Worldwide Antique Shipping Services

Shipping antiques is never as simple as placing an item in a box and sending it on its way. These objects carry more than just monetary value; they are irreplaceable pieces of history. Whether you’re a private collector managing a personal archive or a dealer preparing for an international sale or exhibition, choosing the right antique shipping service is critical to safeguarding your investment.

At Constantine, we’ve been trusted by collectors, museums, and institutions for over a century to handle their most treasured possessions. Our antique art courier service combines expert craftsmanship, deep logistical knowledge, and global reach to ensure every piece arrives in perfect condition, wherever in the world it needs to go.

Core Components of a Secure Antique Shipping Service

Providing a truly secure antique shipping service means managing every detail from packing to paperwork with precision and care. At Constantine, we’ve refined each stage of the process to meet the highest standards in the industry, trusted by royal households, museums, and collectors worldwide.

1. Bespoke Packing and Crating

Antiques require more than standard packaging, as they demand tailored protection. Our in-house craftsmen build custom crates to museum specification, using only ISPM-15-compliant materials for international transit. Each piece is supported, cushioned, and stabilised to prevent movement and vibration throughout its journey.

2. Fine Art-Grade Transportation

We operate a dedicated fleet of climate-controlled, alarmed vehicles with air-ride suspension to ensure smooth fine art transport by road. For international shipments, we coordinate secure air freight with airside handling or sea freight for larger or heavier pieces; always with condition, timing, and budget in mind. Every step is monitored and our technicians oversee loading and unloading to minimise risk.

3. Customs Clearance Expertise

Navigating customs regulations is a critical part of international art shipping. Our dedicated customs team has decades of experience securing export licences, handling CITES permits and managing complex regimes like Temporary Admission and Returned Goods Relief. We also operate our own bonded Customs Warehouse, enabling faster clearance and more flexible shipping options.

4. Insurance and Risk Management

While we treat every item with the utmost care, we also prepare for the unexpected. Our antique shipping service includes access to comprehensive insurance solutions tailored to the specific value and nature of each object. From collection to final delivery, we manage risk proactively, giving our clients complete peace of mind.

Case in Point: The Silver Swan Adventure

A prime example of our antique shipping service in action is the transportation of the 18th-century Silver Swan for The Bowes Museum. This intricate mechanical masterpiece had not moved in over 125 years, making its temporary relocation to London’s Science Museum a significant logistical challenge.

Working closely with conservators, we carefully dismantled the swan and packed each component into bespoke, museum-grade crates. Our technicians oversaw every stage of the journey, from secure loading in County Durham to safe delivery and final installation in London. The project was so unique, it was filmed by the BBC for national broadcast.
This case highlights the precision, collaboration, and technical expertise required to move truly irreplaceable objects, qualities that define our antique shipping service.

Why Collectors and Dealers Trust Constantine

With over 140 years of heritage, we’ve built a reputation for reliability, discretion, and world-class service in the handling and shipping of rare and valuable items. Founded in 1885, we’ve remained family-owned for four generations, allowing us to uphold our values while continually investing in the latest equipment, training, and infrastructure.

Our Royal Warrant, granted by His Majesty the King, reflects our commitment to museum-grade standards across every aspect of our antique shipping service. From environmental controls and security protocols to documentation and handling, we operate to the same exacting standards as the world’s leading institutions.

But our service doesn’t stop at delivery. For clients who require secure storage or installation at their destination, we offer climate-controlled vaults, dedicated viewing spaces, and experienced art technicians ready to assist, ensuring your piece is safely handled and presented at every stage of its journey.

If you’re a collector or dealer looking for a secure, discreet, and globally trusted antique shipping service, we’re here to help. Whether you’re moving a single heirloom or coordinating a complex international shipment, our team will provide a tailored solution that ensures total peace of mind. Get in touch with us for more information.

FAQs

1. What makes antique shipping different from standard courier delivery?
Antiques are often mixed-material, fragile, and highly sensitive to vibration, temperature shifts, and poor handling. We treat shipping as a controlled process: assessment, condition reporting, bespoke packing or crating, secure transport, and documented handovers, with the right customs route where needed.

2. How do you pack and crate antiques for international movement?
We assess the object first (materials, weak points, any moving parts, existing repairs), then build protection around the risks: immobilisation, vibration control, and shock protection. For international movements using wooden packaging, crates typically need to meet ISPM-15 requirements, which is the recognised standard for most wood packaging material used to export goods.

3. Can you handle customs, CITES permits, and VAT planning?
Yes. Our in-house customs team supports import/export clearance and the right customs procedure for the purpose of the move (sale, loan, conservation, return). Where an object contains restricted materials (for example ivory, certain woods, tortoiseshell), CITES permits may be required, issued in the UK via APHA. We also plan VAT exposure using options like Temporary Admission where eligible.

4. Do you offer insurance for antiques in transit and in storage?
We can arrange specialist cover as part of the move, tailored to the object and the route, and aligned with the packing method and handling plan. The key is agreeing values and the scope of cover before collection, so there’s no ambiguity during transit or at handover.

5. Do you support one-off shipments and complex, high-profile moves?
Yes. We ship single objects and full collections, domestically and worldwide, by road, air, or sea, based on risk, timing, and budget. For complex projects, we build a documented plan and can provide courier support and supervised handling end-to-end. A good example is the The Bowes Museum’s Silver Swan move to the Science Museum, which was also filmed by the BBC.