transporting, and storing artworks according to ICEFAT’s global standards. 

Wrapping and packing

Elliott follows the highest packing standard for packing artwork in Africa. If a solid crate is required, the following process is followed:

Paintings and framed artworks are wrapped with white paper (tissue paper) and aerothene (a durable anti-static material). Once wrapped, the artwork is layered with a cardboard flat sheet for additional support. Flat sheets create a box around the piece ensuring the work’s protection. Once the box or crate is built, foam or polystyrene is inserted for additional reinforcement. Foam is almost exclusively used for heavier artwork. 

Skeleton crates are an economical alternative to solid crates for national moves where artworks are not exceptionally large or heavy. Unlike solid crates that are always built off site, skeleton crates can be built on site. Skeleton crates are made with timber planks and offer sufficient reinforcement for smaller artworks. Skeleton crates are not used for moving artworks internationally or paintings that exceed 4m x 3.5m.

What about crating sculptures and consolidating pieces?

Sculptures are wrapped and placed in a solid crate. Where a number of sculptures are the same size, crates are custom built with compartments that house each sculpture within a cubicle in one crate. Paintings of the same size, usually 1.2m x 1m or smaller, can also be crated in one crate to a maximum of 5 (five) paintings. During the initial survey, Elliott’s sales consultant will advise which items can be consolidated in one crate, and which should be crated individually. Artworks that are too large to be crated on site will be wrapped and moved to our warehouse for crating. 

Moving fine art internationally

Moving art across international borders requires careful planning. Our team will ensure that they understand the nature of the move so that they are prepared for the packing, moving, and documentation required for the international movement of art. 

How Elliott moves art overseas

• It is important to keep in mind that frequent handling of crates such as during the various stages of an international move increases the risk of damage to the items. All artworks are therefore moved in solid crates to ensure their safety when they are being moved overseas. 
• To avoid delays at customs, a shipping invoice that consists of an image of the artwork, a full description, and its value accompanies each piece. When customs agents require a piece to be evaluated the item can quickly be located and viewed.
• Artworks that move overseas but are expected to return to South Africa require a DA65. This document is a passport for your piece and allows for its reimport into South Africa without customs charges. A DA65 can be used globally where artworks travel to various museums and exhibitions abroad over a period of months or even years.
• When importing an artwork temporarily into South Africa, Elliott will load a Provisional Payment (PP) at SARS. The customer makes the payment to Elliott, and SARS processes a refund when the artwork leaves the country, usually within 3 and 6 months from the date of export. 

Elliott’s tips for a stress-free move of fine art

• If you are taking your own insurance, whether moving artworks nationally or internationally, we advise confirming with your insurer that your items are covered specifically for “All Risk”. 
• During the pre-move survey, Elliott’s team will document the placement of each artwork and plan for its packing in sequence. We advise against removing the artworks from their original location in an attempt to assist the packing team.   
• When providing measurements for artworks, please consult with your sales consultant so that crates that are built from your measurements take into account the size of the piece after wrapping. Elliott’s team however prefers to take measurements of all the artworks that must be moved during the pre-move survey. 
• We also recommend not attempting to cover artworks with bubble wrap or any other household packing materials. Our team is fully prepared for the move and they will need to remove your wrapping. Materials like bubble wrap, for example, can leave marks on frames, glass, and the artwork itself and is not recommended for professional art moving.