Bawo & Dotter, established in the 1860s, was a New York firm focusing on importing ceramics, especially from Limoges, into the United States.
In the early 1870s, Bawo & Dotter founded The Elite Works in Limoges. The firm decorated china blanks provided by other manufacturers. In addition to dinnerware, The Elite Works also decorated decorative accessories and trinket boxes.
Bawo & Dotter also had decorating operations in Austria and Bohemia.
World War I halted production. When the war ended, William Guérin, who had previously purchased Pouyat, bought The Elite Works in 1921. The new company became Guérin-Pouyat-Elite. It continued in operation until 1932.