JLog ships original sculpture out of South Africa as a child service under our fine-art export pillar. Originals fall under HS 9703 (sculptures and statuary). We build custom plywood crates around three-dimensional work, manage SARS export clearance, and coordinate installation at the destination. Carriers: FedEx Express, DHL Express, and dedicated freight forwarders for crates above carrier dimensional limits.
Sculpture is not painting
The art-export pillar at ship-art-from-south-africa covers two-dimensional fine art — paintings, drawings, prints, photography. Sculpture sits underneath that pillar as a distinct service because the logistics are different. A painting is flat; a sculpture is volumetric. A painting is light; a sculpture might be 800 kg of cast bronze. A painting installs on a wall; a sculpture installs on a plinth or in a garden and might need a rigger.
This page is the sculpture-specific service: crating for three-dimensional work, weight-class freight selection, and destination installation coordination.
What we crate
South African sculptors produce work that spans almost every weight class. We crate and freight all of it:
- Bronze and cast metal — typically 30 kg to 800 kg. Heavier pieces may need forklift or crane handling. Plinth coordination at destination.
- Stone — granite, marble, soapstone, sandstone — heavy, irregular, brittle on edges. Internal saddling against the natural form.
- Wood and carved wood — moisture-sensitive. Our crates are plywood, so exempt from ISPM-15.
- Steel and welded metalwork — sharp edges, paint-finish sensitivity. Edge-foam, soft-wrap, then crate.
- Mixed media — found object, ceramic, glass, fibre. Per-piece pack plan.
Originals — single-edition or unique — sit under HS 9703 (sculptures and statuary, in any material). Reproductions and decorative casts produced in commercial editions move under the chapter matching the material (e.g. HS 7419 for copper articles, HS 7325 for cast iron articles), not 9703.
The custom crating approach
Sculpture crates are designed per piece. We work from photographs and dimensions; the crate is built around the work, not the work fitted into a stock box.
- Base: a plywood base sized to the piece and its weight.
- Internal saddling: the piece sits in a foam saddle moulded to the geometry. Bronze pieces with a defined base bolt to the floor inside the crate through the patina-protected base. Stone pieces sit on a vibration-damping pad.
- Walls and roof: plywood, built to the size of the piece.
- ISPM-15: our crates are plywood, which ISPM-15 exempts, so no treatment or stamp is needed.
Freight tier selection by weight class
Sculpture weight class drives the freight selection:
- Under 70 kg crated, under 120 cm longest side: FedEx Express International Priority or DHL Express Worldwide. 3–6 working days transit. Best for small-format sculpture, edition pieces, and pieces sold direct to private collectors.
- 70 kg to 250 kg crated, or over 120 cm but under 240 cm longest side: consolidated air freight via Cape Town International to the destination hub. 5–9 working days. We work with a vetted forwarder and clear at destination through our agent.
- 250 kg to 800 kg crated, or over 240 cm: dedicated air freight on a unit-load device (ULD) or sea LCL. Air freight runs 7–12 working days; sea LCL runs 28–38 days depending on lane.
- Over 800 kg or oversized installation pieces: sea FCL with over-the-road specialist transport at destination. Lead time 4–8 weeks. We project-manage with the artist or the receiving gallery.
SARS export and destination customs
Originals declare under HS 9703 — sculptures, statuary, and original works of art in three dimensions. The 8-digit SARS tariff line is set on the SAD500. We file:
- SAD500 with HS 9703.00.10 (originals) or the matching material chapter for production casts.
- Commercial invoice with declared value in ZAR and destination currency.
- Certificate of authenticity from the artist or representing gallery.
- Edition certificate where applicable (e.g. cast bronze edition of 8 plus 4 artist proofs).
- SAHRA (South African Heritage Resources Agency) permit where the piece engages cultural-heritage criteria (e.g. work with explicit reference to protected cultural symbols, or work by a deceased SA artist of national-heritage standing). The owner applies for the permit, and we ship once it is in place. SAHRA review typically 4–8 weeks.
- CITES permit where the piece incorporates regulated materials — for sculpture this most often arises with ivory (legacy pieces only — modern ivory is prohibited), certain woods, or shell content. You apply to DFFE, and we ship once the permit is in place.
- ATA Carnet where the piece travels to an exhibition and returns to SA — typical for gallery-show consolidations and art-fair participation.
- Destination clearance: EU CDS or CHED entry; UK CDS; US CBP entry with cultural property classification; UAE entry with art classification on the manifest.
Installation coordination at destination
A sculpture is not delivered. It is installed. We coordinate the destination receiving crew — rigger, fitter, art handler — through our partner network in London, New York, Berlin, Dubai, Sydney, and Hong Kong. The receiving crew unbolts the piece from the crate, places it on the prepared plinth or footing, and signs off. Condition reports are available on request. For garden or public installations we engage a structural fitter where the piece bolts to a slab.
Insurance, claims, and condition reports
Goods-in-transit insurance is in place; details on request. For high-value sculpture we recommend the owner’s own fine-art insurance policy, and we can declare the value on the export paperwork.
Condition reports are available on request. Claims, where they arise, are filed within the carrier deadline (FedEx 21 days, DHL 30 days, freight forwarder per AWB terms) on a complete documentary file.
Working with sculptors and foundries
JLog ships work directly for South African sculptors and for the foundries that cast their work. The despatch chain often begins at the foundry — we collect the finished bronze straight from the cast room, bring it to our crating workshop in Woodstock, and crate it within 1–3 working days. For sculptors moving editions over time (e.g. a cast of 8 with editions sold to collectors in multiple countries), we hold the despatch record and crate plan so each onward edition shipment is a repeat of the proven pack, not a new design problem.
Related JLog services
- Ship Art from South Africa — the parent pillar (covers two-dimensional fine art).
- Ship Fine-Art Photography from South Africa — sibling child of the art pillar.
- Ship High-Value & Fragile Goods from South Africa — the overview hub.
- Get a quote — submit dimensions, weight, and destination; we reply within 4 business hours.
Frequently asked questions
What HS code applies to original sculpture exported from South Africa?
Original sculptures and statuary in any material declare under HS 9703 — Chapter 97 (works of art, collectors’ pieces, antiques). Production casts and decorative reproductions declare under the chapter matching the material, not 9703.
Can JLog crate a bronze over 500 kg for export?
Yes. Every crate is custom-built from plywood around the piece; very heavy pieces move as dedicated air freight or sea freight rather than express courier. We project-manage the destination rigging.
Do you handle SAHRA permits for sculpture by deceased SA artists?
No. The owner applies for the SAHRA permit, and we ship once it is in place. A permit is needed where the piece engages national-heritage criteria — typically work by a deceased SA artist of recognised standing, or work incorporating protected cultural references. Review takes 4–8 weeks, so please flag it at quote stage.
Is ATA Carnet available for an exhibition consignment that returns to SA?
Yes. SACCI issues the ATA Carnet; we can assist with the shipment. Carnet validity is typically 12 months. We track each customs office entry-and-exit stamp so the piece returns clean and the carnet closes without bond release issues.
How is a public-installation sculpture (e.g. a 1.5 ton garden piece) handled overseas?
Sea FCL to the destination port, specialist over-the-road transport to the install site, structural fitter to bolt the piece to its slab or footing. We project-manage with the artist, receiving gallery, or end client. Lead time 4–8 weeks from despatch.
What insurance applies to high-value sculpture in transit?
Goods-in-transit insurance is in place; details on request. For high-value sculpture we recommend the owner’s own fine-art insurance policy, and we can declare the value on the export paperwork.
Can JLog coordinate the receiving rigger and installation crew at the destination?
Yes. Destination handler partners are engaged via our forwarder network on a per-consignment basis. The receiving crew unbolts the piece from the crate, places it on the prepared mount, and signs off. Condition reports are available on request.