Here are some of the highlights of 2016:

New ways of working
Crown Fine Art announced a partnership with fast, environmental and portable app Articheck – which provides digital condition reports.

It also partnered with world-renowned auction house Christie’s to offer a new pricing and service solution which allows auction clients to know the ‘delivered’ cost of an item before they bid for it.

This innovative system, which accurately estimates shipping costs, means lots can be accurately priced pre-sale and then efficiently and securely transported post-sale.

Moreover, if successful with a bid, buyers can subsequently pay online for the complete package, including the shipping charges.

New facilities and innovation
The one-year anniversary of Crown Fine Art’s purpose-built hi-tech Art Central underlined its popularity with clients, including museums, galleries, auction houses and private art collectors.

The storage facility enabled artwork and artefacts to be stored securely in a climate-controlled environment just five minutes from Central London.

The facility also features modern extras such as private client rooms, viewing rooms, client work areas, meeting rooms and a photography room. Full temperature and humidity controls, inside secure loading and managed secure storage and a unique –four hour fire-rated Durasteel wall offer the ultimate protection for irreplaceable art.

David Gosling, Head of Storage, Movement & Stock at Crown Fine Art, said: “Clients like the fact that they can create their own defined space and view their collections in what is essentially an extension of their current facility.  Clients have been pleased with the level of sales they have achieved displaying their artwork in Art Central and we look forward to continuing to help facilitate this.”

Changes in legislation
Art investors, private collectors, museums and galleries across Europe are adjusting to new legislation in Germany which could effectively prevent works of art leaving the country, restricting both their sale and transportation.

The German Cultural Property Protection Act came into force on August 6.

The situation is being monitored closely by Crown Fine Art, a global expert in the transportation of art and artefacts, with the implications of Brexit also being analysed.

Insa Rullkötter at Crown Fine Art Germany, said: “It’s something we are watching closely. For the past 23 years, export guidelines have been in place for moving German works of art to countries outside the European Union. So this is nothing new. But the German Cultural Property Protection Act instead is focussed on the export of artefacts within the European Union, alongside new import regulations. In short, the main concern is that German works of art cannot move freely between EU member states anymore.”

A year of awards and certifications
Crown Fine Art was awarded the Freight Operators Recognition Scheme (FORS) Bronze accreditation in 2016 – demonstrating its commitment to safe, efficient and green fleet operations.

The FORS is an accreditation scheme encompassing safety, fuel efficiency, vehicle emissions and improved operations – with ever more clients making it a condition of business.

It evidences that the company is setting the standard in the international fine art logistics sector and enables clients to readily distinguish Crown Fine Art’s commitment to driver and vehicle safety combined with environmentally responsible fuel and tyre usage.

David Preston, General Manager at Crown Fine Art, said: “This accreditation is testament to the team’s dedication to providing an exemplary service to our clients. “However, we will not be resting on our laurels. We will continue training, resourcing and reviewing processes in order to be an industry leader when it comes to driver and vehicle standards.”

It’s not the first time the company has raised the bar within the sector. Earlier this year it became the first and only international fine art handling company to be awarded ISO 9001, 14000 and 27001:2013 as well as BS OHSAS 18001 standard certificates for its customer-focus, environmental, health and safety and information security credentials.
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