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This goal of this page is to help you avoid
ending up on the sending or receiving end of a box that emits an unhappy
tinkling sound when you shake it.
The glass at right began its journey less than 60 miles away. It was
a very rare "Nonpareil Rye Whiskey" glass from Ernest Jambor of
Philadelphia. As you can see from the photo, it had a hint of amethyst
from sun exposure but was otherwise mint. Now it's just expensive junk!
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If you're a seller
who's been sent to this URL by a pre-pro collector, there's four simple
(and cheap) steps to making sure that it arrives intact:
Wrap
and, most importantly, tape
the glass in crumpled newspaper, a plastic grocery bag, or bubble
wrap.
Find a sturdy cardboard box that is big
enough to allow 2 - 3 inches of clearance ON ALL SIDES.
Make a nest for the glass in the center
of the box. You can use crumpled newspaper, styrofoam peanuts,
plastic grocery bags, or whatever you have at hand. Fill the box
with the same or similar material after placing the glass in the nest.
Tape firmly on all sides.
For more details, see the next page:
[ How to Box and Ship a Glass, Part 2 ] |
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This
is what you're
up against
F
This is potentially what UPS
and USPS can do to a box Unfortunately this sad example is not at all
uncommon - about 10% of all boxes I receive have some kind of crush damage.
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This is - or was - a
7" x 7" x 6" USPS Priority mailing box that was crushed within an inch of
its life, but the glass inside was unscathed because the seller knew how to
pack a glass.
The glass itself was wrapped in a large piece of
crumpled paper and then the box was filled with a natural fibrous packing
material, as shown in the photo at left.
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| The "Nonpareil Rye Whiskey"
glass didn't make it because it was shipped in box that was only 2-1/2" wide
- hardly bigger than the glass itself. |
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| It was then
placed in the center of the box with crumpled paper at either end, a
position that pretty much guarantees that the glass will be
broken if any force is applied. And force is always applied at USPS -
they stack boxes in bags and bins and containers with piles of other boxes
on top. UPS is even worse in this regard. This box arrived
flatter than the diameter of the glass, as you can see in the photo above,
right.
I'm not sure if this was a case of
stupidity or negligence, but needless to say, I've never bought another
glass from these sellers. |
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Here's another example. This one died because the seller threw 5
glasses into a box without wrapping them individually. There was lots
of packing material for protection in the box, but because they were not
wrapped and taped, they were free to move around in the box and ultimately
to bump up against each other. This was a $200 - $300 enamel glass,
completely unknown. Now complete junk.
Hanging, drawing and
quartering would be too good for the seller who did this...... |
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| So how do you go
about making sure that a glass will arrive intact. The
next page gives
you step-by-step instructions with some ideas about what works -- and what
doesn't! |
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[ Up a Level ] [ How to Box and Ship a Glass, Part 2 ] |