How Do You Authenticate A Limoges Box?

If you ever wanted to know how to authenticate a French Limoges box by just looking at the piece, these 4 factors will greatly help you to be able to do so.

There are a series of factors that authenticate a French porcelain Limoges box.  Do you know what they are?

For a Limoges enthusiast, and especially a collector, it is important to gain a certain amount of knowledge so you can easily recognize a genuine French Limoges box and detect one that is an imitation.

A selection of various styles of French porcelain Limoges boxes | LimogesCollector.com

For an in-dept information on the authenticity of French porcelain Limoges boxes, see Authentic Limoges Boxes – Why You Should Buy Them From A Trusted Dealer.

Because of the great popularity of French Limoges boxes, there are a lot of Limoges look-alike trinket boxes on the market today.  Below is some essential and helpful information to help you develop an educated and knowledgeable eye for determining the authenticity of a French porcelain Limoges box as well as how to judge the quality of the piece.

Four of the obvious factors that you can detect a genuine French Limoges box by just looking at the piece are:

1 - Pure White Porcelain

The quality of the pure white porcelain is the first element that is a characteristic of the French Limoges box.  French porcelain is very different from Chinese porcelain … it is pure white in color, smoother, lighter and translucent.

The porcelain production is quite a complicated and labor-intensive one.  See How French Porcelain Limoges Boxes Are Made.  The finished product is a translucent and pure white porcelain object of beauty.

In order to highlight the authenticity of each Limoges box, the Limoges artisans leave some area of the Limoges box (such as the base and/or parts of the interior) unpainted.  This is so the white porcelain is clearly visible and detectible as proof of authenticity of the piece.

2 - Hand-Painting

What makes a French porcelain Limoges box an exquisite art piece is the fact that each piece is individually painted by hand.   Different Limoges artists have varying artistic abilities and skill level that is evident in the pieces they paint.  each style of Limoges box is hand-painted with different degrees of detailing and number of colors.  Each of these elements can dramatically affect the quality and value of a Limoges box.

Porcelain painting is an art form that is only performed by highly skilled and experienced Limoges artists.  A French Limoges artist must have several years of experience in painting porcelain before he or she can paint any pieces that are offered for sale.

By looking closely at the brushstrokes and the detailing of the painting, an educated eye can detect a hand-painted Limoges box.  You should also be able to detect if the Limoges box is indeed hand-painted or decal designs are used on the piece.

Of course, the insignia of the Limoges box is the most descriptive element of a piece being hand-painted.  The phrase “Peint Main” in the insignia, authenticates that the piece is hand-painted.

3 - Metalwork

The metalwork of a French Limoges box is another great tell-tale aspect of the authenticity of the piece.  The Limoges metalwork, hinges and clasps are quite dainty and ornate.  The metal bands are cut, fitted and assembled individually and mounted to each Limoges box one-at-a-time. 

The metalwork craftsmen usually select from hundreds of various clasps to match the subject matter of the Limoges box.  For example, a Flower Limoges box may have a Leaf clasp and a Santa Claus Limoges box may get a Reindeer or Christmas Tree clasp.

Any well-crafted French Limoges box should open and close smoothly and the clasp should click when the box is closed.  Of course, the clasp is not an element for opening the Limoges box as it could easily break off.  See How to Safely Open A Limoges Box.

4 -  Insignia markings

The signature markings on a Limoges box is the most important factor in authenticating a French porcelain Limoges box.  All authentic French porcelain Limoges boxes are marked with the mark or stamp of the maker.

The insignia of an authentic French Limoges box must include “Peint Main”, meaning hand-painted, as well as “Limoges, France”, designating the region of manufacture.

Some hand-painted Limoges boxes have the variation phrase “Peint a la main” or “décor a la main” in their insignia.  These phrases simply mean “painted by hand” and “decorated by hand”, which are quite acceptable for a hand-painted French Limoges box.

Examples of various Limoges box backstamps and insignia | LimogesCollector.com

Different artists (or workshops) sign their Limoges boxes in different ways.  Depending on the artist or the importer who has commissioned the piece, the insignia can by written by hand or with a decal stamp.  Some artists add their name or initials to the insignia.  Some add a production number or limited edition number.  However, a date is rarely ever noted on a Limoges box.

If the insignia of the Limoges box has the phrase “Rehausse Main”, it signifies that the Limoges box has been enhanced by hand.  A rehausse main Limoges box is an authentic French porcelain Limoges box.  However, the designs are either only hand-decorated with decal or stamped images, or, they are decorated with a combination of decal and hand-painting.

At LimogesCollector.com, we are proud to offer an extensive selection of the finest quality hand-painted (Peint Main) French Limoges boxes, crafted and hand-painted by top artists in Limoges, France. 

As a Limoges collector or a gift buyer, you can be sure to find numerous Limoges boxes perfect for any occasion or the style you are looking for.  Our helpful and knowledgeable staff are there to assist you make your purchase or suggest any pieces you may be looking for.

You can be sure you are purchasing a genuine French Limoges box of the highest quality.

At LimogesCollector.com, we also provide a “Personalization” service, one that is very popular with the majority of our customers.  You can have your Limoges purchase personalized with you desired text to make a much more meaningful gift or collectible.

So, take a few moments to browse our selection of French porcelain Limoges boxes in the style of your interest.  We are sure you will find many pieces that you will not want to do without!