Won a lot at a German auction? We collect it, crate it and ship it to your door.
We present your authorisation to the auction house, check the lot against the catalogue and photograph its condition before it leaves. Then we pack it in our Hannover workshop, prepare the export documents and ship it to your door, insured if you wish. For auction houses in Hannover, Lower Saxony, Hamburg and Bremen.
Thomas and his team went above and beyond with our shipment which was complex and drawn out. They provided regular updates and worked collaboratively to ensure the safe delivery of our item. Thank you. I'd highly recommend.
Care shows in the details.
From the first protective layer to the custom-fit crate: every item is handled individually.
Illustrative images.
Auction shipping: collection, packing, export, delivery.
We only ship what we collect ourselves. From the auction house door to yours, your item is in one pair of hands: ours.
Auction logistics
You won a lot at a German auction? We contact the auction house, present your authorisation, collect the lot and bring it to you professionally packed, wherever you live. Transport insurance on request.
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Everything after the hammer falls: we arrange the date with the auction house, present your authorisation, check the lot against the catalogue description and document its condition at collection. Then it is packed to measure in Hannover and delivered to your door worldwide, insured if you wish.
We insure the journey for the value you name, including the buyer's premium if you wish. Together with photo documentation of collection and packing, you have evidence if you ever need to make a claim.
- We speak the language of auction houses: authorisations, collection windows and storage deadlines are our daily business.
- One contact from hammer to door, reachable by email wherever you are.
- Photo documentation: condition at collection and the finished packing. You see your lot even when you are thousands of kilometres away.
Custom packing & wooden crates
Every item gets the packing it deserves: from padded special cartons to made-to-measure wooden crates. Built and packed in our own workshop in Hannover, not outsourced. Every package is photo-documented before the journey begins.
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From double-wall cardboard with made-to-measure cushioning to a wooden crate built exactly around your object. Inside, everything is fixed and padded until nothing moves. For export we choose the packing so that customs in the destination country does not stop the crate.
In air freight every centimetre costs money: you pay by volumetric weight. A made-to-measure crate is therefore often cheaper than an oversized standard crate, and it protects better because nothing can shift.
- We pack ourselves, in our own workshop in Hannover.
- Photo documentation as standard. You see the condition and packing before the journey begins.
- Professional packing, documented. In case of damage, professional packing is what counts, and we can prove it.
How shipping an auction purchase from Germany works.
Tell us what you won
Send us the auction house, lot number and delivery address, simply by email.
Collection
We collect your lot from the auction house with your authorisation and take it to our hub.
Packing
Made to measure for each item, from padded double-wall cartons to wooden crates. With photo documentation for you.
Shipping
Tracked transport to your door, worldwide, insured if you wish. Customs and export documents included.
What we ship: art, antiques, furniture, porcelain, watches.
From pocket size to wooden crates well over a metre long. If it is fragile and valuable, you have come to the right place.
Your request in two minutes.
Tell us what goes where. You receive an individual quote by email, usually within one working day. No automatic prices: every shipment is calculated personally.
- Auction house and lot number (or a link to the catalogue)
- Delivery address: town and country
- Value of the item, if you would like transport insurance
- Dimensions and weight if you know them. Otherwise we check the catalogue.
What professionals know about international shipping.
Answers from daily practice at our packing bench and customs desk.
W·01Wooden crate or carton: how should art be packed for export?
The short answer: a carton protects the item, a wooden crate protects the item from the transport.
A high-quality double-wall carton with custom padding is enough for most items up to suitcase size: porcelain, watches, smaller pictures, electronics. What matters is not the carton itself but the padding: the item must not move a millimetre inside the carton, and there should be at least five centimetres of cushioning between item and wall.
The wooden crate comes in when one of three limits is exceeded:
- Weight: from about 30 kg a shipment is stacked, lifted and tilted like freight, not like a parcel
- Size: from about 120 cm parcel carriers apply oversize handling, and cartons suffer
- Fragility: glass, marble, framed paintings, sculptures: anything that does not forgive a knock
W·02Transport insurance: how much should a shipment be insured for?
The standard liability of parcel carriers is capped by weight, not by value. For valuable items it is practically worthless.
That is why we work with real transport insurance at the declared value: for auction purchases often the hammer price plus buyer's premium, for trade goods the invoice value. You name the value, we insure the journey from collection to delivery.
For insurance to pay in case of damage, two things are needed, and both are our standard:
- Professional packing: insurers can refuse claims for items that were not packed professionally
- Documentation: we photograph condition and packing before dispatch, so there is evidence rather than assertions if in doubt
You receive this photo documentation anyway, whether damage occurs or not. With us it is not an extra but part of the craft.
W·03What is a collection authorisation for an auction house?
A collection authorisation is the buyer's written permission for an auction house to release a purchased lot to a logistics provider such as BFF Logistics.
The process is simpler than it sounds: you send us the auction house, lot number and your details. We send you a ready-made text for the collection authorisation, you send it to the auction house with a copy to us, and we arrange the collection date with the house. Important: the auction house invoice must be paid before collection, no house releases unpaid lots.
At collection we check the lot against the catalogue description, document its condition with photos and sign for it. From that moment we are responsible, and the photos show you the condition in which your item started its journey.
Many auction houses charge storage fees for uncollected lots after a deadline, often after just two to four weeks. The sooner you report your purchase to us, the smoother and cheaper the collection.
What clients write on Google.
Genuine reviews from our Google profile. German reviews translated.
Thomas and his team went above and beyond with our shipment which was complex and drawn out. They provided regular updates and worked collaboratively to ensure the safe delivery of our item. Thank you. I'd highly recommend.
The packaging for the porcelain was more than excellent, with friendly answers to questions. Highly recommended, I will gladly use them again.
Frequently asked questions.
How does shipping from Germany with BFF Logistics work?
BFF Logistics handles the whole journey: you tell us the item, dimensions, pickup location and delivery address. We collect, pack to measure, handle customs and export, and deliver with tracking to your door, worldwide, insured if you wish. Throughout, you have one contact in Hannover.
Can I get the German VAT back?
Often, yes. Many German auction houses refund VAT to buyers outside the EU once the export is documented. We prepare the export declaration and, after export, send the documents with the customs exit confirmation to the auction house. The VAT refund itself is settled between you and the auction house, so please check their terms.
Will I pay import duty or tax when it arrives?
Usually, yes. Your country's customs authority charges import duty and VAT or sales tax, and you pay them as the recipient. The amount depends on your country, the type of item and its value, and many countries charge reduced rates on original art and antiques. Tell us what you bought and where it is going, and we tell you what to expect before you book.
How does the collection authorisation work?
Once you accept our quote, we send you a ready-made authorisation text. You send it to the auction house with a copy to us, and we arrange the collection date. You pay the auction house invoice directly, as usual. Lots are released only once paid, so paying early helps you avoid storage fees.
When and how do I pay?
Once your item is packed and the final dimensions are confirmed, we send you an invoice with a secure payment link. You can pay online by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) or by PayPal. The auction house invoice you pay directly to the auction house.
Is there anything you do not ship?
We do not ship weapons or militaria. Ivory cannot be exported from the EU to countries outside Europe. Some cultural goods need a German export licence, see the next question. Ask us before you bid if you are unsure.
Do I need a cultural property export licence?
For exports from the EU, German cultural property law requires a licence from the cultural authority for certain objects: original letters, manuscripts, documents and other archive material older than 50 years, whatever the value; paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures and books above certain age and value thresholds. That is no reason not to bid: we check before collection whether your item is affected, file the application with the responsible ministry of culture and attach the licence to the export declaration. You get one contact for customs and the cultural authority alike. For items that need a licence, allow a few weeks of lead time.
Do you collect directly from the auction house?
Yes. From Hannover and Celle we collect from auction houses across Lower Saxony ourselves. In Hamburg, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Stuhr and Braunschweig our local centres collect. Collection from other regions is possible in individual cases on request, for a surcharge.
My auction house is not in northwest Germany. Can you still collect?
Our centres in Hannover, Celle, Hamburg, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Stuhr and Braunschweig collect locally, and across Lower Saxony we collect ourselves. In other regions we do not collect. Tell us where the auction house is and we name the MBE centre nearest to it.
What does shipping cost?
Every shipment is calculated individually, depending on dimensions, weight, packing and destination. Use the shipping request above: you receive an individual quote by email.
Is my shipment insured?
Transport insurance is optional: you name the value, including the buyer's premium if you like, and it applies once you confirm it in writing.
Who are you?
BFF Logistics is the international shipping service of BFF Business Services GmbH (HRB 209217, Amtsgericht Hannover). We run Mail Boxes Etc. centre 0051 at Günther-Wagner-Allee 13-17 in Hannover, which is why our email address ends in @mbe.de.
Do you also ship furniture and large items?
Yes, up to a certain size: for furniture, sculptures and fragile items we build made-to-measure wooden crates. Very large or heavy pieces, from roughly 1.3 metres or several hundred kilos, belong with a specialist furniture forwarder. We tell you straight away.
Question not listed?
Ask us directlyShipping from Germany to
Import duties, VAT, thresholds and transit times for the countries we ship to most, checked October 2026.
Something valuable to ship?
Tell us what needs shipping, where it is now and where it is going. A photo or a catalogue link helps. You receive a personal quote by email from the person who will handle your shipment.
Thank you, we have your request.
We will reply by email within one working day.
Or message us directly on Telegram:
BFF Logistics is the international shipping service of BFF Business Services GmbH (HRB 209217, Amtsgericht Hannover). We run Mail Boxes Etc. centre 0051 in Hannover, which is why our email address ends in @mbe.de.
Your contact: Michael Leikine, Managing Director. We reply within one working day, in your language: write to us in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese or Arabic.
Günther-Wagner-Allee 13-17, 30177 Hannover, Germany.