Paris—-Buying and shipping art?

Not sure what modest $$ actually is. We have purchased several pictures in the Montmartre area. One was on a wooden type canvas another was on a normal canvas type cloth which the vendor rolled up for us so we could put in our luggage. We didnt have a need to ship as the wooden one went in overhead on plane via a shopping bag. Just strolling the artist displays in Montmartre is memory enough

We have several limited edition lithographs as well as a couple of oils, acrylics and water colours that we have purchased while overseas. We had the oils removed from their stretchers (except for one small one). Without a frame or stretcher, they can be rolled and kept safe in a mailing tube, unless it is HUGE. Our tubes rode home either inside our suitcase or in the overhead.

I have purchased art in Paris, Amsterdam and Naxos from both street vendors and galleries. They have always rolled it up for me and placed it in a mailing tube which I carry on the plane with me. I then have it framed at home.

Thanks!

Any issues with carrying the tube on your return flight (specifically Delta)? I’ve packed smaller art pieces and have shipped larger purchases home, but I haven’t carried art tubes onboard..

My last flight was on Delta and I actually had two tubes. I had my husband carry on my personal item as he only has a carryon and I carried the tubes as my personal item. Even though they were too long to fit under the seat, no one said anything and I put them in the overhead.

I purchase art at Drouot auctions. You can save the 20% VAT by having them ship your purchases out of the EU.

https://drouot.com/en/

Note that if the place you buy it ships it, you don't have to pay VAT and can recapture the entire VAT amount rather than about half as you do with filing paperwork. This is often enough to pay for shipping. I bought a semi-antique Japanese vase on a trip last year which was very heavy; it arrived well wrapped in bubble wrap before we even got home (we have a doorman building so we don't have to worry about that). The VAT paid the shipping. You have to ask sometimes but anything sent out of the country doesn't pay VAT and you should be able to recapture that fully in the price.

I put the FedEx mailing tube in my suitcase, filled with socks, etc on the way to Europe…..then bring my paintings back home rolled up in the tube which is back in my suitcase. Done this numerous times and it works perfectly.

I am curious to learn what you find. In the past, we have just put any art work in tubes and brought on plane with us (Delta). But this past December my DH found a larger, framed painting he wanted to buy but we weren't sure how (or how costly it would be) to ship it to USA. Please post what you decided to do and how you did it.