In 1840, David Haviland, who had a china shop in New York City, made his first trip to France to establish an alliance with a manufacturer who could create pieces of porcelain for the American trade. He eventually settled in Limoges, France to oversee production. This was near the source of the abundant kaolin mines, the special white clay unique to Limoges porcelain. He established his own company in 1853 to produce china specifically for the American market.