My Haviland pattern has pretty pink flowers. What is the pattern name?
Look at the following images and you will see why the frequently heard
description of "the pretty,
old one with the little pink
flowers on it" is just the first step when it comes to identifying a Haviland
china pattern. This
phrase narrows the choice down to just one of hundreds, or maybe even a
thousand different
patterns!
Finding additional pieces for an old set of Haviland china can present a special challenge.
Haviland china is not a product of just one manufacturer.
The majority of Haviland china was manufactured by four manufacturers ( Haviland and Co., Theodore Haviland,
Charles Field Haviland, and Johann Haviland ) in three countries:
France, America, and Germany.
Although the American Haviland and German Haviland chinas will be mentioned, the primary focus of
this discussion will be on the various French manufacturers of Haviland china that many people have
difficulty identifying.
There are three main French Haviland manufacturers: Haviland and Co., Theodore Haviland, and Charles
Field Haviland.
The following images are the examples of each of the manufacturer's 'marks'.
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Haviland & Co. mark
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Theodore Haviland mark
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Charles Field Haviland mark
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An additional factor is that prior to WW II,
when most Haviland china was produced, the various French Haviland companies almost
never named the patterns! On top of the lack of a pattern name, many of these old patterns
look very similar.
Before proceeding to the identification process for old French Haviland patterns,
two existing situations that greatly simplify identification are worth mentioning.
Are you very lucky? [Is the pattern name displayed?]
There is always the slight chance that one could have an old French Haviland pattern
that is named, and actually has the name printed on it. (Newer French Haviland
patterns are also very likely to have their pattern names printed on them.) Look for
pattern names on the backs of all pieces, as it is possible that only a few pieces
in a set would be marked. Of course, if there is a pattern name, then finding more
pieces is just like finding pieces in any other brand of china that uses pattern names.
Are you just average lucky?
[Is a pattern number displayed?]
There is one other situation where the Haviland china itself may hold some revealing information,
even if there is no printed pattern name on it. If there are any pieces with lids, you can look
inside the lid for a small five digit number that is sometimes present. This number is only found
inside the lids on covered pieces, and is written by hand in red paint. This is actually a pattern
number assigned to the pattern by the Haviland company. If a number can be located in a covered
piece, there is a good chance that it can be used to find the corresponding Schleiger number
(discussed below). This can eliminate a step in the identification system, and can usually be
done without a sample, or photograph.
Hard luck is better than no luck at all
[Determine the Schleiger number]
Identification of old French Haviland patterns is not as daunting as it sounds, and if
a set has no printed name or number, there still is hope. Luckily, there are some great
Haviland identification books written and illustrated by Arlene, Richard, and Dona
Schleiger. This reference material was published in six small volumes. The first
volume was published in 1950, and the additional five volumes were published over
the next forty years as "new" old patterns were discovered and documented.
Since most old Haviland patterns do not have a name that was assigned to them by
the factory, the Schleigers simply documented each pattern with a drawing, and
assigned it a number. The number has nothing to do with the Haviland factory.
The Schleigers, for the sole intention of identification, arbitrarily assigned
a number to each particular pattern. What that means for Haviland collectors is
that with a sample, or a very good photograph, many old patterns can be located
in the books. If found in the book, then the assigned number can be used when
trying to locate more of the particular pattern.
The Schleiger reference books are privately printed. The publisher can be contacted at:
Dona L. Schleiger
1626 Crestview Road
Redlands, CA 92374-6460
(909) 798-0412
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If you do not want to purchase an entire set of reference books, we do provide a complimentary
identification service. Photographs of the front and back of the dinner plate along with your
name and address should be sent to
edish, inc.
Haviland Identification Department
Attn: Françoise
2311 Westheimer
Houston TX 77098
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American Haviland is manufactured by Theodore Haviland, and the mark includes the words
"Made in America". Luckily, American Haviland is almost always marked with a pattern name.
Generally, all pieces are marked, with the possible exception of footed cups, or other pieces
that have too small a surface area to print all information.
German Haviland is manufactured by Johann Haviland. Like French Haviland, German Haviland
almost never has a pattern name printed on it. The good news is that most of the patterns
actually do have pattern names that were assigned to them by the factory. These names can
usually be determined with Johann Haviland reference materials.
If there is a Haviland identification question that you would like to ask edish,
please feel free to contact us!
However, don't be surprised if we tell you that we would need a sample or
a photo to complete the
identification of your Haviland pattern with 'pretty pink flowers'.
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