Next of Kiln A re-registered trademark passes a beloved name in pottery on to a new generation of fans.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Vital Stats: Janek Boniecki,48, owner of Bauer Pottery Co. of Los Angeles
Company: Manufacturer ofceramic pottery
Sales: $750,000 projectedfor 2002
Abandoned Treasure: "Ihad a small company making and selling candles in bright ceramicpots, similar to Bauer colors. When I decided to start a ceramicpot business as well, I did a trademark search to register a name.The first thing I looked for was Bauer Pottery. I tried all thecombinations for Bauer Pottery and didn't come up withanything. I was excited; I kept thinking I was doing somethingwrong on the trademark search. But I found it really had been anabandoned trademark since the 1960s and re-registered it in1998."
"I was gettingstores or antiques dealers who'd unscrupulously pass off thenew Bauer as originals. I've stamped them 'Bauer 2000'ever since." |
Collect Call: "I'vecollected Bauer since the early 1980s and was always inspired bytheir happy colors." Boniecki isn't alone: After anational magazine did an article on his business, he received morethan 5,000 calls from collectors. "There's a big market ofcollectors excited to add the new Bauer to theircollection."
Histori-Cali Cool:"After the Depression, Bauer was a California companyintroducing bright, happy colors when most of America had beeneating off of tan or white china. They introduced the whole styleof mixing and matching dinnerware, and it really boosted the patiolifestyle California was getting into in the 1930s. We'vemodified some of the original designs to fit the needs of ourtimes, but 90 percent are the same."
Pot-Pourri:"There's definitely strength in what we've got. Wewill expand and offer more items, maybe extend the name as a homecollection, textiles and possibly some furniture."
Contact Source
- Bauer Pottery Co. of Los Angeles
(888) 213-0800, www.bauerla.com
