Questions Worth Asking Before You Order
Everything you need to know about working with Obsidian — from materials and lead times to shipping, installation, and the Logic Exhibit System.
Still have questions?
Custom display cases are a considered purchase. The people who reach out to Obsidian have usually done their research, know what they need, and want straight answers before committing to a project. This page is designed to give them that. If your question is not covered here, contact us directly and we will get back to you within one business day.
Who is Obsidian Manufacturing?
Obsidian Manufacturing is a Canadian custom display case manufacturer founded in 2021. We design and fabricate custom glass display cases for museums, cultural institutions, jewellery retailers, galleries, and specialty retail environments across Canada and the United States. We also manufacture and supply the Logic Exhibit System, a patented modular display platform for museums and professional exhibit designers.
How big is your operation?
We are a small, focused team. That is intentional. It means the people you speak with during the quoting and design phase are the same people overseeing fabrication, and the quality of communication and output reflects that. We do a lot with a small, skilled team and we build everything in-house.
Where are you based?
We are based and manufacture in Canada. We serve clients across Canada and the United States.
What types of clients do you work with?
Our clients include museum curators, exhibit designers, jewellery retailers, luxury retail store owners, architects, interior designers, galleries, private collectors, and cultural institutions. What they share is an understanding that the display case is not an afterthought, it is part of the presentation.
Custom Display Cases
Do you build fully custom sizes?
Yes. We work regularly with architects and interior designers to produce cases that integrate with custom millwork, cabinetry, or architectural finishes. If you have drawings or finish specifications, we work from them.
What is the smallest or largest case you can build?
We do not have a fixed minimum or maximum size. Counter cases for jewellery retail and large freestanding gallery installations are both well within our range. If you have an unusual scale requirement, tell us about it in the consultation and we will let you know what is possible.
Can I get a case built to match an existing interior or millwork?
Yes. We work regularly with architects and interior designers to produce cases that integrate with custom millwork, cabinetry, or architectural finishes. If you have drawings or finish specifications, we work from them.
Do you offer lighting inside the cases?
Yes. Interior lighting is part of the specification process. Type, placement, and intensity are configured during the design phase based on what is being displayed and the ambient lighting conditions of the space.
Can the interior configuration be changed after the case is installed?
In most cases, yes. We design for practical interior access and, where the project calls for it, for reconfiguration. If your collection rotates regularly or your retail environment changes seasonally, we factor that into the interior design from the start.
Do you do glass-to-glass construction?
Yes. Glass-to-glass construction, where glass panels are bonded directly without a visible frame is one of our core fabrication methods. It produces a clean, minimal aesthetic and is well suited to gallery and high-end retail environments. It is more locally oriented due to the nature of the construction, so we will discuss logistics during the consultation.
Materials
What types of glass do you use?
We work with several glass types depending on the application. Standard float glass for most builds. Low-iron glass where colour neutrality and maximum clarity matter - jewellery retail and high-end gallery environments in particular. Tempered glass for high-traffic or safety-sensitive settings. UV-filtering glazing for museum and archival applications where light exposure to the collection needs to be controlled.
What is low-iron glass and why does it matter?
Standard float glass has a slight green tint caused by iron content in the composition. Low-iron glass removes most of that tint, producing a cleaner, more neutral view of whatever is inside the case. For jewellery, gemstones, and objects where colour accuracy matters, the difference is visible and meaningful.
What frame materials do you use?
Our standard framing is precision-machined aluminum extrusion. It is dimensionally stable, durable, and available in a range of finishes, standard anodized or custom powder-coat to match your space, brand colour, or finish specification.
Can you match a specific powder-coat colour or RAL code?
Yes. If you have a RAL code, a brand colour reference, or an existing finish you need to match, we can accommodate that in the specification.
Are your interior materials archival-safe?
For museum and conservation applications, we specify interior materials that are stable and appropriate for long-term contact with collection objects. If you have specific conservation requirements, we work through the material specification with your curator or conservator during the design phase.
Museum and Institutional Projects
Do your cases meet museum conservation standards?
We build to institutional specifications including UV-filtering glazing, archival-grade interior materials, and aluminum framing that is dimensionally stable and does not off-gas over time. For projects with specific conservation requirements, we work through the full material specification with your team before fabrication begins.
What security options are available for museum cases?
Cases can be configured with museum-grade key locks, staff-access hardware, or higher-security systems depending on the collection and the institutional requirements. We specify hardware appropriate to the application rather than applying a standard solution across every build.
Can you work with our exhibit designer or architect?
Yes, and we prefer it for institutional projects. We work directly with exhibit designers, architects, and project managers from the design phase through to installation. If your team has drawings or specifications, we work from them.
Can you handle multi-case installations across an entire gallery or wing?
Yes. We have experience with larger institutional installations involving multiple coordinated cases. Finishes, proportions, and hardware are specified consistently across the full installation, and delivery and installation are coordinated with your project schedule.
Do you have experience with the Royal Canadian Mint or similar institutions?
Yes. Obsidian Manufacturing has supplied custom display cases to the Royal Canadian Mint. We are experienced working within the requirements and expectations of established institutions.
Jewellery and Retail
What makes a jewellery display showcase different from a standard display case?
Jewellery showcases are specified for a different set of priorities - glass clarity, interior lighting quality, proportions that suit standing or seated viewing, and finishes that align with the retail brand. Access hardware is also specified differently, balancing security with the frequency of access that a retail environment requires. A jewellery showcase needs to communicate the value of what is inside it, and that influences every design decision.
Can you build cases that match our existing store design?
Yes. We work with your store designer, interior designer, or fit-out team to ensure the cases integrate with the broader retail environment. Finish, proportion, and hardware are all configurable to align with your brand identity.
Do you work with retail fit-out contractors?
Yes. We are experienced coordinating with fit-out contractors and delivering cases that align with the broader construction and installation schedule.
The Logic Exhibit System
What is the Logic Exhibit System?
The Logic Exhibit System is a patented modular display platform designed for museums and professional exhibit designers. It consists of components that can be configured and reconfigured across different layouts, venues, and exhibitions without compromising the quality or appearance of the display. Obsidian Manufacturing now produces and supplies the Logic system.
Who is the Logic system designed for?
It is designed for museums and institutions that need professional-grade display infrastructure with the flexibility to evolve. It is particularly well suited to touring exhibitions, institutions with rotating programs, and venues that host multiple different exhibit configurations throughout the year.
How is the Logic system different from a custom display case?
A custom display case is designed and fabricated for a specific space and a specific installation. The Logic system is a modular platform — components are designed to work together in multiple configurations, giving institutions flexibility without sacrificing the quality standard of a purpose-built case.
Can the Logic system be combined with custom Obsidian cases?
Yes. Some institutional projects use both — Logic components for the flexible infrastructure of a rotating program and custom cases for featured or permanent collection pieces within the same space.
How do I find out more about the Logic Exhibit System?
Visit the Logic Exhibit System page for a full overview of the components, configurations, and applications. Or contact us directly and we can walk you through whether it is the right fit for your project.
Lead Times and Process
What is your typical lead time?
We target 4 to 6 weeks from confirmed order to delivery. That is significantly faster than the 8 to 16 weeks common across the industry. Lead time can vary with project complexity, and we will give you a specific timeline during the quoting process, not a range we revise later.
How does the process work from first contact to delivery?
It follows four stages: consultation, design and engineering, fabrication, and delivery and installation. The consultation is a conversation, not a form. The design phase is where all decisions are confirmed before fabrication begins. Fabrication runs to the agreed timeline. Delivery and installation are coordinated with your schedule. The full process is detailed on our Process page.
Can I make changes after the project has started?
Minor adjustments can sometimes be accommodated early in the fabrication phase. Significant changes after fabrication has started will affect the timeline and may affect cost. This is why we invest time in the design and engineering phase, because it is the right place to make decisions, and we are direct about that with every client from the start.
What do you need from me to get a quote?
A description of the project, the space, what will be displayed, any dimensions you have, and your target timeline. Even rough information at this stage is enough to start a conversation and move toward an accurate quote.
Shipping and Installation
Do you ship across Canada and the United States?
Yes. We ship to clients across Canada and the United States. Cases are packaged specifically for the shipping distance and mode of transport — not in generic packaging, but in packaging designed around the dimensions and fragility profile of the specific case.
Do you offer installation services?
For local and regional projects, yes. We provide white-glove delivery and installation, the case is brought in and positioned by the team that built it. For shipped projects we provide clear installation documentation and are available to answer questions throughout the process.
What if something is damaged during shipping?
We package carefully and ship with appropriate insurance. If a case arrives damaged, contact us immediately. We will work to resolve it as quickly as possible.
Can you coordinate delivery with a fit-out or construction schedule?
Yes. For retail fit-outs and museum installations that are part of a larger project, we align delivery with the broader timeline. We do not deliver early and leave cases sitting in a corridor, and we do not deliver late and delay your opening.
Pricing
Do you publish pricing?
We do not publish pricing because every case is custom. The variables that determine cost are too significant for a published price list to be meaningful or honest. Dimensions, glass type, frame finish, hardware specification, interior configuration, and quantity all affect the final price. The best way to get an accurate number is to tell us about your project.
What is the general price range for a custom display case?
We are not the cheapest option in the market and we are transparent about that. Our cases are priced to reflect the quality of materials and fabrication, not to compete with imported commodity products. Clients who reach out to Obsidian are typically looking for quality they can see and feel, not the lowest number on a quote comparison.
Is there a minimum order value?
No. We build single cases as readily as full suites. The process and the fabrication standard are the same regardless of order size.
Contact Us
Still Have a Question?
If your question is not answered here, get in touch. We respond to every enquiry within one business day.
