The Pierce Arrow Dinner Plate Saga

In about 1992 I responded to an ad from a chap in Florida who had 6 Pierce dinner plates for sale. I called him. He wanted to sell me two; not 6; He required a certified check. He told me he was a distant relative of one of the Pierce Family. I told him that I would take all six. He told me that if he sold me six; he would not have enough for anyone else. He had not heard of PAS; and was not a member. I explained that I could buy them, and make them available to PAS; members at same $$. He said that Pierce had gone bankrupt; by trusting people. I replied that it was just a little more complicated than that; and that CAR owners; like me; were the solution; NOT the cause of the failure. We went around and around. He insisted on a certified check; I told him I would send a personal check--and he could wait until it cleared. He said that he did not know me; and could not trust me. He went on about how his ancestors had gotten taken. Anyhow, I did not get the plates. SURPRISE!!! At our monthly local PAS lunch; I recounted the story. Hilda Blonder said "Roy, why don't you make them". I mentioned that I knew zip about this process. She said that I could probably find somebody to do it. So I started a journey.
After Hilda Suggested I do the dinnerplates--I looked into it: a minimum of green unfired plates is 120.! I would have to design the logo ("8" and "12""), and have special porcelain decals made.
Then I would have to apply the decals. I then decided to that I would have to apply a gold edge. So I had to make a precision turntable, and learn and practice a 3mm application of a liquid gold, using a special phenolic applicator; to the edge of the plate. I actually sat down on my kitchen floor; and applied the gold. I think it took 20 hours. Then I had to have them fired. I could not find anybody to fire that small of a quantity. SO I went to a commercial kiln in Torrance. I talked to the owner. I learned that they fired plates 12 hours a day, Monday thru Thursday. I asked him if I could rent his shop Sunday night, when they had to heat up the kilns anyway. He finally agreed; I rented a truck to haul the plate. I arrived about 8 PM Sunday night; loaded the plates carefully into the first kiln;--fired the 1st kiln to 1350; for 6 hours, then moved them to cooling kiln for 4 hours. During the firing period, I swept, cleaned, dusted--the shop, office and heads. The owner came in at 7am Monday; found it all spotless--and that I had followed his instructions. We had to wait for final cooling, I boxed all 120 finished plates up. He asked me when I wanted to use his shop again--at no charge. I spared you a lot of the details on the  research, and the false starts. YOUR'E welcome.