Contact Information
Fundraising for churches -
commemorative bells, plates, mugs and candles
Commemoratives
Plates, Mugs, and Bells
Frequently Asked Questions
If we order 2 or 3 different items, do we have to meet the 72 piece minimum for each?
No… any combination of product will do as long as your total order is at least 72 pieces.
How do I know how much
freight will be for my order?
Good question! Actually, it’s
difficult to determine the exact amount for a number of reasons. We try to ship
“the best way” possible, i.e. get the plates to you safely at the least possible
cost. Usually this means shipping by UPS, but not always. To minimize freight,
have the plates delivered to a commercial address because UPS charges more to
deliver to a residence. … please call the factory for an estimate.
Is there an extra charge to number our plates?
Yes, we charge 50 cents per plate to hand number the back of the plate in 24k gold. This would be appropriate for plate that you want to make “a limited edition.” We rarely do this for churches.
How much history can we
put on the back?
Generally 150-200 words works well. On the 8-9” plates, we have a 4” circle in which we can reproduce your church history or other narrative. The 10” plate has a 5” circle.
Can we put two churches on the front?
(Our old and new) Yes, we do quite a lot of these! We must, however, charge an extra $40 art charge for each additional image. See our sample page for actual plates we’ve done.
Can we put our Pastor’s
picture on the front?
Yes, we can draw people. There is one drawback and it’s that we are limited to black color for the plate image. The reason is that with “people images,” the toning required must be consistent and black color gives us the best results.
Do you produce plates
other than churches?
Yes… we can produce schools, historic buildings, train stations, any image … you name it!
Do you have products
other than those shown?
Yes… we’ve been producing custom chinaware for more than 20 years and our “attic” is quite large. We carry dinnerware, giftware… you name it! Just let us know what you might be interested in and give us the opportunity to help!
Do you have rush service?
This all depends on how busy we are. We can produce an order in as little as two weeks but we won’t sacrifice quality or another existing order commitment. If you need your product faster than our normal 4-6 week turnaround… please call and we’ll let you know if it’s possible.
Will we have the chance
to look at the art before we see our plates?
Yes, we will prepare the front art and history for the back and email or send it to you for approval prior to producing actual plates. We prefer email because it’s fast! Faxing art isn’t good since the image “thickens” and doesn’t come through as a fair representation. Please note however that your finished goods may vary slightly from the digital mockup due to the differences inherent to the 2 processes. Digital mockups are produced on a computer, and show up differently on different computer monitors. The decals used to decorate your chinaware are printed using a silk screen process, and thus will have a very minor variation in appearance from the digital version. In most cases, except with pictures of people, this variation isn't even noticeable. We make every effort to reproduce your design as accurately as possible within the limits of our production equipment.
How do we know how many
plates to order?
Many churches take advance orders before placing an order with us. If you don’t take advance orders, we recommend that you be conservative in ordering.
Can we specify our own
style of type?
Yes, while we have hundreds of type styles, it’s helpful if you specify the font name and provide us with a printed sample. We may not have the exact font but we most likely have something very close. If you don’t specify a font, our artist will choose one.
Are the plates
food-safe?
No, you should not use the plates for food
because the ceramic color may contain lead or cadmium necessary for color
fidelity. Rest assured, your plate
is completely safe to handle. If you require a food safe plate, please let us
know and we can quote separately.
Can we order less than
the 72 minimum pieces?
Yes, but unfortunately, we must charge more in order to cover fixed costs already built into the 72 piece price. Best to call the factory for a quote.
Can you reproduce color
photographs?
We can, but it becomes very expensive for small quantities. Since it’s a different process altogether, proofing alone could be $1,000. Accordingly, for a 100 plate order, the cost of a full color image might be $25.00 per plate or more. For this reason, we recommend line art, which provides a value added artistic dimension at a very reasonable cost.
How much are extra line
art colors?
Can I reorder less than 72 pieces?
How do I care for my
plate?
The image on your plate has been fired at
temperatures approaching 1500 degrees and is permanent. It won’t wear off,
scratch off… it’ll be there a long… long time! Accordingly, care is easy… a hot
soapy towel will clean the plate. Be careful of using anything abrasive on the
gold or platinum banding since they are precious metals and will wear.
What if my plate has
flaws?
Keep in mind that your plate has been hand decorated and minor variances are both inherent and characteristic of the process. These minor variances are not considered flaws, and cannot be subject to replacements unless we determine that an error was made on our end. During our production process, each plate has been inspected at various stages of production according to existing “collector” standards. Please feel free to contact us if you have any quality questions.