Articles on fine art storage, preservation, packing, transportation, and care. From the people who handle your collection every day.
Three-dimensional works fail differently than paintings. How to handle, mount, and store sculpture, ceramics, bronze, and stone, with material-specific care and the case for custom mounts over shelf storage.
Read the ArticleWhen a collector dies, the art is frozen in place until probate concludes. A complete guide to neutral storage, appraisal for Form 706, chain of custody, and protecting value while the estate settles.
Read the ArticleLight is the slowest threat to a fine art collection and the most invisible. A practical guide for collectors on UV, infrared, and visible-light damage, how to measure exposure in a home with a smartphone, window film and LED choices, hanging rules, and when professional storage is the right answer.
Read the ArticleWhat happens to a collection during the short, high-risk window of a renovation, party, or staging, and how to protect it. Why a remodel threatens art even without touching it, a pre-renovation checklist, what professional short-term storage should provide, and how to time the art out of harm's way.
Read the ArticleA practical reference for collectors who handle artwork at home, between rooms, or in preparation for transit. Supplies to keep on hand, two-person lifting rules, wrapping order for short-distance moves, climate and temperature windows for transit, and the threshold at which a professional handler should be brought in.
Read the ArticleA comprehensive guide for collectors planning an interstate art move. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules, climate planning for the road, fine art transit insurance, IRS Form 8283 considerations for out-of-state donations, and a practical checklist for evaluating a fine art carrier before signing a bill of lading.
Read the ArticleFrame and canvas form a single mechanical system, and the way each one ages affects the other. A practical inspection routine for collectors and gallery owners, what to look for from the front and the reverse, how to clean a frame without damaging the painting, and when to call a conservator.
Read the ArticleLos Angeles is famous for its sunshine, but the city's humidity changes throughout the year in ways that can quietly damage a painting over time. This piece walks through what humidity swings do to a canvas, what the museum standard looks like, five practical steps to protect artwork at home, and when professional storage is worth the investment.
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