Tuesday, July 03, 2012

I find I have misfiled a few e-mails. Hopefully, they’re not repeats, but I don’t think so.

The first is a thank you from David Donaldson of Orlando.

A hearty THANKS from down here in balmy Florida. A monumental task you have under taken and a monumental success you have produced. This brings Good Wishes as you continue to share us with each other.

Cheers,

David Donaldson, MFA

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Then, from Lisa Ackerman of Orange, California

I also would like to thank and congratulate you, Alan, on sticking with this Gazette business!

As to the spray foam stuff, we actually carry one new glass company, (Mosser Glass, out of Cambridge Ohio), which employs this method on some of their large cake stands. While heavier than Steuben, of course, we sure would hate to have it arrive broken. While I’ve never seen it packed in person, they seem to be wrapped in a grey plastic, and the foam is blown around it. The foam is rather rigid, and we’ve not lost a piece yet. 🙂 Lisa Ackerman

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I hope I’ve located all the misfiled items. This one is from JoAnn Godawa of Bellevue, Nebraska

“Second, what about moving dozens or even hundreds of pieces of glass? Does anyone have any experience there, particularly with any movers who specialize in moving antiques?”

Scott,

Many moons ago, I used to do Marty Ellis’s show in Oak Park, IL. The dealer across from me had a huge booth of pattern glass. I could not even believe my eyes when he was packing out. He did not use ANY packing material at all, nadda, none!

He had strong cardboard boxes and just put the bare glass in them, no dividers or anything. I asked him if he had ever had any broken items. He told me that he had NEVER had anything break! He is the one who told me if it cannot move, it cannot break!

Now, I don’t know if I would have the courage to ascribe that packing method to my art glass but I have never forgotten him.

Another tome from my traveling days: I often use Registered Mail on high price items as the insurance is far less as it signed for and is locked up every night.

I had to ship some art glass home from the Miami Beach Show one time. I used the Registered Mail. Well, the box never arrived and no one in the postal service could find it. It just disappeared! I was in a panic!

Finally, about a week later I received a call from the Post Master in New Orleans. They found it in the freezer. I had packed it in a chicken box so they assumed it was perishable! I’ll bet they thought, “Wow, that’s some expensive chicken.”

Still laughing about that one!

To answer Scott’s Question, if I had to pack lots of glass, I would use adult bed pads and sturdy boxes. You can buy the pads at a Medical Supply Store wholesale and they come in many sizes. This way you can pack by shape. Just remember, the heavy items go at the bottom.

Once you get the knack of this, many items can be safely packed and transported. I use more or thicker diapers if I am shipping than if I am carrying the boxes myself. The chicken boxes are ideal because they are wax coated, very strong and don’t slide when stacked. I used to get them at the Fried Chicken Restaurants free!

Hope this helps,
Jo Ann Godawa

www.cardersteubenclub.org

2012 Carder Steuben Club annual Symposium will be held at The Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY from September 20-22, 2012.

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