The First Test

We learn by trial and error! And one such trial was a valuable lesson in the design process by Hizkia Van Kralingen: the forerunner to the Turtle, the Humidity 2000, was a museum crate designed in collaboration with museum Mauritshuis in 1991. 

To learn more about the effect of humidity in a crate, and its effect on the artwork during transport, silica gel was placed in the double bottom of the box as a test. The hope was that the absorbent properties of the silica gel would help control the humidity in the box by absorbing any moisture. However, the test backfired! The artwork (a dummy) was completely warped.

And so the testing continued, eventually leading Hizkia to arrive at the final design, the Turtle, by creating a micro-climate in the transport box to protect against humidity. Thanks to years of experimentation and thorough testing, the Turtle became what it is today: the very best protection for art during transport.

The picture shows Hizkia Van Kralingen, creator of the Turtle and owner of art transport company Hizkia Van Kralingen, together with his colleague, friend and surf buddy Rudolf Rabikan in 1991. Rudolf is still a master art handler at the company today.

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