Evening star., 1935-04-14
By Don Bloch.
T Y WIEN the owner of a


w lector or artist, consents to
ship his property to a
distant gallery for exhibi-
tion there is usually placed upon the
work of art what is known as "all-
risk" insurance.
More commonly it is called wall
to-wall" policy-a contract between
exhibitor and underwater which
guarantees the safe passage of the
consignee's picture from his own
wall to that of the gallery and
back again. In the description Of
what actually happens between these
two walls lies the story of the
methods evolved for the handling and
transportation of such treasures as
are contained in the S19,010,115 lot of
10 paintings which Andrew w. Mellon
hopes will form the nucleus of the
proposed National Gallery in Wash
ington.
When the cumulative years of buy
ing and selling have added their por-
ton of value to a work of art, so that
expert critics and connoisseurs may
pronounce it to be worth million
dollars-as of, let us say, the "Nicolini
Madonna" by Raphael-the problem
of moving tnat bit of canvas becomes
greatly enhanced as time goes on.
Once lost or damaged, its loss is ir-
reparable. A valuable oil painting, old
master or otherwise, Is unique. and
the miracle of it can never exactly be
manifested again.
This absolute knowledge, plus the
natural fact that insurance companies
are loath to pay a picture owner any
number of thousands of dollars be-
cause q careless workman in some
distant gallery dropped his foot
through few square feet of painted
canvas labeled with a name like
Whistler, have combined to make the
transporting of pictures a ticklish
business. Pictures are subject to sick
nesses of their own kind--sunburn,
which makes them peel; overexposure
to heat, light. moisture, which causes
fading. cracking and bliStering. These
ailments must be guarded against. as
well as theft and damage by fire,
water or accident.
THREE years ago. when Representa-
tive Sol Bloom instigated his plan
for a great Capital showing of extant
portraits of George Washington and
his associates, many problems in ham
ding the paintings were met. Several
Of the portraits were in collections
abroad, as well as in States all over
this country. Most famous of all was
the Gilbert Stuart portrait, at that
time in the private gallery of Lord
Roseberry, in England. Insured for a
fabulous sum. the noted likeness was
and air proof crates, deposited under
the eyes of special guards in vault
on a big liner and kept under con-
slant surveillance on the voyage over.
In New York, still under heavy
guard. it was loaded into an unusual
type van and shipped to a storage
company in Washington, which firm
was the central packing and unpack-
ing point for all the washington pic
lures. Their vaults held it until 1t
was hung at the Corcoran Gallery.
Because of an unusual amount of
this sort of work, the storage COM
pany men have become experts in this
line. Their methods are typical of
the great care taken by similar ship
pers and packers of art treasures over
the country. When Andrew w. Mel
Ion was appointed United States AM
bassador to England in 1882, he de-
sired that a portion of his collection
Of paintings in this country go along
with him. The job of packing and
transporting them was given to the
storage company.
They first sent men to Melons
Washington apartments to obtain the
exact measurements Of the works
which the Ambassador chose to ac-
company HIM. Mr.. Mellon walked
about his gallery, pointing to this one
and that as he passed. With the
measurements made, the men con-
structed boxes back in their own car
pentry shop. Two boxes were made
for each picture, one TOR the canvas
itself. another for the frame.
With the boxes completed the work.
men went again to Melons apart
ments. The actual packing was COM
pleted there. Upon the back of each
frame. especially if 1t were in itself
an art rarity, or in any way carved
with what Is known in the trade as
gingerbread" small but stout cross
pieces, called "battens," were carefully
screwed, with their extending edges
exaety fitting the inside portions OF