Black Swan Thieves Market and Fiber Arts was established in 1997. The first event was Pennsic Paupers in the Canton of Falcon Cree. Black Swan Thieves Market and Fiber Arts began with one table, a tablecloth, and an assortment of feast gear because Cecily De Stafford had an eye for finding items of use in the current middle ages and a house too full to store them. In addition, whenever Cecily tried a new art, she made more of each item than she could use.
Since some SCA members didn't have the time to hunt out or make items they needed in the SCA, Cecily decided to become a merchant. Black Swan is now located in a Panther Pavilion merchant shop and dayshade with a 30X14 footprint and sells hand-woven inkle belts, garb, hats, hand-woven table linens, spinning and needle art supplies, handmade books and papers, jewelry, Middle Eastern accessories, musical instruments, feast gear and books for the SCAdian and enthusiast of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Black Swan Thieves Market and Fiber Arts travels between 35-45 weekends a year and merchants at many Atlantian and some Merdien events including Gulf Wars and Fool's War. Cecily De Stafford, C.P. (Gail Gray) - is a 13th century English silk and fiber merchant. She travels with a German Landsknecht merchant guardsman, Lord Melchior Der Graowulf Cecily is a companion of the Order of the Pearl. She was the Baronial A&S officer and Baronial A&S Champion for the Barony of Nottinghill Coill and is the chatelaine for the Canton of St. George's. She is a member of the Known Whorl Spinner's Guild and the Atlantian Embroiderer's Guild and is the administrator of the Treasure Chest project with the Embroiderer's Guild of Atlantia. She has been in the SCA for ten years and has taught numerous university and Collegium classes and dyeing workshops.