Haviland Porcelain was founded by David Haviland, an American who moved from New York to France after he was brought a broken tea cup to match and recognized the quality and color of the old piece of porcelain. Filled with curiosity, he went to France to find the factory where the cup had been made, but the samples he was sent were not up to his standards. So in 1841, he moved to Limoges to set up his own factory.

Traditional French dinnerware was usually produced in Limoges and sent to Paris for decoration. Haviland insisted on setting up a studio within his factory to have more control over the designs. Renowned artists, including Cocteau, Dali, and Kandinsky have played a role in the company's designs. Today, Haviland is one of the premier names in French porcelain dinnerware, sought by collectors all over the world. Clients have included the White House, Empress Eugenie, General de Gaulle, Jacques Chirac, the Emperor of Japan, and the Royal Court of Morocco.