Galleria EnterprisesGalleria-Van Gogh Irises Auto-Open/Close Large Portable Rain Folding Umbrella

The umbrella was received three days before Mother's Day, just in time for use. Let me clear up some of the confusion as I read all the reviews and they all boil down to this. While I found the majority of buyer's reviews to be wonderful, others made me hesitant to buy this as a gift.The color is deep purple just as in van Gogh's painting (also see history of van Gogh's "Irises" painting). The size is wide enough for two, perfect for one to keep you completely dry. A button rapidly releases the umbrella to it's full expansion, so it's is important to hang on and not point it at anyone/thing. Upon receipt, open and close the umbrella several times (say 6 or more), to make sure you have a good one; or. if not. contact the seller immediately. Don't point the underside of the umbrella directly into the wind (duh!), and close it and seek shelter should weather condition be of such magnitude!My mother loves it. It's a much better present than "ordinary" iris flowers would have been (that would have cost just as much!); and, it will hopefully last for a long time. More than being functional, it is as others have described a "show" umbrella. The colors and richness of van Gogh's painting will draw attention to anyone in a crowd. It is definitely appropriate for use to provide shade from the sun as well.Having my degree in Fine Art History, I looked at the Monet umbrella as well. However, because of the theme of the painting and its possible uses during the rain and the sunshine, I thought van Gogh's a better design.

Beautiful, large umbrella. Nice auto open AND close - easy for even my 7 year old to operate. Two things that keep me from rating as 5 stars... that you must then push the handle down into the fully collapsed position (which is not as easy as pushing the button) in order to reopen by button; and that one of the tines which were billed as "unbreakable" broke the first time my daughter yanked it out of her locker and got one caught. It actually ripped at the end, instead of snapping like the metal ones do. I just used purple duct tape to repair, but one "petal" of this flower now is droopy. One other note to manufacturer: consider a different way to finish the edges. The velcro from the strap continually gets caught on the stitching, which keeps it from opening all the way at least 3 out of every 5 times. I also get many compliments on this umbrella on how beautiful it is, and it is a very cheerful contrast to all the black and duller umbrella covers out there.

The color is more vibrant, less overall "dull purple" look and far prettier than on the web page. The spring for auto open is very strong. Users should hold on tight and be careful not to point it at other people when snapping it open. The umbrella seems to be made of sturdy materials (pole, ribs, cover fabric, grip, etc.) But it hasn't rained too much since I got it, so I can't tell if it will really last.Update: (October 2012) It's now almost two years since I purchased the umbrella. It still looks just as gorgeous as day one. The spring mechanic is still sharp and materials are all still in excellent shape. Two years worth of torrential downpour has not slow this umbrella down. Totally worth it!

She loves it. My wife has a lot of umbrellas, some are colorful, some are plan and some are okay, but this one, she loves it. Sometimes I think she wishes it would rain so that she can use it going to work.The quality of the umbrella is very good. The mechanism to operate the umbrella works as promised and as described. The material is very light, but strong. The ribs have a smooth motion when opening and closing the umbrella. Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes.

I like everything about this umbrella except the color is off to me. I expected purple, white and green with some yellow. It is actually more purple and gold. (Think Minnesota Vikings) I am happy with the quality and construction. It opens and closes nicely but the color was very disappointing. I would return or exchange it but it would be too much trouble.

Beautiful print, but rather small. Doesn't seem to open and close great. Purchased as a gift for my grandmother and she seems to love it!

I gave this to my sister as a present (at her request because she wanted a pretty umbrella???). Found this little gem. It is very pretty and very sturdy. She lives in NYC, and I gave it to her as part of her Christmas present, and she said it is still holding up very well. It was totally adorable when opened up. Secretly, I want the same one, but can't go having matching umbrellas...can I?

I bought this 4 years ago to replace cheap umbrellas that kept turning inside out in high winds. Still going strong. It did flip inside out once or twice, but the ribs didn't break. I've since moved to a less windy city, but it still rains plenty, and this umbrella serves me well. I also love the colors -- easy to pick your umbrella out of a shared rack at work or the shops, and the gorgeous print brightens up a gray drizzle.

This is a high quality product with a beautiful cover design. The auto open/close functions without a hitch and the strong resilient frame brings a little extra weight but gives a great feel of quality. Perhaps an overall cover would be nice but hey ! just leave it open all the time !!!

I love the style and most especially the fabric but why doesn't an umbrella this expensive have a cover? I also find the mechanism a bit difficult to close. However, it's a good size when open and dries quickly.