Packing antiques and artwork for a move

Antiques and artwork need slower, more careful handling than the rest of a move. A little preparation protects the pieces you care about most.

Make a list first

Walk round and list the pieces that worry you: paintings, mirrors, antique furniture, ceramics, clocks and anything irreplaceable. Show the list at the survey so each piece gets its own plan.

How fragile pieces should be wrapped

• Each piece wrapped and padded on its own, never loose in a box with other items.
• Glazed pictures and mirrors protected on the face and corners and carried upright.
• Drawers and doors on antique furniture secured so they cannot swing open.
• Detachable parts, such as table legs or clock pendulums, removed and packed separately where they are designed to come off.

Photographs and condition notes

Photograph valuable pieces before the move. It gives you a record of their condition and helps with any insurance questions later.

Large collections

Moving a whole collection is slow, deliberate work. One client trusted us with almost 200 works of art in a single move, and each piece was handled on its own terms.