Ceramic veterans M.B. "Det" and Crystal Merryman have purchased and are reviving Frankoma Pottery, a 72-year-old ceramic company idle since the end of 2004.

Frankoma Inc., a newly created Oklahoma corporation, will operate the company, which Rorch Microwave President Richard Bernstein owned for the last 15 years. The asset sale included all designs, trademarks, products and standing inventory plus the 75,000-sq.-ft. factory located on more than seven acres in Sapulpa, Okla.

The Frankoma Factory Outlet Store, a popular tourist stop, reopened in July. The Merrymans also plan to resume plant tours after cranking up production in late summer.

In an era of mostly overseas ceramic production, Frankoma President Det Merryman said he is energized by the challenge of producing in the United States. In addition to making home accents, gifts, dining, kitchen, souvenir and custom projects, the Merrymans plan to function as an OEM for other ceramic companies. To cut costs and delivery time, the Merrymans will implement a shipping and fulfillment center from their Oklahoma facility.

"It's difficult to compete with the Orient solely on a price basis," Merryman said. "But we can offer ceramic companies small runs not appropriate to container orders."

The Merrymans have been involved in the home accents and gift industry for 15 years. Marketed as the Merrymac Collection, their whimsical ceramic dogs have been sold in gift, specialty and furniture stores. Because of the flexibility of producing in the United States, the Merrymans plan to introduce a line of whimsical pet canisters and cookie jars.

Cookbook author and Food Network celebrity chef Paula Deen has selected Frankoma's Mountain Air tabletop line to dress her holiday dining table in her one-hour Thanksgiving TV special. Frankoma will receive on-air credits for its terra cotta place settings.