History of Roman Inc Gifts
In operation for more than 40 years, Roman Inc. is the inspiration of Ron Jedlinski in his creation of Catholic collectibles. Read about their history and the start of two of their popular collectibles lines.
His business was born in 1963 with $500 and an old station wagon full of inspirational products. With a family background in retailing – his father operated Roman's Art and Gift Shop – it was nearly inevitable that Jedlinski would enter the giftware field. With an office behind his father's store, Jedlinski christened his company Roman's Religious Goods in honor of his father who had given his blessing to the venture. He quickly carved his niche in the religious articles and giftware marketplace, and subsequently expanded into wedding, anniversary, baby, christening, and retirement products. As his organization grew, the company evolved into Roman Religious Goods, Inc., followed by the current Roman, Inc. The double "R" in the firm's current logo commemorates those early days.
The Valencia Collection
Since 1980, the Valencia Collection, exclusively by Roman, Inc., has been counted among the Company's signature brands. It is crafted of glazed porcelain and hand-painted in the palest of hues. A testimony to the Company's roots in religious merchandise, Valencia includes portrayals of Jesus, biblical figures and saints. Also reflective of the organization's long history in gifts, Valencia includes a variety of themes designed meet the needs of those gift-shopping for loved ones and friends. Sculpted by Gaylord Ho, the artist responsible for the Company's Seraphim Classics Collection, the Valencia Collection has been twice honored with Collector Editions Awards of Excellence.
The Millenium Collection
In 1992 Roman, Inc. debuted the Millenium Collection, a perfect commemoration of the 2,000th anniversary of the birth and life of Jesus. Long before many of its competitors acknowledged the coming millennium, Roman partnered with Italy's Faro Studios to create Silent Night, a 2,000-piece limited edition bas-relief plate that celebrated the forthcoming momentous turn of the calendar page. The design was based on an intricately detailed silhouette by the famed Dominican Nun, Sister Mary Jean Dorcy, whose extraordinary scissor-cuttings were widely published from the 1930s through the 1970s. Responding to the success of the first two plates, the depictions of Mary and the Infant Jesus were applied to limited edition ornaments in 1994; and in 1996, Roman invited Master Sculptor Gaylord Ho to share his gift with Millenium collectors through fully dimensional open stock figures. In 1997, the Millenium Collection entered the gift category with designs for babies and young mothers, and in 2000 it unveiled the Millenium Nativity Set. With a truly innovative design, Ho sculpted the figures so that the Baby Jesus could be positioned either in Mary's arms or in the manger. By December 31, 2000, when the brand's series of sought-after limited edition plates and ornaments came to conclusion, Millenium's Christmas designs, open edition figures, and general gifts were well established in the marketplace. Today, the Millenium Collection remains a signature brand for Roman. Faithful to its roots, the Collection's offerings are dominated by portrayals of Mary and the Baby Jesus, and include a wealth of options in the category of gifts for babies and children. It commemorates joyful occasions with a number of wedding and anniversary items, and offers comfort during difficult times with figural gifts designed as thoughtful expressions of sympathy.
Fontanini® Heirloom Nativity®
During the company's tenure in collectibles, few lines have sustained growth like Fontanini® Heirloom Nativity®, exclusively distributed by Roman since 1973. With this world-famous name in Italian craftsmanship, Jedlinski positioned Roman as the singular North American source for the sought-after collection, prized for its lifelike sculpting, meticulous hand painting and attention to detail. Fontanini® Heirloom Nativity® include figures and accompanying structures in seven different sizes ranging from tiny miniatures to nearly life-size pieces; and a wide selection of ornaments, musicals, and other gifts featuring Fontanini art.
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