Transporting musical instruments

Anyone know of a company that can do this.
I have 2 valuable violins and a small harp that I would like to take, however there is no way that I want them in a non temperature/humidity controlled container for a month as it would be the end of them. The violins, well we could take one each as hand luggage (flown with them before and no ill effect) although that does mean of course that we couldn't take any other hand luggage, but probably we would get by. However there is no way the harp could go as hand luggage, nor do I have a hard case for it for shipping it in the hold and it would probably make us go over our weight allowance if I did. The other instruments I am not too concerned about and would be happy to ship them and some it is about time that I parted with anyway.

Quick question, is it very valuable either sentimentally and/or financially?
How much would you be prepared to spend to get it over there?
I'm only asking as I ship guitars all over the world, so perhaps I may be of use.
Thanks
Ady

I piscked it up cheaply - for a harp anyway at around ?400. The reason for wanting to take it, is that it is vrey rare to find one at that price and if I sold it I would expect to have to pay at least ?1500 to get another out there in NZ. It is also a particularly beautiful harp with gorgeous carving and marquetry work on it, so I doubt I could find another.

I had thought about making a wooden crate for it and enquring about taking it on as excess baggage, it is not massive - around 3 foot high I guess, but defninitely too big for hand luggage

I have a similar issue with my guitars, I have decided that a crate in the container is the only sensible option (The shipping company will build a custom create for each guitar for ?45 each).

There is also the option to use a climate controlled container but I think that could increase the cost by some way.

Regards,

Chris.

Surely a guitar can go as extra baggage. In a hard case. I have a takemine thats going with me, but I'm not shipping it seperately, it's just not worth it.

[kiwi_fairy]

what about an upright piano? :icon_mrgreen: if we move I wouldn't dream of leaving it behind, as my grandparents bought it for me.