Dresden Dolls Create Website for Fans to Sell Art

The uber-theatrical twosome known as the Dresden Dolls attract a rather artistic audience to their shows, and their devoted fans frequently come to concerts bearing intricate homemade gifts for the duo, offerings that run the gamut from clothing to furniture. After years of receiving such impressive crafts, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione have decided to return the favor by bringing their fans' talents directly into the band's own catalogue.

"Post-War Trade is a merchandising company that we just started for fan- and friend-made art," Palmer tells Spinner. "It is all handmade art and products that have something to do with the Dresden Dolls, and is basically a way to try and create an infrastructure for our fans to sell stuff to one another. We're still recruiting artists. We're going to launch with about 15 products, everything from clothes to lamps to lunchboxes to journals."

The singer explains that when the site debuts, each item up for sale will be individually made. "We're doing small runs of 50-100 items," she says. "As soon as we sell out, we'll re-order more from the artist and basically they'll keep a big part of the profit."

The Dolls hope to use participating artists' designs on tour shirts and other merch next time they hit the road. That's not likely to happen until 2009, however, after Palmer releases and tours her upcoming solo album, 'Who Killed Amanda Palmer?'