Auction Item Handling

Third-Party Auction Pickup, Crating, & Fine Art Shipping

Acquiring valuable fine art, rare antiques, historical artifacts, or high-value collectibles from premier auction houses requires specialized, white-glove logistics. Most major auction houses do not handle packing or shipping internally—they require buyers to independently retain a certified, third-party logistics provider to secure and remove the assets from their galleries.

At City Business Shipping Inc., we serve as your trusted, asset-based gatekeeper for auction logistics. Operating across Los Angeles and the South San Francisco Bay Area, our agile, family-run team manages the entire lifecycle of your auction purchases—from authorized local gallery pickups and custom museum-grade crating to white-glove domestic transport and global customs clearance.

Our Comprehensive Auction Logistics Framework

We streamline the post-sale acquisition process, ensuring your investments are handled with absolute care, discretion, and delivery excellence:

• Authorized Gallery Pickup & Inspection

  Once you receive your release form or Bill of Lading (BOL) from the auction house, our asset-based truck fleet coordinates swift, authorized extraction. Our team performs meticulous on-site condition reporting and white-glove handling to secure your assets from the gallery floor immediately.

• Custom ISPM-15 Certified Museum Crating

  Delicate oil paintings, fragile sculptures, mid-century furniture, and ancient artifacts cannot travel in standard packaging. Our in-house craftsmen engineer custom wood crates tailored to the asset’s exact center of gravity and weight distribution. We utilize archival-safe, anti-static, and shock-absorbing cushioning, alongside vapor barriers for international ocean or air transit.

• Decades of Customs Brokerage & Global Import/Export Expertise

  Purchasing from an international auction house introduces complex regulatory hurdles. Backed by over 30 years of deep-rooted Customs Brokerage experience, we handle formal import entries, Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification, and partner government agency compliance, ensuring your international acquisitions clear borders seamlessly.

• High-Value Cargo Insurance & Strict Chain-of-Custody

  We protect your financial investments. Every auction shipment is backed by robust, high-value cargo insurance options and real-time GPS tracking tracking. We maintain a strict, uncompromised chain-of-custody protocol from the moment we sign for the item at the auction house until it reaches your door.

• Flexible White-Glove & Expedited Shipping Options

  Whether you require climate-controlled final-mile delivery to a private estate in California, standard secure freight forwarding across the United States, or expedited international air freight forwarding—we customize our transportation lanes to match your timeline and budget.

The City Business Shipping Advantage: Personal Accountability

Fine art and high-value collectibles leave zero margin for error. While massive corporate freight brokers route cargo through chaotic, automated hubs, our family-run operation treats your unique acquisitions with the personal care they deserve. We merge the infrastructure of a major West Coast logistics leader with the responsive, dedicated service of a family business.

Did you recently win a bid at a California auction house?

Don't trust traditional parcel networks with your invaluable investments. Contact our specialized auction logistics desk today to authorize a secure pickup and receive a custom crating and shipping quote.

📧 info@cbshipping.com

📞 310-753-9676