The lamp arrived a few days after ordering and I was so pleased when I opened the box. The lamp was extremely well protected and came out without a scratch. I had a friend come over to help me with the assembly as the base is very heavy and  should be placed where the lamp is meant to sit in the home/office before assembly. The only thing disappointing was the shade...which I thought was a bit flimsy. In retrospect, I think it would have looked more upscale in the natural tan (it was out-of-stock when I ordered). But overall, I love, love, love this lamp!