Topic: Mdina Glass Vase and Ebay Inappropiate feedback

[jove14]

Hi, All.
Sorry I haven't posted anything for a while but I have a few illnesses that have needed attention and still do.
Now down to the nitty gritty.
My Wife and I both sell on Ebay, recently we have been thinning out our glass cabinets.
If you look at the photo's of the Mdina vase, we bought an almost identical pair of these on a car boot sale some years ago.
We sold one a few years back on a previous ebay account.
It is living in a collection of other glass in sunny Australia, we got very good feedback for it, it was in exactly the same condition as this one.
So what's the problem I hear you ask.
We decided to sell the other one again on Ebay ( times are hard as you all know ).
It didn't go for a great deal and all should have been Ok.
Until we got a message from the buyer saying in no uncertain terms she was very displeased with the damaged vase we had sold her?
Item number on ebay is 162467495259.
Her feedback a neutral reads : Described as very good condition, but chipped and damaged. Refund given.
I am very upset at receiving a neutral feedback because I don't see anything wrong with this vase, had there been anything wrong with it I would have put it in the listing.
My thoughts are : When it was made the pontil was on the neck, it was cut off and the vase went through it's cooling process.
Once cool the neck was cut leaving slight chipping around the edge.
You see this a lot on other vases, we have a couple like this.
The base seems to have been done deliberately rough for reasons only known at Mdina, it's an almost sandy texture.
Does anyone have the Mdina book with this vase in it?
I have researched the net and cannot find another like it, is it a trial vase with not many made.
I would much appreciate your thoughts on this before I leave appropriate feedback for her and contact or report her to Ebay.
Joe.
PS. Size is approx. 4.75ins,  12cms tall by 3.00ins,  7.5cms across and weighs approx. 340g. 
PPS. Its going back in the glass cabinet.

[Ben.unwin]

I can see both parties points. But when it comes to glass as everyone knows - condition is key.
Not everyone has experience with glass and its processes with being manufactured, so they may not know about flaws such as bubbles, rough bases and seconds.
I checked out your listing and there doesn't seem to be as many pictures as what you've uploaded here - so you could see why someone would be upset as they may not know what you know.
As for the feedback, you could contact eBay to get it removed or add a comment below what they've written.

Ben

[jove14]

Hi, Ben.
Thanks for the reply.
We didn't think it needed more photo's as we do tell them in the description what the condition is.
On ebay we do keep the photo's down to a minimum as they cost money, on here it's free.
But I can see your point.
Joe.

[brucebanner]

The top on yours looks rough cut to remove a bigger chip not as made i would have thought. What feedback do you think i should leave this seller for posting a wafer thin Walsh Walsh fan vase in a metal tin, loose with one layer of bubble wrap?, the tin was covered in a grey pastic bag and the label put on.

As a seller on ebay i list every tiny detail and photo everything then there can not be any come back and if there is any come back i just take it say sorry and refund.

This was the reply when i sent the seller the pictures, "I am very sorry this item arrived smashed. We thought it had sufficient padding to survive to posting".

Ebay will remove the feedback if they feel you have a valid point just email or ring them up, after all you did refund in full.

[chopin-liszt]

I cannot currently see the ebay listing, (it's refusing to search for me) but I think it highly unlikely that the vase left the factory with the rim like that. Normally, Mdina rims are heat finished - beware of any cut or polished rim.
This design is from a period later than the book, I don't know it's age at all.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad tiidings about it, but I think your buyer is correct and that you've been duped in the past.

I've had worse than a delicate Walsh with a layer of bubble wrap in a tin.
I recieved a thouand bits of a glorious multilayered but thin ceiling plafont, just stuffed with newspaper inside and wrapped in 1 layer of brown paper.

While an old dinner plate I did not need or want back (from a friend who had been given it piled with food to take away) arrived intact after just being stuffed in a jiffy bag. 

[brucebanner]

Perhaps we need a new thread either post disasters or survivors with pics, i'm too upset to leave a reply it's a total waste, i have posted 3000 plus pieces of glass the last four years and not had a breakage yet.

[Ben.unwin]

I think a disaster thread is a good idea for entertainment purposes as well as learning! 
Can't tell you how many times I've had things arrive broken... a seller will always apologise and offer a refund but I think people would agree that you'd rather just have the item.

[Anne Tique]

I think a disaster thread is a good idea for entertainment purposes as well as learning! 

I think this is a good idea too, to spot any alterations and see the difference between un-and retouched. I've started this on my Pinterest page re VSL a little while ago and had some positive reactions to it.

[fatbelly]

The holmegaard arrived with other pieces beautifully packed in tissue large bubble and airbags but just didn't make it as shown,the seller was given positive feedback as in my opinion the seller did everything to get the piece to me perfect and the other three pieces in the parcel were fine they partially refunded me so what more could they do.
The slag glass was a beautiful jug and sugar bowl,130 years old and mint until the seller packed both pieces together in one layer of bubble and packed in to a black bag,taped up and posted,it didn't make it.As I told the seller it's a shame such old beautiful pieces of glass end up with certain people.they didn't see the issue after all it's only a bit of glass.they were given deserved negative feedback.
It's a very contentious issue feedback online but I think it's a personal thing depending on the circumstances of the transaction.no two cases or situations are the same.

[Ben.unwin]

Such a shame!
One persons junk is another's treasure