Storing artwork

Many people’s personal possessions exceed the space they have available for storage.  After garages, attics, and basements are packed tight, the excess often goes into storage units.  But, what if the items are fragile artworks — then what?

The following excerpts are from Alison Gregor, Precious works housed in armour, money.ninemsn.com.au, Nov. 2, 2008:

Crozier Fine Arts [is a] nondescript storehouse in the Chelsea neighbourhood of New York [which] boasts security rivalling that of a bank’s, with a 24-hour, manned fire and security command centre. * * *

A burgeoning fine art market * * * was a catalyst for the growth of a fine-art storage and logistics industry. Even though sales might slow with the financial crisis, and indeed, art collectors will be watching forthcoming auctions with trepidation, the fine art being bought and sold – and which does not make it into museums, galleries, corporate offices or homes – must be stored somewhere. This is a task that involves a high degree of specialisation.

Besides cataloguing, packaging, shipping and installing the art works, fine art storage facilities house them for long periods in crates inside vaults controlled for such factors as temperature, humidity and light. The warehouses also have viewing rooms where pieces can be bought and sold, photographed, assessed or repaired.

Consequently, behind the armoured walls of drab warehouses often found in rather gritty neighbourhoods may reside hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Picassos, Monets and Renoirs – in other words, a collection that might surpass a museum’s.

There are about 100 to 125 top-notch fine art warehouses worldwide * * *.

Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.