Shipping a fish!

[LazyBkpr]

OK, so I need to ship a fish.. its actually a hand carved fish, and hand painted. Every detail is immaculate. I was present twice when the person who carved it was asked how much it weighed when it was caught...   OK, its TWO fish.....
   The problem isnt so much the fish, but whats attached to it, and around it!!!





   OK, so now you see the issue?  My wife wanted me to bring this back from Maine in the back of a pickup...  1200 miles in a truck bed?
   The stand the bear is on is also hand carved, and the case is hand made...
   Ideas on having something priceless shipped?

[riverbee]

hmmmm dunno lazy, i had my great grandmothers hutch (oak and leaded glass) shipped from one place to another by a company that specializes in shipping these types of items.  i tell you what though i'd be willing to find a company and pay to have it shipped.....directly to me........
then MAYBE when i get the chance, load it up in the jeep and bring it down to ya!......

[LazyBkpr]

hehe I bet..  NO CLUE what that thing might actually be worth, but I know I don't want to take chances with it..    I have considered wrapping it in plastic sheeting, setting it in a crate and filling the crate with non expanding foam..

[DMLinton]

I would pack it as you have suggested and then haul it myself as your wife has suggested.  No way would I rely on someone else to ensure that this item got to where it was supposed to go.  The thing with these kinds of items is how would one replace it and, given that, how/why would there be any point in insuring it?

[LazyBkpr]

I agree DM..  thats exactly why its still in the mother in laws house in Maine..   No part of that display can be replaced.. I suppose another bear could be mounted, but my Brother in law wont be carving any more fish, and I have NEVER seen any carving of that kind of quality. It literally took him years to get those little wooden fish to look real. A mounted trophy fish is no comparison in detail or color. My wifes brother in law was one of those detail freaks.. He can point out flaws I cant see. Open heart surgery and 5 way bypass took away his ability to do that type of work, along with much of his ambition.   One of a kind is an understatement.
   I will figure something out, whatever it is will have to be foolproof considering who is driving the truck.

[riverbee]

"hehe I bet..  NO CLUE what that thing might actually be worth, but I know I don't want to take chances with it..    I have considered wrapping it in plastic sheeting, setting it in a crate and filling the crate with non expanding foam.."

what, my g grandmother's hutch or the fish?....... well lazy the hutch made it all the way from kentucky to the mountains of wyoming in a covered wagon, and then later from wyoming over the mountain passes to montana, on another wagon.......
it's a one of a kind piece and can't be replaced. when it was shipped, we hired a company that specializes in moving antiques and museum pieces.  it was worth the expense and piece of mind to move it, rather than a moving van, or in the back of a truck.  might consider looking into that for shipping that really cool carving you have there.
 

[mamapoppybee]

that is very pretty lazy but as for your shipping wows i have no idea

[Perry]

I'm with DM on this one as well. Nobody will take care of it on the journey as well as you. Besides, Maine is awfully close to Nova Scotia isn't it? 

[apisbees]

3 sheets of plywood cut in 1/2 or in sizes that can be re-cut to make bottom boards and hive covers latter. Screw the display to the plywood for the bottom up thru the bottom. Wrap a blanket around the display and then a piece of plastic in case of rain  then assemble the box around the display. I would use 2x2 cleats in the corners to make it easy to screw to for assembling. I would not pack it hard between the display and the shipping case as the vibration can case damage from the constant movement. put a tarp over it and strap it down on the box.
the easiest time to screw the plywood up on to the base would be as you load it in the truck, place it on the bottom plywood, leave the end hanging over the tail gate so screws can be drilled to from the bottom and the display can be rotated to get screws in all corners. and along the sides. Realistically 2 screws should hold it but i would use 8 just to be sure.