FedEx trashed my Tom Grummett/Al Gordon Superman commission

[Magneto]

That´s every collectors Nightmare, so sorry to hear that.

[carlito1978]

Originally Posted by Demona

Hope it all gets straightened out for you.

[BillC]

I had the exact same thing happen to me, with the same results. Fed Ex delivered the box as if it was run over by a truck. The artist didn't know how to pack, I even tried to teach him but it wasn't happening. At that point not much to do unless I wanted to burn the bridge. Sometimes getting commissions in the mail is a crapshoot.

My piece eventually flattened to an extent, and the damage is much less noticeable. You could ask an art restorer if they can flatten it- they likely can but I don't know if it will be worth it as it might be costly (compared to the price of the piece)

[ReplicantSavior]

I try not to use FedEx. But shipping can be hit or miss with all carriers. Still we need to see how it was packed. There are ways to pack items so they don't get damaged. Or the carrier has to really try to damage it.

[El Pulento]

what the hell man??.. how can Fed Ex deliver a package like this? its their job they should be professionals about delivery... sorry to see this happen.

[greenjeans1978]

Originally Posted by Demona

Man that blows.

Was the art inbetween anything else sturdy in the box?

Hope it all gets straightened out for you.

Unfortunately, no. It was just the art itself; no additional packing material. (But to be fair, I don't think anyone was anticipating FedEx would annihilate the box like this.) And Gordon freaked out when he saw my e-mail. This is apparently the first time he's had any of his commissions get destroyed like this, and he was not a happy camper to see what happened. Fortunately, we've been in touch with FedEx, there's a $200 damage claim in process, and more than likely the art will be redone.

That said, it's still a waste. Gordon's been a gentleman about the situation, and the inks themselves are masterfully done. But good grief, there's no excuse for there to have been this much damage. A few scuffs and small dents on the package would have been understandable. A slight bend to the art wouldn't have been an issue. This is just insane.

[ReplicantSavior]

I once received a padded package from FedEx that looked like someone stabbed it with a knife. Of course it damaged the contents. Also boxes with vinyl records that look way worse than your box. But because the shipper packed well, the record wasn't damaged. So people have to pack the interior well because you never know.

I know the UPS Store will not insure over $100 if they don't pack it themselves. Because they have rules. Like how many inches the item has to be away from the sides of the box. That art should have been between heavy boards. I forgot the name of it again. But if you use those boards, have space between the artwork and edges, put do not bend on it, and insurance. Then if it shows up damaged it's really no contest in getting your money back.

[Darth Madden]

That sucks but how could he not put anything else inside to protect it? I once had a commission done and the guy basically put it between two pieces of steel before he put it in the envelope... you could have hit it with a bomb and it would have been fine. Hope everything works out... it is a cool piece.

[Simplyrob]

It completely baffles me that artists don't consistently use Masonite for shipping. I still get pages sent in between the free USPS large flat rate boxes, like that can't get bent. So bad.

[Spazzy]

ouch, that was common to see when I worked there, if the contents were secured on the inside only a extremely large and heavy box would crush it, but they try and avoid that by putting the heavy stuff on the bottom of the bins....but accidents do happen even to well packed pieces.

masonite boards are definitely the way to go