How To Move A Vintage Crystal Chandelier With Care And Why You Need To Be Careful With It
ShareCrystal chandeliers are not only beautiful and functional, but if you own a vintage one, they are also quite priceless. The downside is that they are very fragile, and removing one from your ceiling has to be a very delicate process. If you also plan on moving it to your next home, here is why you do not want to just throw it in a box and put it on a moving truck.
Softer Metals in Vintage Chandeliers
Vintage chandeliers were not constructed with steel. In fact, some of them from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were made of everything from molded plastic over an iron framework to solid brass. Any of these materials could bend or twist under the weight of several other boxes of stuff on a moving truck. Broken or misshapen parts lead to more problems with the chandelier itself.
Replacement Parts Are Difficult to Find
When you have a vintage chandelier, you need to handle it with kid gloves. Replacement parts are very difficult to come by. If you or your movers were to damage part of the chandelier, you would be hard-pressed to find a restoration expert who has the parts for your chandelier. It would be a very costly mistake indeed, to throw it in a box and on a truck with everything else. It is even more expensive to hire movers who do not know what they are doing. Hiring the right moving company, e.g., one with experience in white glove delivery, ensures that your chandelier makes it to its new home in one perfect piece.
Not All Crystal Chandeliers Are Crystal
In fact, many crystal chandeliers are decked out with carefully crafted and faceted glass instead. It was the only way for those of lesser means to have some of the pretty things the rich had. If you toss it into a box and on a moving truck because you think the "crystals" will be fine, you might be quite surprised to discover shards of glass when you pull it from the packing contents. When you do not know for certain what your "crystals" are made of, let a white glove mover handle it. At least then, you know it will not arrive in thousands of pieces.
Finding a Business That Provides "White Glove Delivery"
White glove delivery simply means that everything that is priceless and fragile is treated as though it were a work of art. Museum curators do not handle works of art without white gloves on to protect everything they pick up and touch. White glove delivery businesses like http://www.affordablechicago.com are often part and parcel of moving companies, and they handle all of your valuables, like your crystal chandelier, with the same caution as a curator and a painting.