Shipping · Export · Returns
Art travels well when it is crated properly and documented properly. Everything on this page is what we actually do — including the parts that can delay a shipment, so nothing surprises you after you have paid.
Small and medium works travel in a purpose-built museum crate, not a cardboard box with foam corners. Standard construction:
Unframed works on paper are shipped flat or rolled in a rigid tube, depending on size. Unframed canvases are shipped stretched or, for large works, on a purpose-made stretcher support. We photograph every stage of packing and send you the record before dispatch.
| Method | Typical transit | Suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Air freight, art specialist forwarder | 7–14 days door to door | Most works under 150 cm and under ~80 kg |
| Air freight, express courier | 4–7 days | Works on paper, prints and editions |
| Sea freight, LCL in crate | 30–60 days | Large or heavy works, multi-work shipments |
| Dedicated courier with hand-carry | 2–5 days | High-value or fragile works, on request |
Transit times run from collection in Beijing to delivery at your address, and assume customs clearance goes to plan. Weather, port congestion and clearance queries can add days; we tell you when they do.
Every shipment is insured at 100% of the invoiced value on a nail-to-nail basis — from the moment the crate is closed in Beijing to the moment you sign for it. The certificate is issued in your name and travels with the documents.
We do not insure works at a value different from the invoice. If you need cover at a higher level, we arrange a separate agreed-value policy before dispatch.
A shipment leaves with a document set prepared for your country's customs:
China controls the export of certain works. The rules turn on when the work was made, not on where you are buying it:
Anything within these categories must pass an official export review before it can leave. The review is carried out by a designated authority, takes up to 15 working days once accepted, and results in either an export permit with an official mark applied to the work, or a refusal. Export must then go through one of the designated ports.
What this means for you: if a work needs clearance, the review is built into the timeline before dispatch, and a formal refusal means the sale is cancelled and any amount paid is returned in full. We will not ship a work that has not been cleared.
Contemporary works by living artists — including everything currently listed on this site — generally fall outside these restrictions. Where a work's status is not clear-cut, we obtain a written assessment before listing it, not after you have paid.
Unless agreed otherwise in writing, shipments travel DAP (delivered at place): we pay freight and insurance, you pay import duty and local taxes on arrival. Your forwarder or courier will contact you for payment before releasing the crate.
| Market | What to expect |
|---|---|
| United States | Original paintings, drawings and sculpture generally enter duty-free. State sales tax may apply depending on your state. |
| European Union | Import duty on original works of art is generally zero, but import VAT normally applies and is charged at the rate of the country of entry. Some member states apply a reduced rate to original art. |
| United Kingdom | Import VAT applies, with a reduced rate available for original works of art meeting the qualifying conditions. |
| Hong Kong, China · Singapore | Generally no import duty and no VAT or GST on works of art. |
| Elsewhere | Rates vary. We give you the classification used on the invoice — normally HS heading 9701 for original paintings and drawings — so your broker can quote accurately. |
These are general notes, not tax advice. Duty and VAT are set by your own customs authority and we cannot alter them. We do not under-declare value on any shipment, and we do not mark commercial shipments as gifts.
You may return a work within 7 days of delivery for any reason, provided it is returned in its original packing and in the condition in which it arrived. Return freight, insurance and any duty already paid are at your cost. Commissioned works, personalised pieces and limited editions are excluded.
If a work arrives damaged, photograph the crate and the work before moving anything further, notify us within 48 hours, and keep all packing material. The insurance covers the transit damage; we handle the claim and the restoration or refund.
| Stage | Working time | Who acts |
|---|---|---|
| Enquiry answered with condition report and quotation | Within 1 business day | Art Carp |
| Quotation accepted, invoice issued | 1–2 business days | Art Carp |
| Funds cleared | 1–5 business days depending on route | Buyer / bank |
| Crating and photographic record | 3–7 business days | Art Carp |
| Export review, if the work requires it | Up to 15 working days | Authority |
| Transit | 4–14 days air · 30–60 days sea | Forwarder |
| Customs clearance and duty | 1–5 business days | Buyer with forwarder |
Almost certainly. We ship worldwide except where sanctions or import prohibitions apply. Tell us the city and we will confirm.
Yes, and it usually reduces total freight per work. Crates are built to hold multiple works where sizes allow.
Once a work has been lawfully exported, it is outside Chinese export control. Whether and where you can resell it depends on your own jurisdiction and on auction house rules. We give buyers the documentation trail precisely so a future sale is straightforward.
Yes, as a quoted option. We use framers who work to museum standards, and we photograph the work before and after framing.
Ready to move a work
Send the work reference and your delivery city. You will get a firm door-to-door figure, the shipping method we recommend, and the documents you will receive.
