Even though the word Limoges (sometimes misspelled as "Limoge") is synonymous with fine bone china, it was not until the late 18th century that the chief ingredient for porcelain, a mineral called kaolin, was discovered in the town of Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche, France, not far from the city of Limoges. In 1771, the brothers Massié and Fourneira Grellet established the first Limoges porcelain factory. It was successful enough that the King of France purchased the plant in 1784 so it could exclusively make white porcelain to be decorated at the royal porcelain factory at Sèvres outside of Paris. Throughout Napoleon's reign in France (1804-1814), blank porcelain wares like vases fired in Limoges would be sent to Paris where they would be gilded and enameled by independent artisans. Today, most of this French Empire porcelain is inexpensive as the gilding suffered severe wear. But the ornately decorated Napoleon-era pieces in mint condition are rare and valuable. During the 19th century, a number of famous porcelain factories established themselves in Limoges, including Alluaud, Baignol, Gibus et Cie., Pouyat, and Tharaud. In the 1830s, Classicism went out of fashion, and Limoges was among the porcelain centers that led the way in reviving Rococo style with its elaborate vases, asymmetric scrollwork, figurines, and modelled flowers inspired by early Meissen, Sèvres, and Vienna pieces. While French ceramists and businessmen founded the majority of the Limoges factories, it took an American to make Limoges an international household name. In 1842, a New York china dealer named David Haviland built a factory in Limoges, France, that would become the most famous of all Limoges-china brands. Haviland realized his company would save money if it produced its porcelain tableware in France, near the kaolin source, and then ship it to the United States, rather than attempting to come up with a new formula for fine porcelain in America, where kaolin had not yet been discovered. Haviland established the largest factory in Limoges, where china was made for the U.S. market—over the years, various firms using the Haviland name have produced more than 20,000 patterns of china and dinnerware. In 1880, one of those Haviland patterns led to a commission from the White House, which boosted the firm’s growing reputation. Limoges china was so popular in Victorian England that knockoff "Limoges ware" was being made in Worcester. But this sort of cross-fertilization was not the mere plagiarism that it might at first seem. Indeed, Limoges factories also borrowed freely from their influencers. In the late 19th century, for example, Limoges potteries copied the styles and patterns produced by Japanese and Indian makers; much of this “Oriental” Limoges ware was made for the U.S. market. In the Edwardian era, when dainty gilded tea sets were a common Limoges product, a similar homage was paid to Meissen, Sèvres, and Viennese porcelain makers, whose 18th-century vases were routinely produced by Limoges factories for their high-end customers. Some Limoges pieces featured copies of famous paintings by J.M.W. Turner on their sides. Later, in the 20th century, the Japanese porcelain manufacturer Noritake would base many of its designs on those made by companies based in Limoges a century earlier. One group of porcelain pieces particular to Limoges includes blanks sent from France to the U.S. in the 1800s to be decorated by members of amateur china-painting guilds. Painters in these guilds would typically follow the instruction manuals and patterns that came with the unfinished plates and vases. These pieces are not especially collectible today, but many are lovely, which means a handsome collection can be put together rather inexpensively. There were also the Limoges bonbonnières, or small porcelain boxes in which women would keep strong sweets eaten to disguise bad breath. Few of these boxes were actually used, as they were too fragile to carry in an evening bag, and were only brought out to show off to visitors at home. Antique Limoges bonbonnières from the 19th century are quite collectible, although collectors must be aware that Limoges still makes porcelain boxes today. The bonbonnières made a reputation for Limoges firms. That’s probably one reason why in the postwar period in France, just about every gift shop catering to tourists did a respectable business selling novelty Limoges miniatures. Between World War I and World War II, several Limoges companies adopted a transfer technique that allowed them to take photographs of artworks like Fragonard paintings, reduce them in size, and create lithographed decals, which could then be applied to miniatures. These miniatures became ubiquitous in the 1960s. Tourists bought tiny Limoges plates as menu holders and brooches, while their children played with mini Limoges dollhouse tea sets. The most common patterns had colored decals on a white ground with gold trim or gold prints on a blue-glaze ground. Then, Limoges factories began to make tiny furniture as well as pieces in the shapes of landmarks like the Eiffel Towers or the Venice gondolas. Today, these dollhouse-sized pianos, beds, tables, and chairs made from Limoges porcelain make charming collectibles.