The mast of the lamp is comprised of 4 pieces that are screwed together. I was somewhat concerned at first with how well these pieces would line up together once assembled. After assembling the lamp, only one of the seams did not line up well. They others looked perfect and you could hardly tell that there was a seam. From a short distance away, you can't even see any of the seams. So that's good. The shade is a little wobbly with the way it attaches to the lamp, but since it is a product that never gets moved around, I guess it really doesn't matter. But still an example of poor design. Other than these small issues, the lamp is a beautiful item. I really like the double pull chains and sculpted base.