A Guide to Haviland Limoges China

Haviland is Limoges porcelain from the house founded in Limoges in 1842 by David Haviland, an American porcelain importer, to make porcelain for American tables – the china many Americans know as Haviland Limoges. Every Haviland piece is produced in Limoges, France, from the region's kaolin porcelain.

Whether you are starting a Haviland Limoges dinnerware service or looking for a gift, this guide covers two patterns we love – Impératrice Eugénie and Rêves du Nil – the trays, candy boxes and tumblers that make Haviland such an easy gift, and how to care for it. Paris Tableware & Gifts, a store in Ridgewood, New Jersey, carries Haviland and ships across the continental US, with free shipping on orders over $150.

What "Limoges" Means

Limoges, in central France, is the home of French porcelain, and "Limoges" on a piece tells you where it was made; the maker's own mark tells you which house made it. Limoges porcelain is hard-paste porcelain: bright white, translucent and strong. Read more in our guide to Limoges porcelain, and see how it compares with bone china, faience and other materials in our dinnerware materials guide.

Impératrice Eugénie

Impératrice Eugénie is one of Haviland's patterns made in both table and gift pieces – from dinner plates and cups to trays and candy boxes. See every piece in the Haviland Impératrice Eugénie collection.

Haviland Impératrice Eugénie Medium Valet Tray

A Limoges porcelain valet tray for the dresser or entry table – a home for keys, a watch and rings. There is also a rectangular tray in the pattern.

Haviland Impératrice Eugénie Candy Box, Small

A Limoges porcelain candy box for chocolates or sugared almonds on a coffee table, or for small treasures on a vanity. It also comes in a large size.

Haviland Impératrice Eugénie Tumbler

A Limoges porcelain tumbler – on a desk it holds pens and pencils, on a vanity it holds brushes, and it makes a small, beautifully boxed gift.

Haviland Impératrice Eugénie Dinner Plate

A 10.2" Limoges porcelain dinner plate, sold individually so a service can grow piece by piece. Add the teacup and saucer and, for serving, the footed cake platter and coffeepot.

Rêves du Nil

Rêves du Nil comes in several colorways: Green Gold, Green Platinum and Pourpre Gold, with dinnerware, serving pieces, vases and gifts. See the whole Haviland Rêves du Nil collection, or just Rêves du Nil Pourpre or Rêves du Nil Platinum.

Haviland Rêves du Nil Pourpre Medium Valet Tray

A Limoges porcelain valet tray in the Pourpre colorway, for jewelry at the bedside or keys by the door. The rectangular tray is the same pattern in a longer shape.

Haviland Rêves du Nil Pourpre Candy Box, Large

A large Limoges porcelain candy box for the coffee table or sideboard. It also comes in a small size.

Haviland Rêves du Nil Pourpre Tumbler

A Limoges porcelain tumbler in Pourpre – a desk or vanity piece, and a gift that arrives beautifully boxed.

Haviland Rêves du Nil Pourpre Gold Service Plate

A 12.2" service plate, sold individually, to set under the Pourpre Gold Dinner Plate Braid (10.6").

Haviland Rêves du Nil Green Gold Large Dinner Plate

A 10.6" Limoges porcelain dinner plate in Green Gold, sold individually. For a cooler look, choose the Green Platinum dinner plate; for tea, the Green Gold teapot.

Trays, Candy Boxes and Tumblers: Haviland Gifts

The same three shapes – a tray, a candy box and a tumbler – come in many Haviland patterns, so you can match a gift to someone's china or simply to their taste. The Impératrice Eugénie and Rêves du Nil pieces come beautifully boxed. See Haviland gift ideas and Haviland decorative pieces.

Haviland Fleurs d'Auteuil Candy Box, Small

Haviland dates Fleurs d'Auteuil to 1873, when Léon Pallandre designed it at Haviland's Auteuil workshop: twelve different flowers are scattered across each piece in a free, asymmetrical composition. This small candy box (3.4" across) holds sweets and sugared almonds, or small precious items. See the Fleurs d'Auteuil collection.

Haviland Fleurs d'Auteuil Medium Tray

A 7.3" square tray that holds keys, jewelry and small items. The rectangular tray (8.3 x 6.3") is perfect for serving a cup and a pastry, or as a catch-all on a desk or console.

Haviland Fleurs d'Auteuil Tumbler

A porcelain tumbler that can hold a beverage, be used as a small vase or a pencil holder.

The candy boxes also come in Dammouse and Souffle d'Or.

Building a Haviland Place Setting

• Service plate – the larger plate set underneath, about 12 inches.
• Dinner plate – 10.2 to 10.6 inches in the patterns above.
• Salad or dessert plate, and bread and butter plate.
• Cup and saucer – teacup, coffee cup or cappuccino size, depending on the pattern.

Haviland dinnerware is sold piece by piece, so you can start with dinner plates and add the rest over time. For where everything goes, see how to set a table; for a wedding, see our wedding registry page. Browse all Haviland tableware and Haviland platters.

Caring for Haviland Limoges Porcelain

Hard-paste porcelain is strong, but gold and platinum decoration is delicate. Pieces with gold or platinum should never go in the microwave, and hand-washing keeps precious metal bright longest. Each piece's own page lists its care instructions.

Looking at other French houses? See our guide to French tableware brands and our Bernardaud dinnerware guide.

Save your favorites: open any piece and tap the ♡ to add it to your Wishlist, then share it with family so you can choose a Haviland pattern together.