Antique and Fine Art Restoration

Shipping works of art between Europe and the USA is complicated, and can involve many restrictions and licensing requirements. Some items sourced in Europe may also require restoration by the company’s UK subdivision, requiring a stay in the UK before making the journey to the USA.

It’s a fact that European movements have become so difficult for the Fine Art market to overcome that our client specifically sought a company who would be able to handle all their requirements in a timely manner. We were pleased to be recommended to UK Fine Arts by a specialist antiques courier partner, who were already benefiting from our customs solutions in this area. 

One of our first instructions was to safely transport a life-sized bronze of David from Paris to New Orleans. This project was a great example of how Hemisphere is able to apply both specialist Customs knowledge and integrated logistics capabilities to save time and money for clients.

The first step was to bring the statue from Paris to the UK. Not the most obvious route on the face of it – however, our client was already working with us to fulfil cargo requirements, and had a container booked to leave the UK for the US the following week. By bringing the statue to the UK, we’d be able to add the piece to the existing consignment, reducing both time on the sea and customs fees.

Acting swiftly, we worked with our specialist associate partner in Paris to prepare the required documentation to bring David into the UK. Because of its high value, it required a Certificate Bien Culturel (CBC or passport), which the vendor had already raised. However, this still left an Export Licence outstanding, which Hemisphere worked alongside our trusted French partner to acquire, along with the necessary export customs documentation. Once the licence was received, we wasted no time in co-ordinating the courier collection of the 1.86m tall David from the vendor in Paris back to the UK.

With the container lined up to leave UK shores the following week, and with no requirement for David to enter free circulation in the UK, our Customs Clearance team were able to bring the piece into the UK on a Temporary Admission. This allowed us to import the sculpture from France, hold it temporarily, and prepare it for its onward container shipment to the US – all without having to pay for a second export licence from the UK. 

Shipment ready, our Customs team closed the temporary admission procedure on the import, amalgamated the data from the consignment with the export details for the container cargo, and sent David on his way, safely transported by sea to the US.

Leveraging our knowledge of customs clearance – alongside our capabilities as a 3PL – meant that our client benefitted from a single booking rather than having to organise split loads. This significantly reduced documentation and additional customs fees, resulting in the shipment getting to its final destination far more quickly and efficiently than the client could have hoped for.