Limoges porcelain collectible boxes are hand painted porcelain boxes made from high-quality white porcelain in Limoges - France. Porcelain trinket boxes have been made in Limoges since the 18th Century and first became famous as snuff boxes. Today keepsake boxes are still produced and vintage Limoges porcelain remains highly collectible.
Limoges French Porcelain
French porcelain has always been highly regarded. Still, when kaolin deposits were discovered near Limoges in the 18th century the area quickly became one of the centers of hand-painted porcelain production in France. Limoges Kaolin is a very pure white clay that makes the porcelain white and perfect for decorating. Prior to the discovery of Kaolin in France the French primarily made soft-paste porcelain that was not as durable and fired at lower temperatures.
French Limoges porcelain is hard-paste porcelain fired at high temperatures. Hard-paste porcelain, also known as true porcelain, has a fine almost luminescent finish that makes it perfect for hand painting. Painting porcelain is a skilled art. Hand-painted Limoges porcelain was not cheap, but it was favored in wealthy houses and often given as gifts and reserved for special occasions.
It is interesting to note that hand-painted Limoges porcelain was not the first artistic industry the area was famous for. In fact, Limoges used to export enamel goods all over the Christian world in the 12th century. The remaining examples are mostly religious in nature and it is thought that the majority of the enamel made at the time in Limoges would have been for churches and other religious orders.
As well as being highly regarded in the 18th and 19th centuries, Limoges hand painted porcelain remains popular today. Some designs, including the cobalt blue and 24k gold-trimmed dinner sets, command high prices. Popular vintage Limoges porcelain includes delicate porcelain hinged boxes and porcelain figurines as well as exquisite French Limoges dinner services and decorative plates.
The History of Limoges Porcelain Trinket Boxes
A Limoges porcelain trinket box is generally considered to be a thing of elegance and beauty. Made from fine Limoges porcelain, they are distinguished not so much by the maker or the artist, but by the area in which they were made.
It is hard to say when the first porcelain trinket box came out of Limoges, the Limoges porcelain box quickly overtook soft paste Faience snuffboxes as they were of higher quality and more durable. It is thought that the first porcelain Limoge hinged box would have been made to keep expensive needles. This then developed into boxes for sewing scissors, thimbles, powder and snuff. A decorative box might also have been used to house a small keepsake such as a lock of hair or a love note.
Although many decorative boxes have come out of Limoges, including musical boxes, jewelry boxes and candy boxes, the Limoges factories are most famous for their small snuff or pill boxes.
It is said that Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon started to collect Limoges boxes which made these exquisite French Limoges boxes fashionable across Europe. In the 18th century, a porcelain hinged box used to store snuff was a part of one's outfit. When snuff went out of fashion in the late 18th century there was a distinct decline in the production of Limoges trinket boxes, although they came back into fashion in the mid 19th century when they were used more to carry pills.
Over the years many different shaped trinket boxes have been created. Animal figurines often appear on the top of the boxes and made a unique gift. These would have been used more as decorative objects or to keep trinkets than to carry around.
Are Limoges Hinged Trinket Boxes Valuable?
Without doubt there is a market for 18th, 19th and 20th century French handmade hand-painted Limoges porcelain and trinket boxes. What makes porcelain collectible is a combination of condition, rarity and popularity. Not every shaped trinket box will be worth the same amount even if they are genuine Limoges hand-painted in France.
The price of a Limoges box can range from less than $100 to several thousand. Because of the way that each porcelain box is made, the mould will only last for a limited number of boxes. Sometimes a new mould will be made, but on other occasions, that would be the end of that particular line, making some boxes more collectible, even if they were less popular at the time.
Because Limoges porcelain comes from a specific area rather than a particular maker or artist, the quality of items also varies. A porcelain jewelry box with more detail or from a more well-renowned artist is likely to be worth more.
How Do You Identify a Limoges Trinket Box?
One of the ways to determine the value and find out if you have a collectible box is to identify if you have a genuine Limoges France hand painted porcelain trinket box. There was a law passed in 1841 stating that any Limoge box must be stamped on the base with Limoges France. Many will be marked Limoges France hand painted or rather peint main Limoges France. Many also carry the factory mark or initials.
A Limoges Hinged Trinket Box for Every Occasion
Today French Limoges boxes are still being made in thousands of designs making them the perfect gift for any occasion. Especially for fans of French decor or collectors of French vintage items. You can get porcelain jewelry boxes with all kinds of animals and figurines that make perfect babies gifts, birthday gifts or wedding gifts. Consider this cake topper Limoge. Mother's Day? The classic Limoge egg with perfume bottle is a great unique gift. Enjoy a nice tea time with this beautiful 8 piece Limoges tea set, good for coffee or tea!
A Limoges porcelain heart or rose bud would make a perfect valentines gift or a stunning way to present an engagement ring, especially if you are with a collector. And a gold trinket box is bound to be well received for any occasion.
If you are looking for a unique gift for a hard to buy for person, simply search for something they enjoy. You could choose a trinket jewelry box in the shape of a lipstick, turnip or cheetah so there really is a Limoges box for everyone.
