About Us
Moving irreplaceable objects demands exceptional skill and experience. That is why, when it comes to transporting and storing the world's most precious antiques, fine art and contemporary art, many of the leading museums, galleries, auction houses and interior designers turn to Cadogan Tate.
Through our offices in London, Paris, the Côte d'Azur, New York and Los Angeles, we offer our customers access to expert, high-security handling and shipping. We collect and deliver throughout the UK, continental Europe and the USA by weekly, consolidated road trips.
Our road trips are linked with regular, consolidated sea container and air freight services between Europe and the USA. For an individual fragile or high value item, we will book aircraft seats for both the work of art and a courier from our Fine Art team, who will accompany it all the way to its final destination.
The Fine Art of Storage
Cadogan Tate also provides world class secure facilities for fine art storage. These include expert unpacking and handling; condition reporting; detailed inventory control and stock reporting; our sophisticated information systems control; and location and condition monitoring. Full climate control is available on request and ultra-high security comes as standard.
The service is tailored to meet all of your requirements – whether for the dynamic storage of items that you will need to access over time, or security sealed and containerised storage.
Exhibiting Expertise
Cadogan Tate is approved by the Museum and Galleries Association for the movement of state treasures under government indemnity. Our highly trained personnel provide expert fine art handling, and will manage all freight forwarding and Customs clearances.
You can learn more about the services we offer by reading our case studies
People
Richard Tomkinson - Business Development Manager, London
After graduating from the University of London in 1997 with a degree in History, I worked for Phillips Auctioneers in Chester as a Cataloguer and Valuer for two years.
From there, I moved on to look after a small provincial saleroom in Shropshire. In August 2001, I joined Cadogan Tate to head up the office at Phillips Auctioneers in Bond Street, London.
Since joining Cadogan Tate, I have worked within the Storage, Shipping and Insurance departments. I am therefore well versed in all aspects of the fine art services that Cadogan Tate offer.
Michael Driver - Customer Manager, New York
After completing my four year degree at the Nottingham Business School in the UK, I was given the opportunity to work in the New York office of Cadogan Tate.
At the time, I had little experience in the logistics field, so I started from the bottom and worked my way up. During my time in the warehouse, I took on the challenge of controlling the movement of items in and out of storage and assumed responsibility for inventory control. This was a particularly important role at that time, as the New York office was growing out of its infancy stage and blossoming into the thriving unit that it has now become.
Since then, I have been working as a customer manager, servicing many of our key accounts - both nationally and internationally.
Testimonials
"Now the sculpture seems to be where it belongs! You guys were the best! I must say I am a happy customer of Cadogan Tate!!! If you ever need a reference, do not hesitate.
On a separate note, I have a friend in Paris who wants to take some personal belongings to Brazil. Is that something that you can take care of?"
(CB, Santander Private Banking)
"I have the pleasure to write in connection with a recent experience I had with your company.
On the advice of a London dealer in fine, antique English silver, with whom I have maintained a working relationship over the course of many years, we selected your firm to pack and ship a high value item to our home in Milwaukee. Prior to this time, we had come to rely on such services of a dealer or agent, and sometimes in remote locations outside the city. We always felt that doing so was somewhat at our own peril because the standards of care used in packaging even costly items has not always been to our liking.
Thus we entrusted a recent purchase to your care. We were not disappointed. In fact, we were impressed with everything you did to assure safe travel and proper documentation of the shipment. From the inner and outer boxes chosen, to the packing materials and labelling on the box, as well as the water resistant paper and shrink wrapped exterior, we said to ourselves, "These people really know what they are doing!" We were particularly pleased with the care given to the tissue paper wrapping of every individual piece to prevent any possible damage in transit. And we thank you for all of that.
If I am successful at a forthcoming London auction in May, I will specify your company without hesitation to take care of all the arrangements required and expected for trans-Atlantic shipments, especially wherein high value items may be involved. I will also be pleased to mention your services to others whenever the opportunity arises."
(FV – A passionate collector of antique English silver, Milwaukee)
Case Studies
No Stairs at the Chateau
In the summer of 2006, we sent a trailer load of antiques to a chateau in the Loire valley in France. The trailer could only get to within half a kilometre of the property and additional smaller trucks had to be laid on to ferry items back and forth. We also had to send in an exterior hoist to move all items to the second and third floors, as the stairs to the upper levels were being restored.
Hong Kong in a Hurry
A mainland Chinese collector bought items at Christie's in London and needed the porcelain lots to be delivered to Hong Kong before he returned to the mainland. The only way to get them there was by accompanying them on a passenger flight and delivering them to the customer’s hotel room, so that he could then carry them by hand on his return to the mainland the same day.
Temperature Controlled Storage
The owner of a well known stately home needed to perform extensive repairs, which would entail clearing rooms and storing the items on site and in our climate-controlled warehouse at Ponton Road in London. We had five men on site for three months prior to the restoration and returned six months later to re-install everything.
Try Before You Buy
A customer was very interested in buying a painting in a forthcoming sale by a leading auctioneer. However, he really wanted to see it hanging over his mantelpiece before he decided whether or not to bid. With the agreement of the auction house, we delivered and installed the painting on a Tuesday afternoon, stayed overnight locally, and collected and returned it to the auction house the following day.
Accreditation
Fédération Internationale des Déménageurs Internationaux (FIDI)
FIDI is the largest global alliance of independent quality international moving companies. It was founded in 1950 to represent the interests of companies specialising in international moving operations. Since its creation, FIDI has evolved from a European organisation into a leading worldwide federation. Cadogan Tate is one of 500 international moving companies credited with the FIDI Accredited International Moving Standard (FAIM).
The British Antique Dealers' Association
Cadogan Tate is a full member of The British Antique Dealers' Association (BADA). BADA is the trade association for the leading antique dealers in Britain. Since its foundation in 1918, BADA has set the standard for trading in the antiques business. All members are expertly vetted and adhere to a strict code of practice.
Museums Association
UK Registrars Group
London And Provincial Antique Dealers Association (LAPADA)
Insurance
Regulated by the FSA, Cadogan Tate Insurance Services is authorised to arrange insurance. We buy competitively and can insure much higher value items than most of our competitors: up to £15 million per consignment immediately and higher than this at an hour's notice.
When it comes to moving the world's irreplaceable items, Cadogan Tate is irreplaceable.
For domestic UK transits and road transits to Europe, please click here:
DownloadFor worldwide shipments marine terms, please click here:
For details of our insurance activities, please click here:
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