Shipping Guide
Preparing Your Piece for Transit to Maison Robert
Proper packing is essential to ensuring your piece arrives safely. Mechanical music boxes, in particular, combine considerable weight with delicate mechanisms, fragile components and sensitive finishes. A few precautions can make a significant difference in protecting them during transit.
Please follow the guidelines below when preparing your item for shipment.
Choose an Appropriate Box
Your shipping box must be strong enough to support the full weight of its contents without splitting, bowing or collapsing. Choose a sturdy carton appropriate to the size and weight of the item. Double-wall corrugated boxes are recommended for heavier pieces.
Please avoid using weakened, damaged or previously compromised boxes. Carriers may deny insurance claims if inadequate packaging contributed to the damage.
Double-Boxing Large-Format Music Boxes
For large-format machines, including Regina and other iron-bed or cast-plate music boxes, we strongly recommend double-boxing.
These machines are both heavy and fragile. A single box, even a heavy-duty one, may not provide sufficient protection against the impacts encountered during transit.
- Wrap the mechanism carefully. Protect the machine and its delicate components before placing it in the inner carton.
- Pack the inner box. Use a sturdy, double-wall carton with dense, resilient cushioning. Support the machine on all sides, including underneath, so that it cannot move or rest directly against the box walls.
- Place the inner box inside a larger carton. Allow at least 2–3 inches of shock-absorbing material on every side, including the top and bottom.
- Eliminate movement. Secure the inner carton within the outer box so that it cannot shift during transit. Cushioning must be sufficient to absorb impacts without allowing the inner box to travel within the outer one.
- Seal securely. Use strong, water-resistant packing tape. Paper tape is not suitable for this application.
The Movement Mechanism
Whenever possible, send music boxes in an unwound condition. Do not force a mechanism or attempt to immobilise components in a way that could cause damage.
Secure delicate or moving parts, including mechanical arms, cylinders and other internal components, against movement wherever this can be done safely. Nothing should be left free to bounce, shift or rattle during transit.
Disc players: If possible, include one of your well-playing discs for testing. Wrap it individually and secure it separately from the main mechanism. Do not ship a disc mounted in the machine.
Protect Fragile Projections
Figurines and complex objects may have fragile projections, including extended arms, delicate branches and architectural details.
Individually pad and secure each projection before wrapping the entire piece. Ensure that these features cannot catch against the packaging, press against the carton walls or bear the weight of the object.
Protect Delicate Finishes
For all music boxes, particularly Italian inlaid-wood pieces, wrap the object in unbuffered tissue paper before applying bubble wrap.
Direct contact between bubble wrap and certain delicate finishes can cause clouding or sticking, particularly when temperature and humidity fluctuate during transit. The tissue paper provides a protective layer between the finish and the outer wrapping.
Where a finish is particularly delicate or its compatibility with a wrapping material is uncertain, take appropriate additional precautions.
Pack Flat Components Flat
Large-format discs, tins and other flat components must be packed flat, with their surfaces fully supported and protected.
Do not allow a disc or tin to rest against the corner of a music box, protruding hardware or another concentrated pressure point. The weight of the object and the stresses of transit can bend, warp or otherwise damage flat components.
Wrap each component individually and provide even support on both sides. Secure it so that it cannot slide, flex or shift inside the package. Avoid placing heavy objects on top of unsupported flat components.
The Zero-Movement Rule
Nothing should move inside the package.
Once packed, gently test the carton. If you can feel or hear anything shifting, the contents are not adequately secured.
Loose packing paper and foam nuggets can compress, settle or break down under the stresses of transit. Avoid relying on them alone, particularly when shipping heavy objects. Use dense, resilient cushioning, packed firmly enough to prevent movement without putting excessive pressure on delicate components.
The contents must remain securely supported throughout the journey, regardless of how the package is tilted or handled.
Include Your Details
Please place a copy of your Maison Robert repair quote inside the package, together with your:
- Full name
- Shipping address
- Phone number
- Email address
This allows us to identify your shipment and contact you if any questions arise.
Tracking and Insurance
We strongly recommend shipping with full insurance coverage appropriate to the value of your item. At a minimum, use a traceable shipping service with tracking, such as USPS Priority Mail.
Retain your tracking number and shipping receipt. Photographs or video of the item and its packaging before dispatch are also advisable should a claim become necessary.
Maison Robert cannot assume responsibility for packages lost or damaged in transit. Please confirm that your chosen carrier’s insurance coverage and packaging requirements are appropriate for the item being shipped.
Ship to the Address on Your Quote
Please ship your item to the address listed on your Maison Robert repair quote.
We operate more than one atelier, with facilities suited to different types of work. Larger woodwork and furniture projects may need to be sent to a different location from mechanical music boxes and other work requiring a clean environment.
Please use the address specified on your quote rather than an address found elsewhere or one used for a previous project. If you have any questions about the destination, contact us before shipping.
how we ship
From small mechanical components to substantial pieces of furniture, shipping requirements vary considerably from one object to the next. We take the nature of the piece, its condition, destination and handling requirements into account when arranging transport.
Maison Robert serves clients throughout the United States and internationally. Local pickup and return delivery may be arranged within the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, while shipments beyond the region are coordinated according to the size and requirements of the object.
Some items are well suited to standard parcel services. Others call for more substantial packing, custom crating or specialised transport. We will discuss the appropriate arrangements with you rather than assume that one method suits everything.
Purchasing & Delivery
Shipping arrangements depend on the item, its destination and the level of protection required. Where shipping is not included in the purchase price, costs and arrangements should be confirmed before dispatch.
Once arrangements have been finalised, we will provide the relevant shipping information, including tracking where applicable. Larger, fragile or unusually shaped objects may require additional preparation and coordination.
For international shipments, buyers should also account for any applicable customs duties, import taxes and other destination-specific charges.
If you have questions about getting a particular piece to you, please contact us before purchase. We are happy to discuss the practicalities.
you
Family & Estate Heirlooms
Collectors & Enthusiasts
Institutions & Cultural Spaces
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Local pickup
national shipping
Our Minneapolis – St. Paul atelier serves the region with local pickup, return delivery and direct drop off at the Maison Robert atelier. We also serve clients throughout all 50 states and beyond, with many pieces able to be shipped directly to us.
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