Getting a consignment ready.
We seal and, where needed, crate at collection — so you do not need to pack for transit. What helps is preparing the information and the access. Ten minutes here prevents most delays.
Five things worth doing.
Photograph the item
Your own record, taken before we arrive, dated by your device. We photograph at collection too, but an independent set from you strengthens any later question about pre-existing condition.
Confirm the declared value
Cover follows what you declare at quotation, not what the item is worth. If a valuation has changed since we quoted, tell us before collection — not after.
Name the recipient precisely
Full legal name as it appears on their photographic ID. “The gallery” or a first name will fail at release, and we will not improvise a substitute.
Check access at both ends
Loading restrictions, lift dimensions, stair turns, parking and gate hours. Vehicle access is the single most common cause of a failed collection.
Gather the paperwork
Provenance, valuations, export licences, carnets, certificates. Cross-border movements stall on missing documents far more often than on security.
Flag anything unusual
Batteries, fragility, restricted materials, unusual weight. See our restricted items list.
What collection looks like.
- Two crew attend, both carrying company identification — check it
- The item is inspected and photographed in your presence
- A numbered tamper-evident seal is applied and the number recorded
- You sign the collection note; the seal number is on it
- The reference goes live in the tracking portal from that moment
If anyone arrives alone
Do not release the item. Our crews attend in pairs, without exception, and a single caller claiming otherwise is a reason to call the desk before anything is handed over.
Guidance by category.
Individual soft pouches or original boxes, so pieces cannot abrade each other. Remove watch straps from display stands. Keep certificates and valuations separate from the item — they should travel with the paperwork, not inside the sealed parcel.
Leave glazing taped only if it is already cracked; otherwise leave it alone and tell us. Do not wrap unvarnished or recently restored surfaces in plastic. Corner protectors and a rigid backing board are enough — we crate at collection.
Keep assay certificates with the bars. Coins should stay in existing holders or capsules — do not consolidate collections into one container for convenience, as it complicates verification at both ends.
Keep in existing order and note the count. Do not remove staples, bindings or seals. A simple index sheet listing what is in the bundle makes release verification quick.
Ready to book?
Send the details and we’ll survey and quote in writing.