Product review: Orthodox Christian Supply

Some days ago the people from Orthodox Christian Supply contacted me to see if I'd like to review their products. I agreed and in no time found a package at my door.

The packaging is layered and quite well thought out. The initial wrapping, found after opening the box, is newspaper. Inside that is bubble wrap. Inside that the icon is a smartly sealed in paper that both protects it from scratches and would be suitable for gift wrapping. I have ordered icons in the past from other companies and had a dented corner hanging out of the cardboard of one, a long crack on the back of another, and a set that was placed together (face to face) that wanted to stay that way so that when I pulled them apart sections of each icon were on the wrong icon (if icon delivery often takes a while to make it to you, returns make one think everything is shipped on river barges harried by outlaws and indians on the warpath) I have a very strong feeling that none of those things would happen with Orthodox Christian Supply.

As to the icon itself (I received one of St. Justin of Ćelije to remember one of my godchildren) it was surprisingly weighty. I had forgotten that they only do panel icons (see here for more on that) and was worried I wouldn't be able to mount it properly. They thought of that and send a metal bracket just for that purpose. The finish of the icon surface is not that overly glossy or "cheap" looking. Actually, for a number of their icons I think there's enough texture that people would think the icon to be an original. The icon is framed well and flush with the backing material. I've received some icons in the past with oddly covered overlapped layers (often the icon image and the decorative border) or others with crooked applications. This icon looks like it was crafted with care.

So, all in all, I'm very pleased and think you will be too. If you aren't going to commission an icon from an iconographer, Orthodox Christian Supply would be a wise choice especially if it is going to be a gift. You aren't going to have to worry about a damaged present in the mail or shoddy craftsmanship.

Want to read more? You might also want to read this interview by Fr. Joseph Huneycutt with a representative from the company for more background. Also intriguing and I think unique to this company is their icon photoshop service.