In the Kingdom of An Tir (part of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.), it is possible to request something from the Crown called a Royal Commission. This award is simply a signed document that shows preference for a particular artist or group of artists.
Royal Commission: The Crown may grant unto any artisan a royal commission carrying with it the right to include in their correspondence and on their signs and banners the phrases: “By Royal Appointment” and ” to (or of) Kings (or Queens, or the Crown).”. At the start of each new reign, any artisan holding a royal commission shall offer it up to the new Crown. It is the prerogative of each new Crown to determine whether or not the artisan shall continue to hold the royal commission.
The Camp Fromage Party Band (now known as Fromage Fête) is a local phenomenon in An Tir and its members are friends of mine.
I wrote this commission at their request on pergamena vegetable parchment in the calligraphy hand known as gothic bâtarde. A back-of-the-envelope style piece, this was written on a scrap piece of paper I had with me at the event while someone dictated what they wanted me to write.
