JLog ships antiques — items over 100 years old — out of South Africa under HS Chapter 9706. Provenance documentation, valuation, SAHRA approval where heritage criteria apply, CITES permits for any ivory / tortoiseshell / regulated-wood content, and SARS export clearance are standard. We use FedEx Express, DHL Express, and dedicated art-and-antique freight forwarders for larger pieces. Quote in 24 hours; CITES and SAHRA lead times added transparently to the schedule.
What qualifies as an antique on export
The customs definition is age, not aesthetics. HS Chapter 9706 covers items of an age exceeding 100 years. A Victorian writing desk from 1895 is an antique; a Bauhaus piece from 1928 currently is not (yet). The 100-year clock matters for the customs classification because antiques generally enter destination markets at zero or reduced duty under the 9706 line — but only if the piece can be evidenced as over 100 years.
This is a separate service from modern luxury goods (HS 7113, 9101, 4202, 7114) and from designer furniture (HS 9403). The customs treatment is different; the provenance burden is much higher.
Provenance — the single biggest variable
An antique export stands or falls on provenance documentation. We work with dealers, estates, and private collectors to assemble:
- Age-evidence — auction-house catalogue from a prior sale; gallery or dealer invoice with date; expert appraisal; carbon dating where the piece is borderline; photographic record showing the piece in its prior context (e.g. an estate inventory from 1962).
- Maker or origin attribution — silver hallmark; cabinet-maker stamp; potter’s mark; signature; documented attribution by a recognised expert. The destination customs treats unattributed antiques less favourably than well-attributed pieces.
- Chain of title — the prior ownership history. For estate sales we work from probate inventory. For dealer onward sale we work from the bill of sale and prior provenance file.
- Valuation — independent valuation from a recognised SA appraiser or auction house. The declared value on the SAD500 must match the valuation. Discrepancy triggers a customs query.
SAHRA — heritage-export approval
South Africa protects heritage objects under the National Heritage Resources Act. Antiques over 100 years old can be subject to SAHRA review where the piece has cultural-heritage significance — for example, items linked to a national-heritage event, items from a heritage-listed estate, or items that fall within the Act’s protected categories.
We lodge the SAHRA export application on the dealer or estate’s behalf where review is required. Lead time is typically 4–8 weeks. We do not despatch the piece until the SAHRA permit is in hand. Where the piece is clearly out of heritage scope (e.g. a Victorian dressing table from a private collection with no SA-heritage attribution), we record a no-permit-required note from SAHRA for the file.
CITES — regulated materials in antiques
Many antiques incorporate materials that today are CITES-restricted. The big ones:
- Ivory — antique ivory (pre-1947) can move under specific CITES exemption certificates, but the documentation burden is high. Modern ivory (post-1947) generally cannot move at all. We work with the dealer to assemble the age-evidence and lodge the CITES re-export certificate.
- Tortoiseshell — same approach. Antique pieces require CITES paperwork even for re-export.
- Rosewood, mahogany, certain ebony species — listed under CITES Appendix II. We lodge the export permit and obtain the destination import permit where required.
- Coral, mother-of-pearl decorative inlays — case-by-case CITES review.
We do not export ivory, tortoiseshell, or restricted-species content without the CITES paperwork in hand. The destination customs will seize the consignment and pursue the shipper. We will not put a client in that position.
Packing antiques
Antique furniture is fragile in ways modern furniture is not — old joinery, fragile finishes (French polish, gilt, marquetry, veneers), brittle leather, drying timber. Our pack approach:
- Pre-condition report — every piece is photographed in detail before any packing material touches it. Surface, joints, drawers, hardware, hinges, base, interior. Any pre-existing damage is recorded with date-stamped photographs.
- Climate-acclimatised pack — pieces from the Highveld destined for humid coastal climates (US south-east, UAE, Hong Kong) are wrapped in moisture-stable Tyvek with a silica desiccant pack in the crate. Pieces destined for dry climates (UAE summer, US south-west) are pre-acclimatised over a week in our humidity-controlled bay where the piece is vulnerable to cracking.
- Custom plywood crate — ISPM-15 stamped. Internal foam saddles moulded around legs, handles, and pediments. Drawer movement immobilised with foam blocks. Hinges latched.
- Tilt and shock indicators external on every crate over 60 kg.
Customs paperwork and destination clearance
We lodge the SAD500 under HS 9706. The 8-digit SARS line varies — 9706.00.10 for antiques of South African origin and 9706.00.90 for other antiques where the piece transited SA. Box 31 carries a detailed description: piece type, material, period, attribution, dimensions, declared value.
Destination clearance:
- EU: CDS entry with antiques classification — zero or low-rate import duty on HS 9706 in most member states. EU REACH does not apply to antiques.
- UK: CDS entry, antique classification, VAT-on-import at the reduced rate (5%) on qualifying antiques rather than the standard 20%. This requires documentary evidence of age — we provide the file.
- US: CBP entry, antique classification — generally duty-free under HTSUS 9706 if the piece is over 100 years and documented as such.
- UAE: entry under the antiques tariff line; check on alcohol-content or religious-iconography compliance separately.
- Australia: biosecurity check on natural-fibre upholstery or timber; antique CITES content (ivory, tortoiseshell, regulated woods) requires the destination import permit.
Freight selection
Antiques freight is normally sea LCL or consolidated air. Small antique pieces (watches, jewellery, small objets) can move FedEx or DHL Express; larger furniture moves crated air or sea LCL. Cape Town to London 28–35 days sea LCL; consolidated air 7–10 working days; FedEx or DHL Express on parcel-class pieces 3–6 working days.
Insurance and claims
Declared-value transit insurance on every consignment, matched to the independent valuation. For high-value antiques over R500k we add specialist fine-art-and-antique transit cover with broader inclusions (concealed damage, conservation cost, partial-value claim).
Working with estates, dealers, and probate
A large share of antique exports run through estate sales and probate consignments. JLog works with executors, attorneys, and the estate’s appointed dealer to consolidate a multi-piece antique export under a single SAD500 declaration where the consignment moves as one shipment. We accept the probate inventory as the chain-of-title document, work from independent valuations of each piece for the declared value, and lodge the SAHRA and CITES paperwork in parallel so the despatch date does not slip on permit lead time. For dealers handling onward sale of estate pieces, we hold standing rate sheets and can quote a multi-piece movement in 24 hours given the inventory list.
Related JLog services
- Ship Art from South Africa — the parent fine-art pillar.
- Ship Luxury Goods from South Africa — modern luxury (under 100 years).
- Ship High-Value & Fragile Goods from South Africa — the overview hub.
- Get a quote — submit details for a 24-hour quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HS code for antiques exported from South Africa?
HS Chapter 9706 — antiques of an age exceeding 100 years. The 8-digit SARS line is 9706.00.10 for antiques of South African origin and 9706.00.90 for other antiques transiting SA. Pieces under 100 years do not qualify for 9706 and declare under the chapter matching the material.
Do you need SAHRA approval to export an antique from South Africa?
Where the piece has cultural-heritage significance or sits within the National Heritage Resources Act’s protected categories, yes. We lodge the SAHRA export application on the seller’s behalf; review takes 4–8 weeks. Pieces clearly outside heritage scope are recorded with a SAHRA no-permit-required note.
Can you ship antique ivory or tortoiseshell from South Africa?
Antique pre-1947 ivory and tortoiseshell can move under specific CITES re-export certificates with strong age-evidence documentation. Modern post-1947 material generally cannot move. We do not despatch CITES-regulated content without the permit in hand.
How is declared value set for an antique consignment?
Matched to an independent valuation from a recognised SA appraiser or auction house. The SAD500 declared value must match the valuation; discrepancy triggers a customs query and can delay clearance.
Do antiques attract reduced VAT on entry into the United Kingdom?
Yes. Qualifying antiques over 100 years entering the UK attract VAT at the reduced rate (5%) under the antiques regime rather than the standard 20% rate. The reduced rate requires documentary evidence of age — we provide the file at customs entry.
How do you pack antique furniture for a Cape Town to London move?
Pre-condition photographic report, Tyvek wrap with desiccant pack, internal foam saddling, custom ISPM-15 stamped plywood crate, tilt and shock indicators external. Sea LCL transit is 28–35 days; consolidated air freight 7–10 working days; we acclimatise pieces vulnerable to humidity change over a week in our controlled bay.
Can JLog handle estate consignments — multiple antique pieces from a single estate sale?
Yes. We project-manage estate consignments — multiple pieces, multi-crate, single export declaration where the consignment is consolidated. We work from the estate inventory or probate document for the chain-of-title record.