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ICEFAT
Newsletter #1 |
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TRANSPORTING ARTWORKS CAN BE SCARY FOR MUSEUM REGISTRARS
Keep
us informed about artworks in transit. Ring immediately if something
goes wrong! That's the plea from Beverly Balger Sutley, registrar
at the Palmer Museum of Art in Pennsylvania.
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Alongside her regular job at the museum, Beverly
Balger Sutley is also chairwoman of the AAM Registrars' Committee,
where AAM stands for the American Association of Museums.
She's speaking on behalf of museum customers using fine art
transporters.
- When we send our artworks out, we are first and foremost
concerned for their safety. It's a nerve-racking experience,
sending away valuable works of art, and we're worried about
losing contact with them, she says.
When Beverly Balger Sutley and her colleagues at many renown
museums send goods away within the United States, they are
always able to go along with the goods being transported when
circumstances dictate.
- I'm not saying it happens often, but it does happen. I've
been on some horrible trips. But when we send something say
to Europe, then we have to be able to just let it go out of
our immediate control. We're totally dependent on the transporter
being our eyes and ears.
CONSTANT
REPORTS
So it's important that the transporter keeps Beverly Balger
Sutley and her colleagues informed about whatever happens
on the journey. They need constant reports on the whereabouts
and safety of their artworks. They also want to know that
the goods have arrived in good order. And above all - they
want to be informed if something unexpected happens on the
journey. They also expect the transporter to deal with any
couriers traveling with the goods.
- On one occasion, our courier was on the plane, but not the
goods. That got us extremely concerned. Someone somewhere
had simply not done their job, which was to see that the courier
and the goods were on the same plane. But that happened a
long time ago now.
Another incident ended much better. A plane carrying a valuable
art consignment had engine trouble and landed in France. On
that occasion, Beverly was kept informed the whole time as
to what was happening and how the items were being sent on.
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FEEL SECURE
- It's vital that transporters know the trick of improvising
when something unexpected happens. But even then, we want to
know what's happening.
The customer is always right - so it's said. But where complex
services like these are concerned, it's not always true.
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- Of
course we want to make demands, for example about special packaging.
We're very picky. But at the same time, the art transporters
are the experts, and we expect them to tell us how something
can be done if there's a better way than what we've asked for.
Beverly Balger Sutley is glad that ICEFAT exists. It makes it
easier to find good transporters in different countries. The
standards set for membership are a quality mark.
- Even though transporting makes us nervous, it almost always
goes well. Many of the transporters are very well known and
have good reputations. We feel secure being able to turn to
their colleagues within the same organization, she says. |
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