SERVICES
Free Fine Art Transit Assessments
We take great care to check every painting over ahead of its journey to avoid issues during transit. Each piece will be secured into its frame and assessed for stability. We have our own in-house team of trained conservators who can also restore a piece where required.
WHAT WE DO
We check the painting prior to shipping.
Does the frame have loose plaster?
Antique gilt frames invariably have pieces of loose plaster and/or loses. When left to their own devices, these can become detached during transit and rattle around in the box causing untold damage. We check every frame over ahead of its journey to ensure that it’s secure and ready to ship.
Are there areas of fragile paint?
If a painting is flaking, the vibrations caused during an overseas journey can be very troublesome. Our in-house team of conservators check every piece prior to packing and we’ll make recommendations when any remedial work is required.
Is the painting fastened into its frame?
It’s the simplest of all fixes but simply securing a painting into its frame with clips can save problems during a journey. Over the years, during our work in the art industry, we’ve received hundreds of works from overseas, which were not handled correctly.
THE FOUNDERS
Andrew & Holly
Committed to providing a professional industry-leading service.
The concept for Proartus stemmed from the combined efforts of Andrew Shield, a fine art dealer with eight years of experience handling over 2,000 works, and Holly Shield, a trained fine art conservator.
In today’s market, when paintings are shipped overseas extensively, all too often problems occur. Shippers very rarely have a background in fine art and, as such, fail to take proper precautions when packing. For instance, most antique paintings are sent without properly securing them into their frames, which leads to the canvas or panel, vibrating within the frame. This could cause scratches, from old nails, or worse, a tear in a canvas.
With a passion for antique fine art, and conservation more broadly, we’ve created a fine art shipping company that draws upon our combined experiences and removes the risk of shipping overseas.
