Fine art transport in Brescia. From collection to delivery, in Italy and worldwide.
We collect the artwork in Brescia and the surrounding province and take it where it needs to go, in Italy, in Europe or on another continent. One contact person looks after you from the first call to delivery.
Which document mistakes stop goods?
Incomplete documents, or documents that do not match
An invoice missing the required details, a packing list that does not match the packages, a consignee written in two different ways: these are the most common causes of a customs hold. That is why we ask for the documents before departure and compare them with each other, rather than discovering the mistake at the checkpoint.
A destination never verified
We sometimes receive delivery addresses that nobody has checked and that, on verification, turn out to be incomplete or non-existent. The goods then stop. Before shipping we verify that the consignee and address exist and are consistent with the documents.
Answers to the most common questions.
Do you collect artworks from private individuals in Brescia and the province?
Yes, we also collect from private homes, both in the city of Brescia and across the province. Before collection we ask for a few photographs of the work, its measurements and some details about stairs, lifts and vehicle access. That way we arrive with suitable packing and the right number of people, and you already know which day we are coming.
Can I ship just one painting, or do I need several works?
You can ship a single painting. For one work the most sensible option is often groupage, where the crate travels with other consignments. If the piece is very delicate or of high value we suggest dedicated transport instead. The choice depends on the work and the destination, not on the number of pieces.
Do you ship artworks from Brescia outside Europe?
Yes, we ship worldwide. Outside Europe the works travel by air, which we arrange as IATA cargo agents, or by sea. Customs formalities are handled by our in-house customs office, which holds Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status, and the crate is built with wood that complies with the ISPM 15 standard.
Does the work need to be packed already when you come to collect it?
No, it does not. We can take care of the packing and, where needed, build a wooden crate to the measurements of the work. If you have already packed it, we check it before loading and tell you whether the protection is adequate for the planned journey. One more check before leaving is better than a dispute afterwards.
Can you store an artwork in Brescia before delivery?
Yes, we keep works in dedicated, armoured storage. It is a useful option when the buyer cannot take delivery yet, when a house is being renovated or when the work is waiting for an exhibition date. When the time comes we arrange delivery with the same contact person who looked after the collection.
How does an artwork travel from Brescia?
A Brescia freight forwarder that knows art
Dalè is an international freight forwarder founded in Brescia in 1956, based at Via Bruno Buozzi 14. Moving works of art is one of the things we have been doing longest, alongside shipping goods all over the world. It means the company that comes to collect the painting also takes care of the crate, the insurance, customs and the journey itself. If you live or work in Brescia, you have an office close by, people who pick up the phone and whom you can meet before you hand over an artwork.
Who we work for
We hear from galleries that have sold a piece to a client far away, collectors moving a painting from one home to another, artists sending work to an exhibition, auction houses that need to get a lot to its buyer, museums lending or receiving a piece, and private individuals who have inherited a picture and are not sure where to begin. Needs vary a great deal from one case to the next. So the first thing we do is listen: what the work is, where it is, where it has to go and who will receive it.
Collection: gallery, studio, home, museum
We come and collect the work wherever it is. At a gallery we agree on opening hours and access for the vehicle. In an artist's studio the work is often not packed yet, and we decide together how to protect it. At a private home we look at stairs, lifts and doorways beforehand, so there are no surprises on collection day. At a museum we follow the institution's rules and the times given by its staff. In every case you know in advance who is coming and on which day.
Where we deliver: Italy, Europe, the world
Artworks leave Brescia in three ways. By road for deliveries in Italy and across Europe. By air, as IATA cargo agents, when the destination is on another continent and the work should spend as little time travelling as possible. By sea for bulky or heavy pieces and for whole collections on the move. The choice depends on the work, the destination and the date it has to arrive: we make a recommendation and explain why, and the final decision is yours.
Dedicated transport or groupage
Not every artwork needs the same service. With dedicated transport the vehicle travels for your piece alone, from the collection point to the delivery point. With groupage the work, closed in its crate, travels with other consignments and shares the cost of the journey with them. Where needed, collection and delivery are carried out as a white gloves service, with dedicated staff. We tell you plainly which option makes sense for your piece, without suggesting more than you need.
Packing and made-to-measure wooden crates
Packing is decided by looking at the work: technique, size, weight, frame, protruding or fragile parts. For many shipments the right protection is a wooden crate made to the measurements of that piece, not adapted from another one. If the destination is outside the European Union we use wood that complies with the ISPM 15 standard, which many countries require for wooden packaging. If the work is already packed, we check it before loading and tell you whether, in our view, it can travel as it is.
Storage, insurance and customs
Sometimes a work cannot leave or be delivered straight away: the buyer is not ready, the house is being renovated, the exhibition opens later. In these cases we keep it in dedicated, armoured storage. During the journey it can be covered by All Risks insurance on a nail-to-nail basis. For shipments outside the European Union, customs formalities are handled by our in-house customs office: Dalè is an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO). If the work needs specific documents to leave Italy, we help you understand which ones and coordinate transport and customs accordingly.
Common mistakes when shipping an artwork
The first is wrapping the picture in a cardboard box and then asking to insure it: if something happens on the way, the insurer looks first at how it was packed, and non-professional packing is easy to dispute. The second is giving an address without checking it with the person receiving the work: wrong house number, consignee on holiday, reception closed. The third is setting off with incomplete paperwork, especially for destinations abroad. All three can be solved before collection, with a few questions asked at the right moment.
One contact person from start to finish
When you entrust a work to us, you are assigned one person, with a name, a direct phone number and an email address. They gather the details, suggest the packing and the way the work should travel, book the collection and keep you informed at each stage, until delivery is confirmed. If anything changes, you hear it from them and not from an automated message. To get started, all we need is a photograph of the work, its measurements, where it is now and where it has to go.
