The history associated with the name
Haviland becomes quite complicated with the many family members and
other companies who played a role over the past 150 years. It is a
sequel that contains both success and failure. Since it is our intent
to exhibit oyster plates from a portion of their history when they
were popular only a brief chronology of the Haviland Company will be
presented. For a more detailed history of the
Haviland Limoges and the associated family members and companies see
the references to Mary Gaston's books on Haviland and Limoges Porcelain.
- 1829 to 1853 -
David Haviland starts as a tableware salesman in New
York and by 1840 is importing French porcelain. He goes to France in
1840 to investigate the making of porcelain with an eye to the
American market. By 1942 David has moved to Limoges along with his
son, Charles Edward. His second son Theodore is born in 1842. From
1842 to 1847 David exports porcelain manufactured by other Limoges
companies. In 1852 when another brother, Robert, joins him in France
he changed the name of the current company from D. G. & D.
Haviland to Haviland Bros. & Co. A nephew, Charles Field
Haviland, also joined the group in the early 1850's. To this point
David and the growing family involvement are still just exporters of
the Limoges porcelain.
- 1853 to 1864 -
In 1855 David gets French permission to construct a
manufacturing plant for porcelain. He continues to design and
decorate mainly the white ware porcelain from other manufactures. In
1864 David with his two sons (Charles Edward and Theodore) forms his
own firm, Haviland and Cie, after breaking off business associations
with the New York company, Haviland Bros. & Co. Meanwhile Charles
Field established his own decorating studio early in this period.
-1865 to 1891 -
The new company, Haviland & Cie, under Charles
Edward's management begins producing porcelain while brother Theodore
handles the New York importing and marketing duties. The earliest
Haviland oyster plates were produced about 1876. The early back mark
used from 1876 to 1880 was a simple H&Co with either a single,
double or no underscore. The H&Co
examples are on the first page. They also used the H&C mark
with single underscore and the letter L below the line from the late
seventies until 1889. See the H&C/L
page 2 and H&C/L page 3. In
1879 David Haviland died and sons Charles Edward and Theodore
continue to run the company. In 1886 production stops and in 1891 the
company, Haviland & Cie, is finished. Meanwhile, Charles Field
Haviland who, in 1876, had taken charge of the Alluaud porcelain
factory (one of the oldest in Limoges), retired in 1881 and Gerard,
Dufraisseis and Morel (GDM) took over the business. The GDM company
continued to use the CFH (Charles Field Haviland) over GDM mark from
around 1882 until 1900. See the CFH/GDM page
4 and page 5 for examples of the
oyster plates produced by this company.
-1892 to 1931 -
In 1892 Charles Edward with his son George form a new
company with an old title, Haviland & Co. Theodore forms another
company named Theodore Haviland. The Theodore Haviland mark appears
on Limoges porcelain from 1892 to at least the 1920's.
Examples of the Theodore Haviland plates can
be seen on page 6. In 1919 Theodore dies and William takes over
the Theodore Haviland company. In 1921 Charles Edward dies and his
son George has control of Haviland & Co. In 1930 Haviland &
Co. is finished and by 1931 is liquidated.
- 1940 to Present -
In 1941 Theodore's son William obtained the old
Haviland marks and models and reorganized the company and the name
one again became, Haviland and Company. William retired in 1957 and
his two sons retired in 1972. The new owners took over under the name
of Haviland SA, the modern Haviland company.
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