Photography
Photos sell the piece before words do.
Serious collectors make fast judgments from images. A low-quality photo of a high-quality piece is the fastest way to kill bidder confidence. Here is what your photo set should include and why.
Shoot on a clean white, light grey, or black background with no distracting objects in frame
Cluttered surfaces, visible cords, furniture, or household items in the background
Use natural window light or a softbox — even, diffused, shadowless light shows form and color accurately
Harsh direct flash, overhead lamp glare, or mixed lighting that distorts color
Shoot from multiple angles: front, back, three-quarter, base, signature detail, joint, and any accessories included
Single-angle or two-angle sets. Collectors need to see the full piece before bidding with confidence
Capture UV reaction under blacklight separately if UV fuming is a feature of the piece
Describing UV properties without a UV photo — collectors have been burned by this before and will ask
A minimum of 6–8 photos: full front profile, three-quarter profile, back or other side, base, signature or artist mark, joint close-up, any included accessories, and a condition detail shot if there is any wear to document. For UV pieces, one UV photo minimum.
Condition Disclosure
Disclose everything. It protects you, not just the buyer.
Undisclosed condition issues are the most common source of post-sale disputes. A chip you do not mention, a hairline you missed, staining that was not called out — any of these can result in a buyer dispute during the verification window and a more complicated resolution for everyone.
Full disclosure builds bidder trust, keeps the comment thread clean, and makes the verification process simple. Buyers who know what they are getting bid with more confidence, not less.
"No known chips, cracks, or repairs. Minor cabinet wear on the base from display — visible in detail photo. Faint water line inside the joint area, barely perceptible but present. No bloom or devitrification observed. Smoke-free storage."
"Good condition." — This tells a buyer nothing and will generate comments asking for more detail, or worse, a dispute after delivery.
Any chips, cracks, hairlines, repairs, restorations, water staining, bloom, devitrification, base wear, or prior damage of any kind
That a small issue will not matter to the buyer. If it is visible, document it. Let the buyer decide.
Description Writing
Write like a collector, not like a listing.
Strong listings on The Glass Exchange are written to inform, not to hype. Lead with the most interesting or significant aspects of the piece, describe what makes it distinctive, and let the photos do the emotional work. Your description should fill in what the photos cannot show — technique, context, provenance, artist background if relevant, and what the piece means in the broader body of work.
"2022 UV-fumed hammer by Example Artist featuring a signed base, matching marble set, and exceptional color shift across the entire can and mouthpiece. The fuming density on this piece is notably heavier than typical production pieces from this period. Single-owner collection, acquired directly from the artist at a regional event."
"Amazing piece, one of a kind! Great color, must see." — Vague, unspecific, and does not give serious bidders anything to work with.
Year, technique, specific materials, notable features, provenance when available, any relevant exhibition or publication context
Superlatives without support ("amazing," "incredible," "rare"), vague claims ("one of a kind"), or sales language that reads like an ad
Reserve Expectations
Set a reserve that reflects the market, not your attachment.
A reserve is not a starting price — it is a floor. Reserves set too high suppress early bidding and can cause a piece to go unsold when it would have performed well at a more realistic number.
We review every reserve request before acceptance. If we believe a reserve is unrealistically high relative to current market conditions, we will ask that it be adjusted before we proceed. Our goal is for every listing to have a realistic chance of closing — an unsold piece benefits no one.
Research recent sales of comparable pieces. Set a reserve at a number you would genuinely accept and that reflects current collector appetite.
Setting a reserve based on what you paid, your emotional attachment, or hypothetical future value rather than current market evidence.
"I am requesting a reserve of $X based on comparable recent sales of similar Artist pieces at [reference], and because the piece includes original hard case and matching marble which adds meaningful value."
Provenance & Authorship
Tell the story behind the piece if you have one.
Provenance matters more than most sellers realize. A piece acquired directly from the artist, purchased at a notable event, or documented through a publication or exhibition commands more bidder confidence and often stronger final results. If you have this history, document it.
"Acquired directly from the artist at a 2022 regional event. Signed on the base. Piece is featured in a social media post on the artist's verified account from April 2022 (link available on request). Single-owner from acquisition."
Original purchase source, year acquired, receipts or invoices if available, artist confirmation, exhibition or publication history
Claiming provenance you cannot support, or inflating the origin story of a piece acquired through secondary market channels