Moving extraordinary value items presents the extraordinary challenge of careful preparation and planning. This is especially true for items such as antiques, antique furniture and antique books.
In order to preserve the extraordinary value of your antiques, antique furniture and antique books you should trust their packing, storage and transport to professionals who know and understand how to care for such items. Special care must be used when packing antiques, and antique furniture. For delicate items like crystal chandeliers, antique pool table slates, mirrors and other antique furniture special crates can be built. A custom wooden crate is ideal because it is made to order and will insure the correct fit and offer maximum protection to your items of extraordinary value. Crates are also packed with additional padding and stretch wrap is used to limit movement. When moving antiques and antique furniture sometimes it is advisable to dismantle a piece. Pack doors, glass panels and drawers separately. You should make sure that all loose parts of furniture and removable pieces are secured either with stretch wrap, rubber straps or string. You may also wish to remove delicate handles or other antique hardware and put them in a bag. Be sure to label your hardware bag and tape it to the shipment or move it in a ‘parts box’.
Moving of antique books requires some special care. Your antique books are sensitive to light, humidity and damage from rough handling. Make sure that you pack your antique books in boxes with lids. The boxes should be fully loaded so as to limit movement. The size of the boxes is also an important consideration, as they must be sturdy enough to support the load and the load must be only as heavy as a mover can manage. After the box is loaded with your antique books and the lid is placed on top the entire box should be secured with stretch wrap and labeled. As books are especially sensitive to damage from humidity, it is helpful if your mover offers a climate-controlled transport. Should you have to store your antique books for any length of time after the move, be sure that the storage facility is climate controlled. Do not leave boxes of antique books in a damp, moldy basement or you will be sorely disappointed when you unpack damp and moldy valueless antique books.