The world of ornate furniture from history is a complex but beautiful one. Huge numbers of people are madly obsessed by antique furniture, and for good reason, it looks absolutely stunning when appropriately placed, and the history of such items can be a fascination point of interest as well as a great conversation starter. The thing about antiques which makes them so wonderful and sought after is also their main downfall; the materials used in furniture making throughout the ages have not always stood the test of time with the same strength as modern materials may do, and therefore they need to be treated with a whole lot more care than modern items do. It is to be hoped that we can shed some light on what to be careful of when moving your antiques in Elephant and Castle, or anywhere really.
The first issue to watch out for is a common problem on items of furniture that have not been moved for quite some time, that being the brittleness of the material. If a wooden sideboard is not moved for years, then it may settle enough that sudden movement will cause stress crack almost imminently. This is obviously dangerous for the future of the item, and will probably devalue it as well. When lifting antique furniture, be sure to do so carefully, and be very gentle throughout the movement of the piece. Wearing cotton gloves will stop your hands smudging the veneers or decoration on priceless old items, as well as preventing the oils from your hands getting in to woodwork, which can be very damaging and corrosive. The downside of these gloves however, is that they can make it extremely hard to grip, which when you are dealing in hugely expensive items, can be a real issue.
Ceramic antiques are the type of home furnishing that can be the most vulnerable, and the most costly of items during a move. If you are having a removals company do your move for you, make sure that you pack such items and oversee their handling your self. Vases and pots should be packed with card and wrapped with a few decent layers of bubble wrap to really protect them agains being squashed in a van. Of course it is unadvisable to allow your truly precious items to be transported amongst other heavy home wares, but if you have no choice then do all that you can to protect them.
What ever you are having moved, check the piece for extremities which may be damaged or knocked off in transit, as these will always be the most fragile parts of the furniture. If they can be removed with out damaging the item then they should be. If they cannot be removed safely, then use extra cladding to really strengthen the most vulnerable parts of the item, even the lightest glance could snap a delicate part of an antique, rendering it almost worthless. These tips are especially important for glassware, which should also be covered in padding and thick cloth.
The obvious answer to your Antique moving troubles is that of a specialist antique mover! There are firms with longstanding reputations to uphold, that will prove both their ability and their commitment to the cause. many of these companies are very old with a great heritage and really know what they are doing, so you can be safe assured that your antiques are safe. These firms are also very well protected by way of insurance, which means that should they make a mistake, you will have the value of your item refunded, which will be some comfort.
