Never before have the packing, transport and storage of works of art caused so many problems and posed such a challenge for transport companies as they do today. This is due to several reasons. One of them is that after World War II, there was an increase in turnover in the art market on an unprecedented scale and the associated development of the market. There has been an increased interest in acquiring works of art not only for collecting purposes, but also for investment, since the rate of return on investment in works of art is comparable at least to that of stocks, and sometimes even exceeds it.
This situation has led to an increase in the prices of works of art, especially in the last twenty years. All the more so because the supply of works of art is shrinking rapidly (which mainly applies to the market of old masters, impressionists, post-impressionists and modern classics) and, consequently, to an increase in the number of price records in all areas of the market. This, in turn, has forced market participants to pay more attention to the conditions and safety of transporting works of art so as not to damage valuable objects. Steve Guttman, an American collector of antique English furniture and contemporary art, mentions that thirty years ago he did not devote as much attention to the choice of a transport company, safety and conditions of transporting works of art as he does now. This was due to the fact that thirty years ago, works of art did not reach such prices on the market as they do today. Many private collectors thought, like Guttman, that these issues should only be considered by museums that have many valuable objects in their collections. He also states that in the past, there was a lack of companies specializing in the transport of works of art, which can also be explained by the lower level of art prices than today. Racine Berkow, owner of a New York-based company coordinating international shipping of works of art, even asks market participants what is the point of spending 50,000 USD on a work of art and saving a few thousand on its proper protection during transport, since proper packaging of a work of art is in itself its best insurance policy. On the other hand, John Jacobs, president of Artex Fine Art Services, one of the largest shipping companies in the United States specializing in the transport of works of art, admits that although museums are still their main client, the importance of private collectors has increased, to whom he directs as much as 30% of his offer, after the average price level of works of art in auction and dealer turnover has increased.
The lack of care for the conditions and safety of transporting works of art in the past has caused many objects to be destroyed, often irretrievably.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 3/2007.