Fine Art & Antiques Courier

One Vehicle, One Driver, One Chain of Custody

The biggest risk to a painting or an antique in transit is not the road — it is handling. Every extra depot, transfer and pair of hands is another chance for a corner knock, a stack crush or a loss. Maine Couriers moves fine art and antiques on strictly dedicated vehicles: your consignment is the only thing on board, one driver holds custody from collection to delivery, and nothing is ever transferred, sorted or stacked.

We work for galleries, auction houses, dealers, interior designers and private owners, moving single pieces and full consignments across the UK with the care the object demands and the paperwork the trade expects.

How We Handle Art & Antiques

• Blanket wrap and soft strapping — Furniture and framed works travel blanket-wrapped and strapped to the vehicle side, never leaning loose or stacked.
• Crated and cased works — We carry works in your crates, travel frames or cases, loaded and secured the way your registrar or packer specifies.
• Gallery and auction house collections — Collections against release notes and paddle numbers, with the paperwork completed properly at the counter.
• White-glove delivery — Delivery into the room, unwrapped where wanted, wrapping debris removed — not a kerbside drop.
• Discreet movements — Unmarked handling available for high-value or sensitive moves, with details shared only with the people who need them.

Insurance and Care in Writing

Every movement is covered by goods-in-transit insurance, with additional declared-value cover arranged on request for individual high-value pieces — agreed before the vehicle moves, not argued about afterwards. You get a signed condition-noted collection receipt and a signed proof of delivery, so both ends of the move are documented. For jewellery, watches and other small high-value items, our high value goods courier service applies the same single-custody model with additional security measures.

Timed deliveries for auction previews, art fair build-ups and installation appointments are standard: tell us the slot and we plan the collection backwards from it.

Areas We Cover

We move art and antiques throughout the UK — the full coverage list is on our locations page. Regular routes link the trade in London with Birmingham, Bristol and the auction rooms and fairs of the whole country, same day where the deadline demands it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is my piece protected in transit?

It travels blanket-wrapped or in your crate, strapped to the side of a dedicated vehicle with nothing else on board. There is no stacking, no co-loaded freight and no depot handling — the piece is loaded once at collection and unloaded once at delivery.

Do you ever co-load fine art with other freight?

No, never on this service. A dedicated vehicle means your consignment is the only thing in the van. That single fact removes the majority of transit risk to art and antiques, which comes from handling and other freight rather than from the road.

What insurance covers the move?

Goods-in-transit insurance covers every job as standard, and for individual high-value pieces we arrange additional declared-value cover before the move. Tell us the value at booking and we confirm the cover in writing with the quote.

Can you collect from an auction house after a sale?

Yes. Give us the sale details, lot and paddle numbers and the release note, and we collect within the auction house's collection window, complete their paperwork at the counter and deliver to you with a signed POD.

Do you deliver into the room, or kerbside?

Into the room, where access allows — that is what white-glove means. The driver places the piece where you want it, unwraps it if you wish, and takes the wrapping away. If a piece needs two people to move safely, tell us at booking and we staff the job accordingly.