A Cleveland businessman who bought world-renowned Boehm Porcelain said he is still looking for someone to resume production at the company.
EWING - The world-renowned Boehm Porcelain has been purchased and pieces are being moved to an art museum in Cleveland but the question still remains - will production resume?
"I'm willing to keep business ready for someone who is willing to come there and operate it," said Cleveland businessman Richard Barone, who recently purchased the company.
But no viable candidate has stepped up to the plate yet.
Boehm Porcelain, which was founded in 1950, has art pieces in museums across the world but production was stopped last year after the company and then-owner George Parker were evicted from the Princess Diana Drive headquarters.
Since then, porcelain pieces, molds and equipment have sat in the shuttered up headquarters, according to Jerry Fennelly, president of Hamilton-based real estate firm Fennelly Associates, Inc., which represents the building's owner.
The business stayed that way until two weeks ago when Barone, a longtime admirer of Boehm Porcelain, purchased the company for an undisclosed amount of money.
MORE: Boehm Porcelain bought by Cleveland art museum owner
He negotiated the deal first with Parker and then with the Princess Diana Drive property owner who laid claim to the pieces inside the building.
Barone said that in buying the business, he also bought the leftover porcelain pieces, molds, archives and equipment but not the building.
Though he now owns the Boehm name, Barone said he's not interested in personally resuming production.
"I'm willing to work with any interested parties in resurrecting production," Barone said Thursday.
A press release sent from Barone's office Wednesday stated that production would continue in Trenton but Barone said Thursday he's still looking for someone to take the job.
The ideal investor would have marketing and business skills as well as "working capital," Barone said.
Many of the artists who worked at Boehm Porcelain are still around and could begin working for the company again, he added.
Still, with no headquarters and no one to take over managing production, Barone said he didn't know when operations at Boehm Porcelain could resume.
For now, Barone is focused on moving the pieces and molds to the Museum of American Porcelain Art in Cleveland. The museum, which he founded, should be opening in 2017.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.