How case sizes get decided
Case size starts with the object, not with a catalogue. We ask for the artifact's footprint, its height on the mount, and the clearance a curator wants around it. That clearance is what makes the case read as a considered piece rather than a box that happens to fit. For a single small object, a deep case can look empty and can also push the artifact too far from the viewer.
The second input is the viewer. Deck height is usually set so that the main object sits in a comfortable sightline for an adult standing at the glass, then checked again against seated and shorter visitors. Where a gallery expects school groups, a lower deck and a taller glass volume usually work better than raising the whole case.
The third input is the room. Door widths, elevator car size, corridor turns and floor loading all limit what can be carried in. We would rather know about a 900 mm doorway at the drawing stage than at the loading dock. Our other museum display cases are sized the same way, and a gallery often ends up with two or three case families rather than one repeated size.
- Artifact footprint, height on mount and weight
- Required clearance at sides, back and top
- Deck height and whether the case is viewed from one side or all four
- Door, corridor, elevator and floor-loading limits on the delivery route
Glass, sightlines and reflection control
Standard float glass carries a green cast in the edge and over a long viewing depth. Low-iron glass removes most of that cast, so colours inside the case stay closer to what the lighting designer intended. The difference is easiest to see on white textiles, paper and pale ceramics, which is where most buyers first notice it.
Glass thickness follows the panel span and the security level, not a fixed rule. Laminated glass is chosen when the case needs to resist impact and hold together if it is struck. Anti-reflective coating is worth specifying where a case sits opposite a window or under a bright gallery wash, because reflections cost more visibility than most people expect.
Corner treatment changes how the case reads. Mitred and bonded vitrine corners give an almost frameless look; a slim metal post is more forgiving of site tolerances and easier to service. We normally show both options on the same drawing so the decision is made against a picture rather than a description.
Dust sealing and silica gel wells
Dust is the slow problem in a permanent gallery. A case that is opened twice a year still collects dust if the joints are not sealed, and cleaning inside a sealed case means breaking the seal, which is exactly what conservation staff want to avoid. We detail continuous gasket lines at the glass-to-base joint and at the access panel, with compression set by the latch rather than by the installer's judgement.
Where relative humidity needs to be buffered, the base can be built with a silica gel well below the deck and a perforated deck panel above it, so the conditioning medium sits out of sight and can be changed without disturbing the mount. The well is sized to the internal volume of the case and to how often the client is willing to service it. We do not make claims about the performance a specific case will achieve; the well is a provision, and the conservator sets the target.
Sealed cases also need a considered material list inside them. Finishes, adhesives and fabrics used in the interior are selected with off-gassing in mind, and we list every internal material on the submittal so a conservator can review it before production starts.
Lighting, UV and heat
Two things damage sensitive objects under light: total exposure and heat. Inside a case, LED sources are used because the drivers and most of the heat can sit outside the sealed volume, and because output can be dimmed. Where drivers must be inside the base, the base is ventilated separately from the artifact chamber.
UV output from LEDs is low, but lenses, diffusers and any daylight reaching the case still matter. Filtering on the glass and a discussion of gallery daylight usually do more than changing the fixture. Dimming is specified per case so that a textile and a bronze in the same room can run at different levels.
Colour temperature and colour rendering are set with the exhibit designer. A warm source flatters gilt and wood; a neutral source is usually better for mixed material groups and for photography. If the case will be photographed for a catalogue, say so early, because it changes both the lighting and the glass specification. The same lighting logic applies to our luxury LED glass display cases, though the conservation constraints there are much lighter.
Security, locking and service access
Access is a security decision and a handling decision at the same time. Fewer opening points means fewer weak points, but it also means more of the case has to be moved to reach the object. We normally give a museum one primary access panel sized for mount removal, plus a separate service hatch for lighting and for the gel well.
Locks are concealed and keyed to the client's system. Cam locks are common on lower-risk cases; hook bolts and multi-point latches are used where the panel is large or where the case is in an unattended gallery. Fixings are chosen so that the case cannot be opened with tools a visitor is likely to carry.
Loan agreements and condition requirements vary by lender, and they are written by the lender, not by us. What we can do is build to a written specification: sealing detail, lock type, lux limits, materials list and anchoring method. Send the requirement document with the enquiry and it becomes part of the drawing set.
- Concealed cam, hook-bolt or multi-point locking, keyed to the client's system
- One primary access panel plus a separate lighting and conditioning hatch
- Anchoring to floor or wall where the case is tall or narrow
- Written materials list supplied for conservator review
Crating, shipping and installation
Cases are built and trial-assembled at our factory in Huizhou, China, then taken apart only as far as shipping requires. Glass volumes travel in purpose-built export crates with foam-lined cradles; bases usually travel assembled because their joints are the part most affected by repeated disassembly. Crates are marked with a case number that matches the drawing set.
Most museum work moves by sea freight to North America. That means the crate has to survive humidity swings and handling, so we use heat-treated timber, moisture barrier and desiccant inside the crate rather than relying on the container. Air freight is possible for a single small case when a show date is fixed, and it changes the crate design.
On site, the usual sequence is base first, level and anchor, mount and object placed by the client's staff, then the glass volume lowered on. We supply a lift sequence and the number of people each panel needs. Lead time depends on case count, glass type and finish, and is confirmed after drawings are approved; see the lead time guide for how the schedule is built.
What to send for an accurate quote
The fastest quotes come from buyers who send object dimensions, a gallery plan with the case positions marked, the required security and sealing level, and photographs of the delivery route. A sketch on paper is fine. What matters is that the constraints are visible before we price the glass and the sealing detail, because those two items drive most of the cost difference between suppliers.
Tell us the quantity and whether the cases are a family or one-offs. Six cases sharing a base detail cost considerably less per unit than six unrelated designs. If the gallery also needs pedestals, benches or interpretive panels, include them in the same enquiry so the finishes match across the room. Our factory page shows how the joinery and glass work is organised.
