This is a fabulous circa 1850-1870's French Haviland Limoges gilt painted rare sea-creature form spittoon cuspidor. The piece shows a documented Haviland Limoges gilt painted pattern showing a sea creature with open mouth on each end on a classic form of porcelain spittoon cuspidor. David Haviland was a New York based china importer who, in the late 1830's, recognized the superior quality of French porcelain compared to English wares. In 1840, he traveled to France to identify the source of this porcelain and eventually settled in Limoges, France. By 1853, Haviland had established his own factory to produce porcelain specifically for the American market. This is an early Haviland Limoges style with a stylized stamping on the bottom which could be HL or AE. Shows crazing / cracking in the glazing and some slight gold gilt paint loss. Truly a wonderful French piece. Measures 8.25-inches diameter by 3.25-inches high.