Just a random thought going thru my head.. would it be more cost effective to find a box that works best with the USPS rules regarding dimension, and buy it yourself rather than using their "free" boxes .. you know they have figured out their fees based upon their boxes. I don't know if that would be more cost effective or provide some sort of answer to the problem. Sort of along the lines as the "tubes" others are referring to. I wonder if there is a rectangular smaller box that a band would just slip into.. and how much it would cost to mail. I also traded a couple of years ago with a forumer who told me to wash all excess soil out of the roots, wrap them in wet paper towels and then plastic wrap. I never would have believed the roses would make it not wilted and "shocked" but they arrived in great shape, and I have sent quite a few this way thru the mail also and always "checked back" with the person I was trading with. No complaints ever. Of course that was to keep the "weight" down. Dimensions are a whole nuther ballgame. Marleah

I, too, would suggest using USPS Priority Mail or Next Day Air... and pay the extra dollar and change for a delivery confirmation! Write DO NOT FREEZE - LIVE PLANTS on the box, and you shouldn't have any problems. The Post Office is very good about getting Next Day Air and Priority packages to their destinations on time... especially if they have Delivery Confirmations. I've never had a problem. I haven't sent or received a package with warm packs yet... I think if the delivery is fast enough, they're not really necessary. The key is making sure the person at the destination can accept the package as soon as it arrives! We always track our packages online... I always send things so that a tracking number is part of the deal. I rarely use regular mail... always Priority or Next Day Air w/delivery confirmation. The bottom line is... it's winter in half the country right now... and anything CAN happen. Packages do get lost or delayed, or end up in strange hubs for redistribution and shipping... it's always best to wait until the weather is mild... but if you can't, it's best to pay for the fastest shipping method. And make certain to coordinate with the recipient so they're home when the package arrives! It's usually through sitting on a cold porch or in a cold mailbox that plants freeze... or in the case of summer, bake! Sending surprise packages of live items in inclement weather is not the smartest thing to do. Let common sense be your guide!

I've never heard of parcelbound, but there are a lot of shippers -- even the bus lines ship items. Are you ordering from a dealer? They should be able to recommend someone. There are also shippers that wait until they have a full truckload, then go across country; it's slow, but less expensive to ship this way. However, shipping costs can often be higher than the original purchase price for furniture and other large antiques. I'm also curious about buying antiques on Amazon -- I haven't seen them there. Am I missing something? Or perhaps what you are interested in is actually a reproduction and can be bought somewhere else locally.

Look at Antique Appliance.com get their # they can advise they restore old appliances especially stoves they come to them from all over the world hope this helps you .