What we do Letter/ Intro

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

For those who this applies,

 

            We are an artisan representation company.  What that means is we represent people who hand make or craft items.  Many of these people perform their craft as a hobby and are unable to travel as often and/or as far as we do.  We wish to make the public aware of the fact that there are still individuals who do their part to keep these crafts alive.  Unfortunately there are several crafts out there that are either dead or becoming a dying art form.

             And some places try to limit the artists we represent. This is something that we do not like. For it prevents the public from seeing a true selection of different artists. Instead it allows someone to control on the venue. Because they can’t handle others selling in their venue or they are not good enough to sell their wares in a open market.  No limits to what we bring or who we represent is a must for us to do the best we can for the show we will be going to.

            We not only represent artists but are artist ourselves.  Drago has done every craft in the tent except glass & music.  His many talents include maille, leather wood work, metal work, tents. jewelry, sword fighting, props, armor, blade work, pottery, costuming and various other things.

            Isabell makes glass beads, maille and chain.  She can also repair maille and chain items on site if she has similar enough materials to do so.  This allows us to be able to answer questions on how the items are made. In full and educational ways to the public.

            We usually sell and do demonstrations out of a one person period style Arabian Bedouin tent, that is usually is allotted a 50’x50’ space and has access on three sides.  On the back of the tent is the gypsy Vardo a multi functional item.   We and other artists make and sell these tents and other Mongol & European as well.  The actual size of the tent with the Vardo is 42’ wide and 45-8’ deep with the front door awning.  We decorate the Bedouin with banners, flags and shields of medieval design, households we a friendly to and those that we represent.  We currently have as well a 15’ deep by 21’ wide marquee style pole tent {please allow two to three feet more for external ropes on each side} that can be set up. And is used as a working artist demo. This tent is for sale/rental if we are not using it. 

We do carry a wide selection of items, these items fall into one of

these categories.

 

   Hall of Steel - This is the weapons department. And is the oldest department we have.  We currently have fencing  schlager , fencing daggers, a stage/film combat sword and several hand forged knives and daggers of different styles.

 

   Trinkets & Beads - This is the jewelry department. Second oldest. We mainly hand made items with a few import items {less than 5%} to help supplement the weak spots.  We carry a wide range of items necklaces, pendants, rings, pins, rosaries,  panannulars, cloak clasps and hand made glass beads.

 

            Castle Life - This department has items that are used to decorate the home or tent as it may be.  This department will also have items that one may find useful to create an atmosphere.  Music cds, tents, forks, spoons, decorative wood plaques, iron work, pottery, etc.  Items for alternative lifestyles are in this department as well.

 

            Cut of Style - This is the clothing department.  We have most of the basics; drawstring pants, skirts , chemises, bodices & shirts.  We also have dresses, kimonos and Haori.

 

            Leather & Link - Fourth department. And is Dedicated to Drago’s Grandfather Ernest Edward. This is the Department where leather, maille & chain items are found.  For leather we have both ring and buckle belts, pouches, hair tie covers, floggers & notebook covers for starters.  For maille & chain items there are bracelets, necklaces, rings, female tops & key chains.  If you didn’t know the difference between maille & chain here it is - maille is a sheet of knitted links while chain is a length of knitted links.  We carry stock metal items in brass, bronze, copper, mild steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel and aluminum.  We also carry items made with anodized aluminum, enameled copper, sterling silver and 10kt jewelers gold.  The links themselves are oval, twisted square wire and standard round.

 

            Armor Division - This is the armor department.  Currently we have a maille coif, some smaller mailler shirts and some basic armor in stainless steel.

 

            Beyond Special - Third eldest. This is where film prop or stage prop related items are found.  We have everything from items of movie sets to simple theater props.  Drago has worked in this venue off and on for many years.  We also represent Renegade Effects, which can be hired to come and perform armored combat at events.

 

            We offer a mailing from the data base we have complied through the years of venders, artist, crafters, performers, and others who go or support events {and do for seven Faires at this time} .  As well as places that have been used by us in the area of the events.  The data base mailings are done in a ripple pattern.  The first ripple are addresses for the state that your event is in.  The second ripple are addresses to the states, which directly border the event state.  The last will be address to the states that border those in the second mailing.  We also will provide, depending on our schedule upon request, a mailing based in the area codes usually within a 150 mile radius of the event site.  The area code listing is usually sent out 45 days before the opening of the show.  This regional mailing serves as a reminder that the fair will be opening soon, sometime events send discount tickets as well. We hand write the address on the envelopes we send to you because most people pay attention to a hand written envelope before others.  We put our return address on it to ensure we keep our data base current and correct.  All you have to do is place the flyer/letter into the envelopes, stamp them and send them out.

            Other services we offer include distributing flyers to the public. 

Usually we ask for 500-1000 flyers to start with.  We will call when we need more flyers.  Or you can send some each month to us.  The public is exposed to the flyers at every event we go to.

            Another service we can {and do for four Faires at this time} provide is a “blind” jury for venders.  This means that we have applications for a show in hand  we walk around looking at merchants and entertainers.  We give good acts the show’s contact information.  We find merchants who hand make their items, have a period pavilion and are good with the patrons.  We can also inform you of those who are or/and have screwed up at events.  If we are requested by the show, we can find specific artist/crafter venues and/or types of acts an event wants during our travels before the show starts. 

            Something that may interest your merchants is the fact that we have a list of those who have given us bad checks.  Any merchant can receive a copy of this list.  All they have to do is ask for a copy.  Any merchant can add to the list those whom they have received bad checks from, as long as they agree to the way the listing is currently ran.

            We usually stay on site with our tent and the inventory.  We in the past have seen patrolled sites loose things from the “watched” tents.  Where as we are responsible for the artists’ items as well as our own we require to stay with our tent.  But things do tend to happen, we would like to keep it from happening to us.  We would like to make arrangements for us to stay at our tent during the duration of the show.

            Could you please send us a copy of the manual weapons laws regarding sales for city, county and state. This is to ensure we are correct in our sales of those items.  As well as to keep the show out of trouble.

 

            We will endeavor to have as may as our artisans as possible to show up for craft demonstrations.  Isabell can make glass bead on site if time and crowd allows, and we have enough people to cover the tent for her to do so.  Isabell is also a mailler who can create on site & repair pieces of maille & chain made by others, as long as we have the materials at hand.  Drago can tinker and fix stuff as he can.  In other words things that need minor repairs can be handled on site while you wait if possible.

            We are a very strong believers of supporting our neighboring  participants.  It is simple things like providing shade & storage for the wandering street performers, having a drinking cooler for people to stay hydrated, minor first aid (band aids, aloe, sun screen…), extra tent stakes {we sell them as well} & ropes for stormy weather, fixing what we can on site & any other thing we can help with.  We also make available extra tents if we have them for the faire to use if they need/want to.

            As always if anyone has any questions please call us at 1-800-516-0497.  We encourage faire personnel to ask questions, this way there are no misconceptions between anyone and all the information is correct.  Let us know of any way we can help to promote the faire.

            We apologize for any lateness of our contact, but it is hard to contact the correct person when their information is not listed on the public flyer for the event.  Nor is it any easier when the only way to find the correct information is through the internet or when something is finally mailed to you.  The internet has helped in many ways, but many people have been cut out of the "informational service" because the promoters for events are also no longer doing a large mailing outside their main target area.  Some events don't have contact information (name in charge of, address, phone number & other points of contact) on either the flyer or the web site.  Perhaps in the future more information will be listed on a public flyer.

 

We hope this helps to explain things that we offer for events which is very small listing of what we accentually end up doing in most cases,

 

Allen Drago & Lady Isabell Demona