You may come across an old French Limoges box and wonder if it is very valuable because of its age. How would you know?
Are all old Limoges boxes of great value? Well, the answer is: it all depends!
There are thousands upon thousands of Limoges box styles that have been made throughout the years. There are many old Limoges boxes that are very simple in design and some are quite common. On the other hand, some Limoges boxes have been crafted and hand-painted by master Limoges artists and are quite out of the ordinary. So, the age of the Limoges box alone is not a deciding factor in its value.
Thankfully, there are several ways you can gauge if the Limoges box in question is of value or not, whether it is old or new.
Below are 5 important factors in deciding whether a Limoges box may have a high value.
1 - Authenticity
The most important factor that gauges the value of a French Limoges box is its authenticity. There are hand-painted porcelain boxes on the market today that look old and are very pretty. However, if they don’t have the proper markings of a genuine French Limoges box or have no insignia at all, they are not Limoges.
All authentic Limoges boxes are signed or have the stamp of the artist or workshop either at their base or inside the box. The insignia of Limoges boxes vary considerably, depending on the workshop or artist that produced them. Nevertheless, all authentic Limoges boxes must have the following phrase included in their insignia: “Peint Main” (which means hand-painted) and “Limoges, France” designating that the Limoges box was crafted in the Limoges region of France. The insignia can also include the mark of the artist or the factory or brand, the initials of the artist and the number of boxes produced.
2 - Quality and Craftsmanship
Another important factor to consider when trying to determine if a Limoges box is of value is its quality. By checking the Limoges box all over, you can examine the quality of the porcelain, if it is smooth, uniform and without bumps or air bubbles.
Then you can analyze the painting quality of the Limoges box. Is the painting minimal with very few colors used or is the painting highly detailed with various designs and colors. Is the painting quality art-worthy or ordinary. Is there a great amount of gold used in the design? Is the piece painted inside as well as the outside?
All these factors can greatly affect or add to the value of a French porcelain Limoges box.
3 - The Shape of the Limoges Box
The shape of the Limoges box can be a factor that affects its value. If a Limoges box has a simple shape such as a round box or a rectangular one, and if such a box has very minimal painting, by judging just those two features, the Limoges box may not be as valuable as others with much more detailing. However, the reverse may be true that if the shape of the box is simple but the painting has complicated design and elements, that adds considerably to the value of the piece.
The more complicated shapes of Limoges boxes require more man-hours to craft, paint and to add metalwork.
If a Limoges box is made of several porcelain sections, it requires much more detailed painting. Limoges boxes that have several hinged sections that open and close separately are usually of much higher value.
Examples of Multi-Hinged Limoges boxes | LimogesCollector.com
These Limoges boxes have several hinged sections that open up with detailed images
and raised sections inside.
4 - Rarity of the Limoges Box
Even though French Limoges boxes are not mass-produced, as mentioned above, some styles of Limoges boxes have been produced in larger quantities and are more easily available. That in itself does not detract from the value of the piece. However, Limoges boxes that are hard-to-find and unique can be valued much higher than others.
There have been certain styles of Limoges boxes that were produced for famous companies, such as Disney or Coca Cola. These creations were made in small numbers or even for a certain occasion. Such Limoges boxes have become quite rare and demand much higher prices than other Limoges boxes.
5 - Condition of the Limoges Box
Condition is a very important aspect in valuating a French Limoges box. Any damage to the piece can dramatically reduce the value of the piece.
To evaluate the condition of a Limoges box, you should look the piece all over as well as the inside and look for any small chips, hairline cracks, paint loss or damage to the metalwork. The Limoges box should easily open and close.
Now that you know how to evaluate the quality and value of a French Limoges box, you should check out the extensive collection of French Limoges boxes offered at LimogesCollector.com.
We select the very best and the most artistic French Limoges boxes of the highest quality imported directly from Limoges, France. We know how much you value your Limoges collection and want to only add pieces that are outstanding and impressive.
Our extensive selection of over 5,000 styles of Limoges boxes come in a great variety of themes, perfect for every occasion and every area of interest.
So, take a moment to browse our website to see which pieces you would like to add to your collection.
