The Sèvres porcelain factory was established in the town bearing its name in 1738.  Sèvres was an innovative firm, first to use hard paste porcelain made from a mixture of kaolin feldspar and quartz that produced a beautiful thin and delicate body.  The glaze is often a translucent pale blue or soft pink and has a glossy finish.  Sèvres porcelain often features paintings of landscapes and flowers and is also decorated with silver and gold.