The history of Limoges, France based Theodore Haviland porcelain began in New York. David Haviland had a shop in New York from which he imported English earthenware for his rich customers. A broken cup brought into his shop by a customer who was looking for a replacement both intrigued David Haviland and excited him. Of a much higher quality and finer in tone than the porcelain he currently imported, David had to know more about this French porcelain.
David Haviland traveled to France to find the source of the beautiful porcelain he had seen. He finally found it in Limoges, France. The material that this porcelain was made of is called kaolin. Kaolin is a creamy white clay that was found in 1765 in the nearby town of St. Yriex, France. This is the same pure white clay the Chinese had been using for centuries to make their exquisite china. The Chinese had been jealously guarding this secret since its discovery.
David Haviland soon began to import French Limoges porcelain to America, eagerly anticipating the warm welcome it would receive. Unfortunately, the tastes of the French and the Americans differed widely. The French were not able to accommodate the desires of Americans for different shapes and decorations. David soon decided to move to Limoges in order to establish his own porcelain factory specializing in dinnerware that catered to the tastes of Americans.
Following David Haviland's death in 1879, the Haviland Porcelain company faced some inner turmoil. David Haviland's sons, Theodore and Charles, disagreed about how much influence Theodore should be given in the company. Prior to David Haviland's death, Charles had been responsible for the manufacture of the Haviland porcelain in Limoges while Theodore was responsible for marketing e company's wares in New York. After David's death, Theodore relocated to Limoges in order to help Charles run the company.
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Due to their differences in opinion, Charles and Theodore sold the original factory and they each opened their own under names that carried on the Haviland name. Charles called his company Haviland et Cie which means Haviland & Co. in French. Theodore called his company Theodore Haviland. The brothers continued in fierce competition until their deaths. Each sought to be known for genuine Haviland porcelain and for the most high quality and innovative porcelain.
Theodore Haviland Porcelain was typically able to offer customers high quality porcelain at a better price. For example, a Macy's department store catalog from 1910 advertised a Haviland & Co. 56 piece dinnerware set for $20. Theodore Haviland Porcelain advertised a 101 piece dinnerware set for the same price.
Theodore Haviland Porcelain also benefited immensely from Theodore Haviland's shrewd marketing skills as well as the numerous contacts he made in the United States during his years as director of distribution and marketing for his father's business. The marketing strategies of Theodore Haviland Porcelain enabled the porcelain factory during the Stock Market Crash and the resulting Great Depression. Many other porcelain factories did not survive, including Haviland & Co.
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