They were trusted by a local auction house to ship a 110 year old lamp, with a reverse painted glass shade of the same age. They shipped the piece with the Glass shade attached to the 15lb bronze base. They double boxed it for protection, but all the protection in the world wouldn't protect it from the weight shifting of the base, and the 110 year glass (and like ALL GLASS) has no stress tolerances. Didn't receive an invoice until the morning the parcel was delivered. Ups personally handed me the box, I carried the box inside my home, unboxed it, only to find it was broken. At first I couldn't understand why I was hearing broken glass and clanking metal, because the boxes were in PRISTINE condition. It wasn't until I removed the piece from the interior box that I understood. As previously stated, he shipped the 110 year old glass shade, WHILE STILL ATTACHED to the 15lb bronze base. We contacted the shipper, sent them photos and video. Contacted the seller, whom, after seeing the condition of the piece and how it was shipped, was livid. Two days later, I call and talk to the owner Shaun/Sean/Shaun. In all my years of buying, this is only the third parcel to arrive damaged or destroyed. This is the first time however, where the offending party, was not only NOT immediately apologetic, but, was in no way apologetic at all. (Shaun) Told me: "I packed it myself, and there was no wiggle room when I sealed the box" Well, the box, had styrofoam inserts (from some other product), and the rest was packing peanuts. Packing peanuts do not create a static environment. (Not that you want complete stillness within the package, you need some sort of "crumple zones" but you in no way want negative spaces in fragile shipping) He was wholly condescending, and cocky, completely pompous. This attitude can only come from someone for whom a situation like this is a regular occurrence. He was not shocked, he was not surprised. I asked about my recompense, and his response was as such: "Well, we gotta wait for UPS to do 'their little investigation'. Might be three to four weeks". He offered no apology, and loudly ate his chips while on the phone with me as he calmly (again, can only come from this being a regular experience for him) in no way could this be his fault. His attitude was as if he was angry, and annoyed at me for even calling to inquire as to how the situation happened in the first place. His ineptitude has cost me several hundred dollars in profit, and has robbed the world of a piece of art, and artform, from a time where that artform was at it's peak, and he was annoyed at being spoken to about it by the very people who paid him, and wronged. Draw your own conclusions, but I will never use, nor recommend his service. read more
