Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-10-04
LIMOGES.

WHAT THE HAVILANDS DID FOR IT.
Theodore Child, in Harper's Magazine for October
The porcelain industry at Limoges il
of comparatively recent origin. TIL,
discovery of porcelain clay-kaolin anG
feldSpath-at Saint Vrieix, near Lin
Oges, dates from 1866, and the first hare
porcelain mandatory was established
in 1173, by NM. Grellet, Massier, and
Fourneyrat. But it was not until about
lo3O that the industry became really i'm.
pOrtant, and it is within the last twenty
years only that the production of Lin
oges has achieved pefection in the man
ufacturing processes and at the same
time acquired an artistic stamp in form
and decoration. 1t is interesting to no.
tIce that these results are largely due to
American enterprise. In 1889 a lady
came to the store of MesSrs. Daniel and
David Haviland, in New York city, and
asked them if they could match porce-
lain cup which she showed them. The
cup was of French manufacture; it was
the first that the Havilands had seen,
| and the paste seemed so far superior to
that of the English china and faience
which they were in the habit of selling
that they conceived the idea of introduc-
ing similar goods into the American
market, believing that the speculation
would be profitable. Full of this idea. Mr.
David Haviland came to France with
the cup, and began to inquire where such
ware was made. His researches led him
to VierzOn, and thence to Limoges. His
desire was to obtain English shapes, and
English patterns executed in French
porcelain. The matter seemed simple
enough; the only obstacle Mr. Haviland
had to contend against was routine and
usage. When he asked the Limoges
manufacturers for English shapes they
replied, "We do not make them; we have
not the mouldS"
every good" replied Mr. Haviland; 81
will give you the moulds;" and he pro-
ceeded to makes his moulds. Then, hav-
ing his articles in white, he wished to
have them decorated in the English
style, to suit the taste of his buyers.
ave cannot execute that kind of dec
oration," replied the manufacturers.
VERY good" replied the indomitable
American; 81 will train some decorators
for you" And he proceeded to hire pro-
fessOrs and to teach hundred apprenti-
ces to paint natural flowers in the Eng
liSh manner. The end of it was that
French routine and want of enterprise
forced Mr.. Haviland to establish grad
ually complete porcelain manufactory,
which since its foundation in 1856 has
grown to be the largest and most
excellently organized of all the manu-
factories in the Limousin district. At
present the Haviland works at Limoges |
have nine kilns, cubing each from eighty |
to one hundred and twenty metres; they |
employ, when in full activity, 1900 hands, |
and manufacture 5000 plates a day, to
mention only one typical article. Futh-
the Havilands have revolution
led the porcelain industry by taking
prompt advantage of all the discoveries
Of modern science, by perfecting the
baking kilnS, by the introduction of lith-
ography and engraving in decoration,
and generally by substituting in the
making of current articles mechanical
processes for hand labor. Haviland and
Company produce about ten per cent. of
5he whole of the porcelain now made at
Limoges. In 1886 there were in the
own and district 35 porcelain manufac-
'ories, possessing Sc kilns, and giving
to some 5000 persons; 62
decorating establishments, employing
700 hands; and 80 mills for grinding
md preparing the clay.