Moving Art & Antiques in NYC: The White-Glove Playbook

The rule for moving valuable art and antiques: the damage happens in the last ten feet — the doorway pivot, the truck edge, the "we'll just lean it here for a second." White-glove handling is a system for removing those moments. Here's what it looks like done right.

Before anything is touched

• Photograph everything — full item, details, existing wear, signatures/maker's marks. Timestamped photos are your condition record.
• Declare value in writing — items over $100/lb (art, antiques, jewelry-grade objects) must be declared for full value protection to apply. For serious collections, consider third-party fine-art insurance.
• Check your building's rules — high-value moves in doorman buildings still run through the COI process, and some require padded elevator scheduling.

How pros pack the fragile categories

• Framed art & mirrors: glassine or foam against the surface (never bubble wrap directly on paint or gilding), corner protectors, then a picture box or custom crate. Taped X on glass. Always transported vertical.
• Canvases without glass: nothing touches the paint — spacer-built boxes or crates so the surface floats.
• Antique furniture: disassembly kept minimal (old joints don't love being opened), padded wrap over paper (blankets can abrade French polish through movement), doors and drawers secured with stretch wrap that never touches the finish.
• Sculpture, ceramics, chandeliers: custom crating — a box built around the object with foam carved to it. This is the piece most worth paying for.
• Pianos: their own discipline — board, skids, and a crew that has done it before. Say "piano" at quote time, always.

The transport rules

• Art rides strapped upright against the truck wall — never flat, never under anything.
• Climate matters for wood and canvas: avoid leaving antiques in a parked truck through temperature swings (relevant for winter moves).
• Last on, first off — high-value items get placed once, not restacked.

What "white glove" should include

When you book a white-glove move: a walkthrough beforehand (in person or video), custom materials per item, a crew briefed on what's valuable, floor-to-floor protection, and placement — not just delivery — at the destination. If a company quotes "white glove" without asking what the items are, that's a label, not a service.