Even professional art shippers can make a mess of something that is not well packed. I personally ship many valuable and even fragile collectables (not associated with my work, just my hobby) via USPS and have only had one piece damaged in almost twenty years. However, we as museums are charged with a higher level of care when shipping, which is why it is always sooooo expensive. Just make sure you budget for the expense. We are still recovering from a series of very poorly estimated cost estimates on exhibits scheduled prior to new staff coming onboard. The grant money was there, you just had to ask for the right amount in the application budgets.
Your friend should have let you at least help her fabricate a more suitable shipping setup. It is amazing what you can do with a little Styrofoam, foam rubber, shaped cardboard, and the Handyman's Secret Weapon, Duct Tape.
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David Beard
Director
Museum of the Gulf Coast
Port Arthur TX
Original Message:
Sent: 11-19-2015 11:09 AM
From: Linda Nelson
Subject: using USPS to ship art
Good morning all,
I wanted to follow up on a post I submitted from several months ago regarding using a non art shipper and the risks. There have been posts and discussions over the years, particularly on the ListServe related to DHL, UPS, FedEx and so forth. Usually the outcomes have not been favorable. I wanted to add this experience to the thread, so here was the outcome from the US Post Office.
A neighbor had asked me to help her ship a fragile, intricate glass tree sculpture across the US. I discussed helping her pack the piece appropriately as I would any art piece and also discussed possibly using an art shipper who had a load going that direction. I offered a lot of advice about packing, padding, cradles and so forth.
Her final decision was that she "didn't want to spend money on it, she could get it packed herself just fine and what the heck did I mean by cradle?". Short version, she boxed it in a cardboard box off the shelf, took it to the Post Office and mailed it off. Of course it broke, apparently into many many pieces. USPS did pay the insurance claim rapidly but that wasn't any help in regards to a destroyed art piece. She had entered the piece in a judged show and when it arrived shattered it couldn't be used. I feel it was avoidable, maybe if I had been allowed to help pack the piece, but her decision ultimately cost her a piece of her work, a chance at showing her art and a small monetary prize. The end of the story is I would put the Post Office on my list of "do not use for art shipping."
Have a great Thursday.
Linda
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Linda Nelson
Registrar
Maryland Science Center
Baltimore MD
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