Theodore Haviland Company

Theodore Haviland was born in Limoges, France in 1842, the same year that his father David Haviland set up his company to create one of the finest porcelains every made. In 1865 his older brother took over management of Haviland & Company and sent Theodore, 23 years old, to America to market and sell the china that was sent from France. With the opening of the railway across the United States, he traveled across the country to all the china shops, hoping to convince every household in America that they could not live without this special dinnerware. He tried several marketing strategies to further his goals. If a large store would order so many different sets of Haviland china, he would have their company name printed along with the Haviland backmark. He would also sell them exclusive patterns (by adding a border or a special trim) to be manufactured just for their stores. These patterns are the most difficult to locate today as not many of them were sold around the country.

Because of these store markings, the Haviland Collectors Internationale Foundation is currently conducting research on the various backmarks atrributed to these individual stores, trying to ascertain how long the stores were in operation, where they were located, and what patterns they sold. This will be an ongoing project for many years, but should give us much information as it will narrow down dates of production on certain patterns and show the type of style that various communities purchased.

Theodore was primarily on his own in America, living and working in New York City, only returning to France during the summers, during slack sales times. He would spend his time in Limoges meeting with factory workers, maintaining contact with the foremen, and discussing new ideas and plans with his father and brother. When David died in 1879, Charles Edward, his older brother, called him home. However, when Theodore returned home with his wife, Julie, he found that moving to Limoges removed his independence and he was at the beck and call of his brother in all things, whether business or personal.

In 1891, Theodore and Charles Edward decided to dissolve the partnership. Haviland & company closed its doors on December 31, 1891, and reopened the following day under the same name, but with Charles Edward and his eldest son, George, running the new operation. Theodore purchased twelve acres on the Place David Haviland in Limoges and went about setting up his own company. It was in operation by August of 1893. He built it with the best and most modern equipment available. It contained new electric lithograph presses that could do four times more work than the steam-driven presses used in other factories.

There was much rivalry between the two companies for quite a few years and probably many lawsuits over rights infringements. Theodore began placing his decorative mark of Theodore Haviland, Limoges on the back of his porcelain. The two companies engaged in a war of price competition as each fought for their share of the public market. In a 1910 catalog from R.H.Macy Co., Haviland & Company offered a 56-piece dinner set for $20., while Theodore Haviland Company offered a 101-piece set of the same quality for the same price.

With his many years in America, Theodore had a keen business sense for creating ornate porcelain dinnerware that would please the American woman. His designs were delicate and beautiful, some with embossed edges and some with heavy gold scalloped edges. Where Haviland & Company made just one pattern to be sold as a Jewel Tea premium (Autumn Leaf), Theodore Haviland made four patterns for Jewel Tea.

In 1903, Theodore brought his son, William, into the company and made him a director in 1904. When Theodore died in 1919, William became chairman of the board and ran the company with his brother, Guy and his two brothers-in-law, H. de Luze and L. d'Albis. They built a strong company that was able to weather World War I and the Great Depression. In 1921, William started producing cleaner, pared-down styles of dinnerware, more suited to the fast past 1920s. In 1936 he opened a plant in New Castle, PA, and produced Theodore Haviland, Made in America china until 1957. The china was heavier and not as white as the French ware. However, this china was very popular during those years.

In 1941, the Theodore Haviland Company bought the rights to the name of Haviland & Company. As soon as production was able to resume in Limoges after World War II, Haviland & Company once again began manufacturing the fine white Porcelain for which it had been famous.