The Great Shipping Experiment - You've Got Mail!
Its been an exciting week but the waiting has paid off!
Quick recap: We're shipping original art on the outside of a package instead of inside, in order to see what condition they arrive. The first XXL package to Japan was torn apart by customs and returned, but a smaller replacement shipped again. The returned XXL package was then sent off to Hamburg, Germany in order to avoid another run in with customs.
Did they arrive, what is their condition and why was the first package returned by customs? You're about to find out!
Once again I was hooked to checking tracking for any updates. I was pretty optimistic about the piece heading to Germany, since there would be no customs officials inspecting the box or its contents. The Japan piece was more questionable. It was basically heading to the same people who had inspected, cut apart and denied our first package just hours before.
Japan tracking: "Item forwarded to destination country". Jackpot! That was the update I was waiting to see. Last time our package never left the country, but this time Austrian customs didnt find any technical reason to deny passage. All thats left now is Japanese customs and we're in the clear.
The package heading to Rudi at Urbanshit Gallery in Hamburg was also showing promising updates. After 2 days it "arrived in the destination country", the next day it arrived in Hamburg and soon after it was "out for delivery". At 11:02 we seal the deal: "item delivered"!
Half an hour later I receive a message from Rudi confirming the delivery. Included were these perfect pictures:
Hello old friend!
Success! It arrived and hasnt been smashed into tiny little pieces. In fact, it looks like its in pretty good condition for traveling 1000km.
No major damage to be found, but this package has only finished half its journey. Dont forget that it will be heading right back to the post office and shipped all the way back to Austria. We will be examining it in detail once it (hopefully) returns.
But first Rudi had one more task. Inside our package is the very valuable cargo: A hand painted TABBY original " Amazon Crime" on a custom build cardboard box! What else would one expect.
Unlike the first attempt sent to Japan, this one was in perfect condition. It will be staying with the gallery, or donated to the Louvre.. Ill let Rudi decide.
The large box is then re-sealed and sent back on its return journey to Austria. Safe travels, it should be used to it by now.
So whats our package in Japan up to you ask? Well Im happy to report that after 3 days it had "arrived in country of destination", followed by the wonderful message "Item passed customs-/security check". 2 days later comes the exciting update "Item is out for delivery" and finally, after a lot of work, unexpected setbacks, and 160€ in shipping, "Item delivered"!
We did it, our piece has finally touched down on the streets of Tokyo and is safely in the hands of Rio at Gallery Kawamatsu.
(Pictured below: A very handsome Rio with a very jet-lagged Amazon Crime box)
Even this original "Stik" decided to stop by and take a look.
In case 10,000km travel wasnt enough, this piece still had another journey to Osaka ahead (500km). There it would arrive just in time to be included for display at an exhibition.
But first lets give its current condition a quick look:
The piece itself is in surprisingly great condition. Maybe its luck, or maybe it got a bit of extra love