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The photographs used here were provided past Alban Aircraft

Most shipping companies offering full packing, storage and international shipping services, while many have at present gone a step further and offering bonded warehouse facilities, free from duty and VAT.

From both a dealer's and collector's bespeak of view, this can be a secure and cost-effective mode of storing items over a period of fourth dimension while consolidating a larger assignment for shipping.

However, if yous talk to dealers, competitive pricing - provided the service is reliable - still comes peak of the listing. With margins to consider, that's hardly surprising, but shippers' clients also need to be aware that cutting corners to get a cheap bargain may eventually come at a far greater cost.

Mark Dodgson, Secretary General of the British Antique Dealers' Clan (BADA), argues that a reliable insurance policy, whether organised direct or through your shipper, needs to exist copperbottomed.

It'south a concern that his members take raised on more than one occasion, and it's a view echoed by LAPADA, who note that some shippers now allow clients to organise their own insurance. If you lot do, though, it's essential that your policy meets the shipper'south terms and conditions… and vice versa.

A list of shippers can be found on this website, merely both associations also publish lists of recommended shippers on their websites.

What makes a Skillful Shipper?

Technological Advancements

The Export Expert

Usa Regulations for Sea Freight

Checklist for Transit - the Insurer'south View

What makes a Skillful Shipper?

"Members find that service levels can vary considerably betwixt shippers and carriers," says Mr Dodgson.

"What may seem like a like company, with a similar quote, may often provide a very different level of service, usually dependent on the quality of management, and not just on the staff doing the manual labour.

"Shippers with their ain offices in pop overseas destinations (such as New York) seem to provide a better service than those shipping to those destinations. This is considering there is a named individual with whom the customer can liaise directly when problems ascend."

Mr Dodgson and his members too believe that the personality and 'can do' attitude of the staff makes a big difference also in the interface between dealer and shipper.

"Fifty-fifty bug such as how a wrapping service at fairs is operated tin can be crucial. Some carriers/shippers insist on charging greenbacks to wrap goods at fairs, rather than putting information technology on account. When a dealer is at a fair it can exist very inconvenient to start rummaging around for payment.

"Other shippers with a presence at fairs have been known not to wrap items for dealers, leaving the dealer on their hands and knees with bubblewrap in front of a valued customer."

Technological Advancements

When information technology comes to packing and shipping, technology and service has moved on at such a pace over the past few years that information technology seems our possessions travel more than comfortably and securely than we practise.

For instance, acid-gratuitous tissue, moulded cream and double boxing are simply iii methods of packing that ensure art and antiques remain impairment-gratuitous throughout transit.

So what sort of service can one await these days, whether as a dealer or collector?

Things have moved on quite a bit from the brown paper, string and sealing wax days of promise-for-the-best. And with what many shippers see as a shrinking market, they have had to diversify, developing new services such as high security, climate-controlled, long-term storage.

Some even offer this with 24- 60 minutes access for clients who get their ain key. Such facilities open up up all sorts of opportunities to dealers who trade in several countries and do not want the expense of setting up a gallery in each, merely who besides practise not want to be forever filling out customs paperwork and paying for their stock to be transported from one port to another.

The Export Expert

Ron Tabor, managing director of Fine art- Plus shippers of Palmers Green, London, used to be the manager of the Export Licensing Branch. He believes that i of the biggest stumbling blocks for those because shipping is incorrect paperwork.

He advises clients to employ a competent professional to complete the paperwork for them, and to ensure that they have checked the post-obit:

■ Electric current exchange rates and values of items.

■ Regulations for the re-export of items being imported.

■ That there is clear evidence of items beingness exported, otherwise HMRC may revenue enhancement them anyway.

■ That your chosen courier company is covered for moving art and antiques. Some of the leading firms are not. Dealer associations BADA and LAPADA offer detailed communication on export terms and conditions via their websites.

In brief, cardinal facts to include the following:

■ There are two values above which a licence is required: that fix by the UK and that ready past the EU. The Great britain value applies to exports to another European union state. The lower of either the Britain or European union value applies to exports to a state outside the EU.

■ For the nigh function, objects over 50 years erstwhile, valued at £65,000 or more, need an export licence.

■ Certain objects crave a licence at lower thresholds. These include, but are not restricted to, photographs and arms and armour.

■ The threshold for paintings in oil or tempera is £180,000.

■ Firearms demand additional permissions.

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US Regulations for Sea Freight

Richard Edwards of Anglo Pacific International's Fine Art Division says that i of the most far-reaching changes recently has been the introduction past the Usa Government of further security restrictions on sea freight shipments, in the form of US Importer Security Filing 10+2.

"Although this was introduced in January 2009, it was not enforced until 2010, when greater scrutiny was applied and severe penalties imposed for failure to comply," he told ATG.

The minimum fine for breaching regulations is $5000, which is charged to the US import amanuensis. The problem is that the new restrictions add together essentially to the burden of paperwork.

"They come in addition to all the usual shipping documents that have e'er been provided, such as the loading manifest, bill of lading, certificate of origin so on. For shipments of personal effects, approval must be obtained from United states Customs at Felixstowe before the shipment may be loaded."

To practise this, clients accept to supply the shipper with their passport number or EIN/SSN number and photo identification. Then the shipper also has to supply their own engagement of birth and nationality, besides every bit the proper noun, address and telephone contact of the receiving party in the U.s..

That's not all. ISF 10+2 besides demands the post-obit information forevery consignment to the U.s.a.:

■ The name and address of the supplier or manufacturer.

■ The seller's name and address.

■ The heir-apparent's proper name and accost.

■ The name and address of the consignee.

■ The name and address of the container loading location.

■ The proper name and address of the party who loaded the container.

■ The IRS, EIN or SSN numbers for the party who volition pay The states import duties and taxes.

■ The IRS, EIN or SSN number for the person who volition pay shipping charges.

■ The country of industry, growth or product of each concrete item in the consignment.

■ The US Commodity number for the contents of the consignment.

"As you can imagine, this all takes time and adds a huge brunt of price to the assistants of even the virtually straightforward shipment, something that our clients observe difficult to understand," says Mr Edwards.

"Some clients are reluctant to provide all the data we have to supply; neverthelesswe are obliged to provide this service."

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Checklist for Transit - the Insurer's View

The globalisation of the art market and the ascent of the cyberspace accept made far-flung acquisitions possible. Need for rapid transportation of objects from city to city, state to country and continent to continent place an emphasis on acceptable packing methods and appropriate insurance embrace, says Alexander Rich, a manager of Richard Thompson Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Most insurance policies deport general transport weather condition requiring objects to be fairly packed and then as to "withstand normal handling during transit". Some policies go farther, stipulating that "insured property is packed and unpacked for transit by competent packers".

This type of clause doesn't require every item to exist packed to the highest professional standards (though insurers would like this), simply it does mean insurers will review the method of ship used if a merits is submitted.

The physical protection of an object through adequate packing and sensible labelling is the near of import thing that y'all tin can exercise to save time, money and aggravation. Skilful packing practices can establish your professional reputation. With some objects at present existence bought speculatively from minor 'thumbnail' images, adequate packing not only avoids the huge disappointment of dandy acquisitions arriving in pieces, but also circumvents disappointed buyers voiding transactions by stating that purchases arrived damaged.

Information technology is far more preferable for a work of art to go far safely than to accept to make a merits under an insurance policy which may accept other budgetary repercussions through increased premiums or excesses.

The post-obit prudent guidelines should ensure that you run into conditions and avoid insurance claims:

Physically protect objects by adequate packing:

■ Bubble-wrap alone, lined with acrid-free tissue, might be sufficient for a hand-carried journey beyond town, but would not be adequate for international postal dispatches.

■ Place small objects in much larger boxes than needed: there is less chance of a larger package getting lost in transit. Ideally, double-box items with a layer of foam chipping between.

■ Ensure that contents are non vulnerable to cutting when they are unwrapped. In particular, antiquarian books and canvas paintings should be sturdily wrapped to avoid their being slashed by box cutters during the opening procedure.

■ Always check for damage immediately upon arrival, ideally in front end of the delivery service: if this is not possible, write "unchecked" beside the details. It is non proficient practice to unwrap objects later on and notify those at fault weeks afterwards.

Labelling:

■ Make certain that packages are correctly labelled. Double-check addresses and post/zip codes and ensure that they are easy to read.

■ Exercise non write the value of the appurtenances on a parcel. If it is necessary to state a value for export purposes, ensure that this information is discreetly placed in an envelope on the side of a parcel.

■ If packages need to exist kept upright etc, then ensure that the correct centrality is clearly marked.

■ If yous are an antiques dealer or sending goods to an antiques shop or jeweller, avert labels that could emphasise the appurtenances inside.

■ Avoid the risk of 'signed for' packages being taken in by neighbours by stating that they are for named recipients only.

■ If using a courier or the post, use a monitored/tracked service.

Insurance:

■ Make sure you know who is responsible for insurance. If you are non confident nigh sending appurtenances to a item surface area, make certain that all costs go forwards and that insurance is the responsibleness of the addressee. Y'all practise not want damaged items returned if you did everything right.

■ If you are relying on a third political party's cover or on the insurance of a shipper and packer, courier or postal service, brand certain yous take read the Terms & Weather condition. They might not cover "unique" items (i.e.works of fine art), may just pay the cost of the loss or harm (with no "depreciation" comprehend), or but cover goods for a small corporeality of 'Standard Drawing Rights' [SDR'south] per kilo.

■ If you are using your own policy, make sure that you have sufficient comprehend. If you are using a courier or post, check whether these are appropriate for valuable objects.

■ If you are undertaking a transit yourself, avoid leaving objects in an unattended vehicle. Make certain that you lot know what the implications are if you lot do have to do this: many policies have an "Unattended Vehicles Clause" excluding cover or stipulating a limit and requiring a vehicle to be locked and alarmed and items to be kept out of view.

■ If you are mitt-carrying objects, make sure that you lot take bundled transport in accelerate and make certain that you lot are able to keep packages with you as hand baggage.