General Info

Thank you for visiting the website of Tom Pollard Designs. At Tom Pollard Designs of of Pittsburgh PA, we specialize in producing the finest gold-plated custom brass ornaments. These unique gifts and commemoratives are stunning works of art manufactured to the most demanding specifications. Our pieces are perfect for commemorative ornaments, fundraising drives, custom Christmas ornaments, mascot pieces, and more. Now, everything we make at Tom Pollard Designs tugs at someone's heartstrings or puts a smile on someone's face. What better business could we be in? Our goal is to bring to life something of beauty and remembrance. We create unforgettable, one-of-a-kind ornaments for that special purpose you have chosen to commemorate. In my career ( after the potholders ), I've done commercial photography, and I've sold postcards and souvenir items both for the city of Pittsburgh and for attractions across the country. I'm a niche marketer, and when I was first asked to do one of these ornaments, I thought it would be a nice piece to add to my line. I was selling postcards and souvenir magnets, and I walked into a store where the owner had lost her source for specialty ornaments. The timing was right. She asked "how can I get these done?" and I answered with "Oh, I'm certain I can get them done for you." At first our production costs were four times what we made on each piece, but from then on I knew what I wanted to sell. There came a point where I had 30 or so ornaments in stock and I was getting calls for them every week. I didn't even have catalog numbers or a proper inventory, but it was obvious the time for the business had come. From those first days, we have made it our goal to deliver excellence. We will hand hold you through the process and do everything in our power to deliver a custom ornament that will truly serve as a stunning commemorative piece. When people talk for hours over the memories kindled by one of our custom or stock ornaments, we know we have done a great job. I am made happy by the challenge of the whole thing. Some of the commissions I like best are when we work with young people, especially high school fundraisers. When they achieve a certain level of success with their fundraiser, it is very exciting. When we do something like a church that is closing down, we take away a little of their pain, and we hope the project can help keep the memory of the church alive in their hearts. Our biggest sellers are stadiums and other landmarks that have been torn down, like Three Rivers Stadium here in Pittsburgh. Sometimes I will walk into a retail store and hear people saying "There he is now!" I enjoy the individuality and personalization that we can deliver. I go to retail stores, a lot of retail stores, and I see the same stuff everywhere. Where is the choice for people? Where are the unique gifts and gift ideas? People laugh at our dialect in Pittsburgh, our "Pittsburghese." It's not a bad thing to have some character in the way you speak, that's a good thing. It's not a bad thing to make a special product that helps people remember the values and the good things in life. That's what we do with our custom brass ornaments. We hope you'll browse our site and take away something special for yourself.