Daley & Co fine art specialist handling a framed painting

Fine Art & Antiques

The Blackwood Collection Transfer

A private art collection of 43 works transferred from a Manchester gallery to a private residence.

July 2024·Fine art collection transfer — climate-controlled·Manchester → Cheshire

Climate Controlled

Transit

Condition Report

Before & After

Single Journey

No Transfers

1 Day

Transfer Duration

The Challenge

What needed to be done

The Blackwood collection comprised 43 works — oil paintings, watercolours, sculptures, and mixed media pieces — ranging from Victorian to contemporary. Several works were on loan from the gallery and required precise condition reporting for insurance purposes. The collection needed to be transferred in a single day to minimise exposure risk, and the destination property required careful installation planning to avoid wall fixings in listed areas.

Our Approach

How we delivered it

Daley & Co's fine art director conducted a pre-transfer condition survey with the gallery's registrar, producing a 43-item condition report with high-resolution photography. All works were packed in acid-free tissue and custom-fitted foam within timber crates. A climate-controlled vehicle maintained 18°C and 50% relative humidity throughout the transfer. At the destination, a specialist art installer worked with the client to position each piece according to a pre-agreed hanging plan.

Key Actions

43-item condition report with high-resolution photography
Acid-free tissue and custom foam packing for all works
Climate-controlled vehicle at 18°C and 50% RH
Specialist art installer for destination placement
Pre-agreed hanging plan produced before transfer day

The Outcome

The result

The collection travelled in one climate-controlled journey with no intermediate transfers, and the gallery's registrar inspected every work against its pre-transfer condition report on arrival. Installation was completed within the agreed day, working to a hanging plan produced by our own art installer. The collection is insured at its new location.