Yes, it is possible to safely ship a pot from Mexico. Part of the secret is double-boxing. Another part is not packing the wadding too tightly; the pot and the inner box want to have some give. A physicist once explained the dynamics of breakage. It's not the first hit that breaks something when it falls to the floor; on the first hit, the pot or whatever it is only bounces. It's the vibration that the bounce sets up, in conjunction with the second strike, that is the killer. So, to damp all the vibration, we loosely fill the pot itself with the paper wadding or popcorn, and then we pack the wadding lightly enough around the pot and around the inner box that the pot and box can move just a bit. We wrap the pot itself in a plastic bag to protect the painted design or burnished surface from chafing in transit.

Budget protective rings can be made from small tubing.
We give one to each customer buying a pot.

"Ask at any good quality hardware store for clear vinyl tubing for, say, air conditioning draining. A popular size is 5/8" outside dimension (OD) by 3/8" insidedimension (ID). Cut a short length (1" or so) of the next smaller size, for example 3/8"OD by 1/4" ID, and with spittle insert it like a plug into the ends of the larger size tube, which has been precut into a suitable ring size for the pot you wish to support, and draw the ends together. The next smaller combination (3/8"OD x 1/4"ID) works well when held together by the next smaller size, 1/4"OD x.170 ID. (Note: With the 1/4" tubing you are better off using the heavier frosted white vinyl tubing). Now you have a nice clear ring with the ends firmly plugged together.
Display the pot with the seam turned to the back. If the final ring is too large, cut it to suit. Experiment with sizes for both aesthetics and safety. Very thick tubing does not bend easily, and the very thin sometimes does not hold a curve. Avoid inexpensive tubing like that offered by Home Depot that doesn't have the heft to keep a smooth curve."

Note: To protect a pot against earthquake, weight it with a "bean bag" of sand or lead shot. For further protection, secure the supporting ring to the shelf with Museum Wax, Museum Putty or clear Museum Gel (but don't put any of these on the pot itself because they will stain).

Mata Ortiz Art Gallery
Downtown Gallery
Lazaro Cardenas 268-A
U.S.A. & Canada Telephone:
(011-52-322)222-7407
Puerto Vallarta,
Jalisco, Mexico  48380

Hotel Zone Gallery
Plaza Peninsula Shopping Center
Fco. Medina A. 2485 Int. B-48
U.S.A. & Canada Telephone:
(011-52-322)221-0467
Puerto Vallarta,
Jalisco, Mexico  48380

Four Seasons Punta Mita
Bahía de Banderas
Nayarit, Mexico
U.S.A. & Canada Telephone:
(011-52-329)291-6000