How a Work Travels

Rolled or flat

In a tube travels almost anything on paper and unframed. The tube is rigid, resists compression and crushed corners — the most common transport damage — and the work inside is wrapped in neutral tissue and never touches the tube wall.

Flat is for work that cannot be rolled: a surface with thick material that would crack, or a piece already framed. It costs more, takes more space, and needs a sandwich pack with rigid corner protection.

A framed work with glass is the worst case to ship: the glass breaks, and the fragments cut the work they were meant to protect. That is why most work ships unframed and is framed at its destination.

What to do when it arrives

1. Open it immediately, even if you are not hanging it yet. Transport damage has to be reported within days. 2. Photograph the packaging before you destroy it, if anything looks wrong. It is the only evidence you will have. 3. Pull the work out by the tissue, not by the work. Fingers on the surface leave oils that become visible marks over time. If you must touch it, hold the edges.

Flattening a rolled work

Do not rush and do not use heat. The method that works: unroll it the opposite way, very slowly, then lay it flat on a clean surface, cover it with neutral paper and place distributed weight — books are fine — along the edges. Leave it 24-48 hours.

If the work has been tubed for a long time and will not lie flat, do not force it: a framer flattens it properly during mounting, and that is the right place for it to happen.

Customs, when buying from abroad

A purchase inside the European Union has no customs formalities. From outside the EU, the work may be subject to import duty and VAT, payable on delivery and borne by the buyer. Artworks often get more favourable treatment than other goods, but the rule depends on the country: the sensible thing is to ask the seller before ordering which code they use and what documents they attach.