Gallery and Store Policies

The following policies and terms govern the purchase and/or consignment of our art works, commercial products, and services. Also included is a strategic overview of our current direction. It is our intention to work closely with our gallery and store partners to best promote our art and products in a way that represents the interests and aesthetic of the KASTAL studio, Steven Weinberg's art pedigree, and our commitment to producing exceptional glass works. We encourage a collaborative creative approach and welcome a 'partnering' mentality towards realizing mutually beneficial sales objectives. Market feedback is invaluable to adjusting our approach. We all need to sell!

Strategy and channel development

KASTAL is taking a hybrid approach with respect to its art work and product distribution channels. In an effort to reach more customers and end users and utilize the reach of the web to do so, we are combining a select gallery strategy with direct sales through our website and other online avenues. Our direct strategy will not interfere with our gallery representation and is designed to enhance and be beneficial to both parties. The KASTAL site is designed to be utilized as a marketing tool by our partners in order to promote the sale of our art work and products. The site tells the Weinberg story and is visually appealing so that anyone seeking more information will have a variety of interesting content to evaluate when making a potential purchasing decision. Strategy: In response to gallery feedback specifically and market feedback generally, the studio has responded by creating tiers of smaller scale work that offer lower price points in keeping with current economic realities while also providing an entry point for a new, younger generation of collectors. Many of the new works have a fresh modern appeal and approach, while the new smaller scale cubes capitalize on traditionally successful Weinberg themes in a new and more accessible format. The past is history. KASTAL was created to restore Weinberg's studio art reputation through more professional management and improved gallery relationships and also to design and produce other commercial products inspired by his art. Meeting the challenge of the glass art and gift markets today means collaborating closely with gallery and retail partners to create renewed excitement and interest in the work. The objective is to convert that interest into more sales by cross promotion of both.

Exclusivity: all studio art work consigned to galleries will be exclusive to that gallery and will not be offered for sale direct through KASTAL or other dealers. KASTAL may depict, promote, and otherwise market these works to help stimulate gallery sales by advising customers that the particular work is exclusively available through the gallery partner currently consigning the piece. We will provide descriptive information with links to contact the gallery directly to purchase the piece and will not offer price information unless requested to do so by the gallery. We encourage the gallery and store partners to 'cross-link' with us in an effort to expose customers to a broader range of our items. We regularly monitor and analyze our web traffic and will pay out standard commissions on referring (incoming) links from our partners that convert into sales. Direct pricing: KASTAL will not undercut gallery partners on art works and has a direct interest in helping keep prices buoyed. We do however believe that galleries should build in 'negotiation' levels of between 10-20% with respect to suggested retail prices. We are intent on selling more pieces and believe the new format and price points will support this goal.

Intellectual Property

KASTAL, Weinberg Glass Inc., Bristol Glassworks, Ltd., et. al,  herein referred to as "KASTAL" retain all intellectual property rights to art work, original image content, text, printed materials, and other content related to the use and promotion of our art and products. All content, digital or print, either downloaded from our site or otherwise obtained through us via mail and/or electronic mediums are copyright of KASTAL. "Pieces" or "items" refer to physical art, objects, and other works that KASTAL may wish to consign, sell, or otherwise have represented by galleries and other sales outlets. Content usage: galleries that take receipt of pieces may use our web ready images on their site and on other electronic mediums (email, etc.). Please credit photos 'courtesy of KASTAL' and include a link back if appropriate, we will likewise repay the courtesy with strategic links of our own (with permission). Please do not display or list images of pieces of which you do not take possession. We offer high resolution photos for printed materials on a permission based, as needed, basis. All gallery photos of our art work should be submitted for approval prior to being published for public display.

Consignment

All art work or other items consigned to galleries and/or stores ("consignee") remains the property of KASTAL ("consignor") until such time that purchase is made and invoices are paid according to the prices indicated by the "gallery cost" (+ shipping charges) made available to a gallery on our price sheets either through our site, via email, or other such written quotations. KASTAL makes recommendations for 'suggested retail' based on our perceptions of the marketplace but galleries are free to negotiate prices based on their discretion and are encouraged to do so. We invite feedback and use it to inform the strategic direction of the work. Once a sale is made the "consignee" of record should notify and forward a PO or other request for invoice directly to KASTAL with "Item #" of the piece sold. We will then issue an invoice with total invoice amount. Invoices are payable upon receipt unless other arrangements have been made. All sales are final, no "buyers remorse".

Recall and Returns
We reserve the right to recall items. Items may be recalled and requested to be returned at any time for any reason at our sole discretion with a reasonable time frame to allow the gallery to comply with the request. This is not typical but may be exercised under certain circumstances. Galleries may choose to return items at their discretion in order to cycle inventory and adjust acquisitions to the shifting tastes of their clientele. We would always prefer galleries to cycle inventory to match their needs and promote sales rather than allow pieces to sit for overly long periods without client interest. We realize these adjustments are contextual and will vary based on the galleries unique situation and outside market forces. We encourage collaboration to understand the gallery's client profile in order to develop the right mix that will best benefit our relationship.

Freight costs, receiving, damage
Products are shipped F.O.B. destination (on our account) and are valued at gallery cost. At time of sale, these freight charges are to be added to the gallery cost and form the total invoice amount. Upon notification of a sale, KASTAL will issue an invoice with total amount (gallery cost + inbound shipping) and include a carrier invoice to reflect the actual shipping charges originally paid (we do not pad shipping). In the event pieces do not sell, KASTAL covers the inbound and return shipping for the pieces. All pieces are carefully inspected prior to leaving our facility and packaged to prevent damage in shipping. Any damage, imperfections, or other noteworthy condition issues must be reported to us within 3 days of track-able receipt (inspection period) otherwise they are considered received in good standing, i.e. undamaged. Any reportable damage should be assessed for cause and in the event of damage due to shipping, KASTAL will require photos of the damage from the gallery and a simple damage 'report' outlining the extent of damage,  to be submitted to the carrier for a claim. Typically, the gallery will hold the piece and may be instructed to release it to the carrier for inspection or ship it back freight collect. Imperfections or flaws not due to shipping: In the unlikely event the gallery inspection reveals flaws or issues unrelated to shipping that may impact the marketability of the piece they can: note the flaws to us and market the piece if deemed a minor issue, request we repair the piece after the sale, return the piece (or we can repair/reship if desired at our discretion) at our cost. The intention is to limit freight costs and as such we strive to only release pieces that are market ready.

Damage and loss after inspection period
All galleries and shops are expected to handle our items with a degree of care consistent with the fragile nature of our items. Extreme care must be taken to not scratch, chip, crack, or otherwise break these items. Repairing damaged glass is labor intensive and costly. Upon receiving our goods and after the initial "inspection period" all galleries and/or stores, warrant that items have been received in good marketable condition and they are responsible for their safe handling and keeping and will pay for any repairs on returned goods exhibiting noticeable damage as assessed by our personnel. The gallery or store will be issued an invoice, payable on receipt, reflecting the studio's cost to repair any assessed damage. In the event the damage is not repairable, or the overall integrity of the piece has been significantly compromised such as to permanently and negatively alter its essential character and marketability, viz. its market value, and to the extent that it be made unsaleable in our opinion, the gallery or store will be charged for the piece at "gallery cost" which was indicated in the initial price sheet for the piece. Likewise, the gallery and/or store warrants and is responsible for all damage and loss due to negligence, breakage, fire, theft, flood, accident, and all other disasters both natural and unnatural, that may cause an irretrievable total loss. In the event of total loss, the "gallery cost" shall become due and payable. Upon receipt, galleries and stores become legal custodians of our pieces and are financially responsible for their well being. All galleries should have adequate insurance coverage to cover in full any event of such damage and loss. However, this responsibility is not contingent on or subject to any insurance limit or policy restriction and is the sole responsibility of the receiving entity, individual, or organization. Galleries and/or stores are expected to keep a working inventory of our pieces and to disclose any damage or loss immediately upon their knowledge of it.

Display

Pieces should be displayed to good advantage with strategic lighting and prominent placement. No stickers, tags, or other materials should ever be placed on the item directly and/or in such a manner as to obscure the piece. Pieces should be sparingly handled only by trained gallery or store personnel and never by customers except for perhaps some of our small retail "objects". Large art pieces can be extremely heavy and damage very easily and should never be handled or moved by customers and clients. Please ensure that pieces are periodically dusted and cleaned with appropriate cloths and appropriate glass cleaners when necessary. Crystal pieces should be located carefully in respect to sunlight as they can create a magnification fire hazard in certain spaces. Glass pieces should always be picked straight up as even slight lateral movement on surfaces can be enough to abrade and scratch, especially soft crystal. Please take necessary precaution and handle pieces with utmost care to avoid costly repair. We may supply small rubber "bump ons" to protect certain types of work. When utilizing bump ons please be aware that only very small <1/8" diameter should be used. These bump ons are easily removable.

These terms may be updated and revised from time to time at our discretion.