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Haviland China The History of a Name
Well
over a century ago - in 1839 - a young American named David Haviland, then
living in New York, was engaged in the retail china business in that city. To
his shop came many of New York’s prominent families to choose the china—that
with great talent and interest—he was importing from England. The young
importer was happy in the growth of his business and in the satisfaction of
his customers in owning the china that his zeal and good taste enabled him to
offer them from abroad.
The Incident of Chance
But one day his shop door opened and a customer came in carrying a small
package that was not only to change David Haviland's life, but was to have a
profound effect on the whole china industry and on the china ware in thousands
of American homes. The one little package seemed insignificant enough, it
held only a broken cup that its owner wanted replaced. As Mr. Haviland took
the cup in his hands, he began to be impressed by it. He could tell at once
that it had come from France. But from what part of France? Which of the
French potteries had turned out this piece of porcelain? Examine it as he did,
the cup had absolutely no mark of identification. Familiar with imported china
as he was, the cup baffled him. He had not the slightest notion of its source.
As he continued to turn it around in his fingers the quality and beauty of
the cup’s translucent china still struck him. Although he had shaken his head
and told his customer he could not replace it, he knew that the little piece
of porcelain interested him deeply - and that his quest had already
begun.
In Search of a
Cup
Once David Haviland had seen the cup there was
nothing to do but go in search of it. He knew crossing the Atlantic at that
time was a long and tedious voyage of several weeks. But he was determined to
go to France to find the match - and more - of this unique china, and to be
the first to introduce the ware to America. Once in France there were many
leads to follow up, many blind alleys, many disappointments. A less
determined man, and one less impressed with the quality of the ware, might
have given up and gone home. Mr. Haviland did not-and his romantic and
obstinate search was rewarded. He came finally to the city of Limoges, where
for seventy-five years china had been manufactured, and where he found the
match of his cup. That this china was made in Limoges was no accident. In
1765, in the quaint nearby town of St. Yriex, kaolin had been found. Kaolin
is a very pure white clay known from time
immemorial l in China, that had enabled
Chinese artisans through the centuries to make their rare and marvelous
pottery. With excitement, satisfaction, and high hopes David Haviland
arranged to export his long sought French china so that he could supply it in
New York. When he came home he was full of energy and good spirits. He had
realized his ambition, and he was now to offer this ware to Americans for the
first time.
It was from Limoges,
then, that David Haviland began importing this fine French china.
Unfortunately, however, his pleasure in realizing an ambition was to be short
lived. New difficulties soon best his path due to wide divergence between the
French and American taste and requirements. French manufacturers whose
factories were of limited capacity were unwilling to make American shapes and
decorations. So David Haviland, loath to accept defeat, decided upon a bold
step. He resolved to move to France, build a factory in Limoges, and there
make china in accordance with his own ideas.
First Shipments of the New China from
France
In the city of Limoges, David Haviland first
set about creating models of the kinds of china dinnerware services he wanted
to make, and while these were being developed, he built and organized his own
decorating shops. Here he installed everything necessary to change the china
from plain to decorated ware. This was a radical step because up to that time
Limoges manufacturers had made only plain ware and had sent it to Paris for
decoration. It was not easy sailing, for while Americans were to welcome the
result of these innovations, the French artisans who were to accomplish them
rebelled at the change. Accustomed to their own types of decorations, they
staged demonstrations of protest when they saw apprentices being shown how to
work out American styles of patterns. Teachers and apprentices often had to go
about in groups to protect themselves from attack by decorators who were
addicted to old routines and didn’t want to change. Gradually difficulties
were smoothed out and David Haviland’s venture was established. On a momentous
day in 1842 the first shipment of Haviland china was exported to the United
States. Its success was immediate and all the Haviland hopes were justified
when the new factory began to produce china in larger quantities than had ever
before been attempted inLimoges.
Four Generations of Progress
Throughout the
next years the Haviland factories devoted themselves to the production of
functional china that continued to have extraordinary success. At the same
time experimental work went on with ever higher standards of artistry and
craftsmanship as its goals. When in 1873, three Frenchmen originated an
important new process of decorating china, David Haviland was quick to realize
its merits and with the resources at his command he considerably improved it.
He engaged famous artists of their day and encouraged them to use their
talents to make this new decorating a memorable achievement. Other experiments
were successful, too, and it was the Havilands who introduced chromo
lithographic decorations on porcelain, a method afterwards followed by
practically every china manufacturer in the world. In the meantime, David
Haviland’s son Theodore followed in his father’s steps.
Shortly after
1890 Theodore Haviland built one of the largest and best factories in Limoges,
and introduced every new method in machinery decorating, and firing. Skilful
French china makers were placed in charge of manufacturing, great ceramic
artists headed the decorating departments. Inheriting his father’s genius and
enterprise, Theodore Haviland rapidly became a leader in the making of fine
china.
Made In America
Almost one hundred
years after David Haviland had established the first French factory, his
grandson William D. Haviland, decided on another far-reaching step.
It was in 1936 that
he felt certain shapes and decorations might be made in America and to that
effect he put all the Haviland energies to producing a truly fine domestic
dinnerware. From the start authorities agreed that the domestic line was
thoroughly worthy of the famous Haviland name and consumers who eagerly bought
it gave it their wholehearted approval. Today American made Haviland is a
leading domestic china.
The Present Days
A few years after
the end of World War II and under the leadership of David’s great-grandson and
the son of William, Theodore Haviland 2nd undertook to completely modernize
the factory in Limoges. New kilns, fired by gas, greatly improve the quality
of the ware. Electric, electronically controlled decorating kilns assure an
evenness of color never before possible. New decorating processes make it
possible to make the intricate patterns that have made Haviland world famous
at a cost which otherwise would be prohibitive. These improvements have
enabled the factory to enlarge its scope beyond the manufacture of dinnerware,
and in 1961 Haviland introduced a new line of giftware which was immediately
recognized as one of the most distinctive on the market.
The four generations
of Havilands, who have guided the destinies of this world famous institution,
have had but one thing in mind; the very best quality, the very best artistic
achievement.
(From "Haviland"
brochure published by Haviland & Co. Inc.)Please click on the pattern name to view the pattern inventory.
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