Tall skinny vases- stability - how to display in gallery

[seachange]

Hi

I am back with another query regarding drop vases. Now that I am successfully making a few - thanks to all your help - need your advice regarding how to display them in a retail gallery so they are stable.

The vases are tall and skinny (using the small BE drop mold). The base is flat - I get them to touch bottom and flatten. However, I am concerned that because of the height (7 to 9") they might not be stable enough for a retail gallery environment.

The gallery has a large variety of items, most of them are not "delicate". There is a lot of casual personnel, and only very basic training. I can't rely that everyone will know how to handle the vases properly.

There is also another issue. In the retail gallery they will be displayed in a glass cabinet, so the shelf surface is glass, very flat and very even. However, when the customer buys the vase, there is no certainty on how flat their display surface at home will be.

Have thought of making one layer small square bases, and adhering them to the vases with gallery gel (can't remember the proper name for this product at the moment). It is transparent and removable.

This will probably solve the stability problem at the retail space. I could put a note for the customer to go with the vase mentioning that the base is removable and the vase stable, if displayed on a flat surface.

Unfortunately I can't go to a gallery and see how others do this, there is none around where I live (Tasmania). There is a specialized gallery in Hobart, our capital city, but the style is totally different. They deal with expensive and delicate items only, so their employees are well versed in how to handle them. Plus their glass vases are blown, they are heavy and very stable.

I wonder if you have better ideas from your experience, or if you have had a chance to see how retail places do this. I would much prefer not to have to add bases. Haven't tried them yet. Assume they will be aesthetically ok. Preferably to risking broken vases...

Therefore very much hoping you'll kindly share your experiences and suggestions.

With many thanks as always, seachange

[Brad Walker]

Museum gel: https://www.amazon.com/Ready-America-33 ... B0002V37XY

[seachange]

Museum gel: https://www.amazon.com/Ready-America-33 ... B0002V37XY

That's the product, thanks Brad.

I still cannot think of a way to display the vases unless I attach them with museum gel to a square of glass. Specially after reading through the comments in Amazon, somebody says to be careful and warn others because when picking up the item, the gel does not release gently as one pulls, but gives way suddenly and almost unexpectedly. Hmmmm

Cheers, seachange

[DonMcClennen]

When viewing work in a "Gallery" it is safe to assume your glass art will not be handled by the patrons/viewers. Museum gel is meant to fasten the glass to a pedestal or shelf, not to a temporary base. Prospective purchasers must ask gallery staff for assistance. If this is more a retail store type establishment then maybe your pieces are to fragile for open display.

[jim simmons]

another way that I have used in the past is to display them laying down.
They don't need to be standing up to be art.
The other Jim

[Dick]

That is assuming it is a real gallery, with trained staff. Lots of places use gallery in their name, but they are really a store, with retail clerks.. My friend found out the hard way, when someone bumped a shelf, and his platter fell over. He found out real quick they were a store as they charged him for the damage. A note to every artist....know ALL the details of where your work goes.

Dick

[Kevin Midgley]

The skinny tall vases need either a stand to support them and that is part of the design or a large permanently attached base that has either been fired on or glued on.
Inevitably if you do neither there will be tears. Either yours, the galleries' or the end use customer.

I had a blacksmith make the stands for the vases I used to make.
If you go that route, be aware that when you ship the vases you can protective wrap the glass but the metal stand has a habit of shifting within the box and can possible break the glass if not totally secured within the box.

If you go the glass base route, making it a wide and heavy base will reduce the chance of tipping and breakage should the item be functionally used for holding something.

Your intention may be to make an object to look at but you cannot imagine what the end use person will use them for.

Unfortunately you will probably spend as much effort figuring out the forged stand as you did making the glass. I know I did.

[seachange]

Many, many thanks for all your answers, and apologies for my very late reply. Got ill, and couldn't focus my eyes on anything without getting badly dizzy. So glad to live at a time when audio books and radio podcasts are available. They rescued me from abismal boredom.

In the meantime, my husband ground the bases of a couple of my tallest vases. I had let them drop enough to get a little flat area. Grinding this a lot wider has made all the difference.

I will also be making them heavier (had lots of time to think about the technical side of this project). The retail price is better than I expected, so I'll be able to add more glass.

Don and Dick, that is the issue, lots of places call themselves gallery, but they are retail shops.

Jim, thank you about the idea for the display, had not thought about it, they do look interesting on the side. But there is still the problem of when the customer takes it home, or gives it as a gift.

Kevin, unfortunately these vases are not really suitable for a forged support. I cut the tops off, so they are quite slim. Any metal would be overwhelming. I am still thinking about your suggestion (another thread) about making handkerchief style vases...would be nice for variety.

Thank you all again, seachange