Posted 6 years ago
philmac51
(210 items)
Unless you're very lucky, we all know the pain and anguish of receiving pieces that may have been damaged through international, and sometimes even domestic postage. And we all understand the risks, both receiving and sending. However, there's just no excuse for downright stupidity. And I know this is painful, but I just had to share my grief! : (
As some of you know I have started a small collection of Harrach pieces and I have always been after one with a clearly defined 'feather mark' - and I found one in France. A beautiful 14" tall cased pink spatter glass piece, with beautiful enameling. I was needless to say, looking forward to receiving it.
So it arrived in a very large box, which was a good sign. Well packed and surrounded in bubble wrap inside that box was another box - even better. But on lifting this box out, there it was, that distinctive sound of broken glass!
The seller had simply put the vase into a cardboard box - with no padding or bubble wrap and then carefully packed that box inside another one conscientiously and with great care surrounding that with lots of packing material - So great - the vase simply rattled around inside the inner box - bouncing around at the slightest bump or knock and arrived not just broken but - SHATTERED! into a thousand pieces!! I couldn't have done a better job if I had taken a hammer to it!!
This was a big and imposing 120+ year old vase destroyed by shear stupidity.
Pic 4 .... before its ill-fated journey!!!
As it might seem strangely inappropriate to LOVE this post, don't feel obliged my friends.
Thats really sad!
Yes it is.. thank you Adele
That really sucks!! Ad it looks like it was a really nice example..... I feel your pain buddy.....
Totally does..... thanks mate!
I know that feeling...so sorry!
Thank you Moonhill - I guess pain shared is pain halved.
Another one well wrapped, except you not lucky, omg I feel the pain from here.
You know what, ask for a refund !
You know what Alan ... I've asked - and I expect to get it - even if the seller doesn't play ball, he'll come around - I just might have to wait a little is all.
Too bad-- it is a shame when a piece that has survived so long is damaged this way.
Sadly many online sellers don't have clue when it comes to packing.
I have similar experiences.
Keep up the optimism-- hope another marked piece finds you soon!
scott
That's the thing Scott - you find real bargains from sellers, who generally don't have much experience selling art glass - as a consequence these same individuals also don't have much experience packing this kind of thing - it's a shame, because the seller got half the packing process bang on!
That is just plain sad a loss to your collection but a loss of a piece of history . I had a seller pack exact same way packing outer box well in my item inside 2nd box with no padding . What are they thing ? I am so sorry this happened . I have learned to tell sellers how I want something wrapped that I know may break in route .
Agree with Manikin- We all have broken vase stories and telling people how we prefer to pack is a thing I do often- One of the ones I think would have helped here: "Please stuff the vase full of paper or foam".
I have lost vases from a number of situations including from shipping, movers, earthquakes, washing, kids etc... sorry dude!
Glass is under continuous tension (it wants to rip apart) so a hollow interior space is dangerous to the glass especially in low temps, vibration and air pressure
:( :( :( (they wanted a longer comment than one frowny so I added more for emphasis. I almost used the word impact but that would be wrong ; )
Thanks to Manikin, Jericho and the OWL.
I takes something like this get back to instructing sellers how to pack. When you've been buying for a while, you tend to let it go - so back to basics .... I think I should send multi-lingual packing instructions with payments from now on...!
Really?
How can someone be so clueless!
Heartbreaking amigo.
This is so sad! It was such a beautiful vase...
Poor packaging is a familiar issue. Some of my experiences have involved multiple items in the same box that were not properly separated from each other, resulting in damage to one, or both.
Worst ever was a Richardson tulip sent from New Zealand in only a padded bag! And it was from someone who ran an antiques shop...
I concur with Jericho, when sending items I tend to fill any large hollows with peanuts or other insulation.
Seller has just made the refund - and apologised - I should think so too!
And great advice above on filling the larger piece hollows with good packing, wrap up good and box tight!
Thanks to Glasstronaut, artfoot and IronLace
The most important key to packing, well shown by this situation, is to ensure the vase/etc DOESN"T MOVE. I don't care if it is surrounded by paper, peanuts, bubblewrap, a second box or some combination, it must not be able to move inside the package while in transit. Second, there should be space (filled) between the object and the outer walls of the package.
Yep - No movement is certainly the key - Thank you Violet.
Yep send instructions on fragile items we can't assume they know how to pack . I never use styrofoam peanuts they will let item shift to much when I pack . Much prefer to fill void space after item is properly wrapped then around it crumbled newspaper . It keeps if from moving .
That breaks my heart! I've had some bad luck lately with shipping (3 pieces in a row arrived broken) but nothing with that kind of age and history lost its life in transit. RIP, gorgeous - you'll be missed!
So beautiful vase and broken...:( What a pity!Some sellers are completely unthinking.
:( I feel your grief!! Been there too! All good advice above so nothing more to add! Just sorry to see your photographs!
I should have marked them with a GRAPHIC CONTENT warning!
Oh no I feel your grief, I would have been mortified :-(((
That WAS a fantastic buy, but wow, unbelievable the seller would ship it so poorly packed :(
I purchased a VERY rare Harrach bear in a forest fire scene cameo glass lamp shade, and the seller did a terrible packing job, and it basically arrived like your piece. Heartbreaking to say the least, and it was the only one I've ever seen outside of the Harrach museum.
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever"............or in your case until it is badly shipped.
Really sorry to hear of your misfortune.
It is heartbreaking and gone forever....but still I haven't managed to bring myself to trash it yet, but onwards and upwards!
There's still lots of beautiful glass out there ....
Thank you to everyone for your warm comments and personal stories of heartbreak!
I am sad for the loss .
I have had this experience too many times from France . I usually give packing instructions and even paid for extra packing materials ... alas ....
Castrate the B who did this .. is my immediate reaction worse follows.....
Haha! Thanks Marty - I know you know what this is like from reading some of your posts previous posts .... and yes what follows.....??.....!
Sorry to hear this. It's replacement... once found will hopefully ease the pain.
Thanks Tony.... it's true that something will replace the loss sometime in the future.... but there's no telling how long that wait will be..