You might have looked at the signatures on different French Limoges boxes and been puzzled as to their meaning or differences. You may see the terms "Peint Main" "Limoges, France" in the insignia or "rehaussee Main" in others. Below, you will find out what these terms mean and how they can affect your decision-making in purchasing or evaluating a French Limoges porcelain box.
There is no standard for the insignia on French porcelain Limoges boxes and there can be numerous ways they are signed. It is very helpful to understand the meaning of the different elements of a Limoges box insignia to be able to determine the quality and authenticity of the piece.
Many factors are necessary to make a French Limoges box a highly desirable and collectible work of art.
Of course, authenticity is the number one factor to be considered in purchasing a French Limoges box. To know what to look for in an authentic porcelain Limoges box, see How Do You Authenticate A Limoges Box?
Another very important aspect in deciding whether to acquire the Limoges box, is the quality of the piece and whether it is completely hand-painted.
Even though Limoges boxes that are made in Limoges, France and are decorated with transfers (or decals) are genuine Limoges, their value is usually considerably inferior to the Limoges boxes that are completely hand-painted.
It is of great importance to any collector that their Limoges purchase is one that is authentic, of the highest quality and is completely painted by hand.
The insignia markings of a French Limoges box can tell us quite a bit about the piece. The insignia especially indicates if the Limoges box is painted by hand or the decoration is an applied decal.
Looking at the insignia of a Limoges box, which is normally at the base or in the interior of the box, you will notice that the designations are either “Peint Main Limoges France” or “Rehausse Main Limoges France.” Some Limoges boxes are also signed with a variation phrasing such as “Décor Main” or “Peint a la Main”.
Below we will describe the meaning of each of these terms so you can know the exact quality of any Limoges box you look at.
Characteristics of a “Peint Main” Limoges box
The French phrase “Peint Main” means “Hand-Painted.”
Painting on porcelain Limoges is a very lengthy and time-consuming art form. The artist must mix the desired colors, which are natural pigments that come in in powder form, with special oils to create the paint. The liquid paint is then painted onto the porcelain piece one color at-a-time and then fired. Porcelain painters in Limoges, France must have many years of experience and to know the exact temperatures for firing each different pigment in order to get the best color quality. If Limoges boxes are fired in the improper order, some of the colors can burn and ruin the piece.
A collection of hand-painted French Limoges boxes | LimogesCollector.com
In order to determine if a Limoges box is indeed hand-painted, there are some indicators you can look for.
The first indicator, of course, is the insignia. A hand-painted French Limoges box must have the phrase “Peint Main” included in its insignia.
For those of you who are familiar with French porcelain Limoges boxes, you can usually detect if the piece is hand-painted or not but just looking at it. The hand painting on a French Limoges box can usually be detected by its obvious brushstrokes, the edges of the images, and how the colors are used on the piece.
The painting on a more detailed porcelain Limoges box usually has brushstrokes that are slightly raised. By gently running your finger over the painted area, you should be able to feel the brushstrokes by their height difference.
Also, hand-painted Limoges boxes have brighter and more vivid colors.
Some Limoges artists sign their pieces with “Décor Main” or “Peint a la Main” instead of “Peint Main.” The term “Décor Main” means decorated by hand, which is a variation for the Limoges being hand-painted. The same is true about the term “Peint a la Main” which means painted by hand.
Characteristics of a “Rehausse Main” Limoges box
A Limoges box that is partially hand-painted will have the phrase “Rehausse Main” in its insignia.
A partially hand-painted Limoges box means that the main image of the Limoges box is a transfer printing or decal. Such a Limoges box may have a portion of the porcelain painted by hand and the decal image enhanced with a few brushstrokes.
Decorating a porcelain Limoges box with transfer images requires artistic expertise. The image needs to be cut and cropped carefully as to not damage any of the edges of the image. The decal is then soaked in water and carefully adhered to the porcelain with a special tweezer. After all the decoration is added to the piece, the porcelain is then fired so that the decal image adheres to the porcelain and becomes a part of the surface.
Some Limoges boxes with the insignia Rehausee Main can be simpler in style and, as a result, lesser in value than a hand-painted Limoges box.
However, Rochard Limoges has created a collection of Limoges boxes with antique decal images called “Rochard Studio Collection.” This Limoges collection includes Limoges boxes that are decorated with decal images as well as some hand-painting. The Limoges boxes in this collection demand higher prices compared to many others.
An example of a Limoges box from the Rochard Studio Collection
with a combination of decals and hand-painting and the term
"Rehausse Main" in the insignia | LimogesCollector.com
Limoges boxes with decal or transfer images can only be in simple shapes with flat surfaces, such as rectangular, square, round, etc. Some other shapes such as a piano, heart and others with a flat surface can have a transfer image.
Transfer images are usually easy to detect. These images are sometimes not as clear as a hand-painted image. Some decal images have tiny dots from printing that can easily be seen through a magnifying glass. The edges of the image can many times be uneven and detectable.
Markings of Limoges Boxes with no hand-painting
Some French Limoges boxes are made without any hand-painting. They consist of the white porcelain with hinging that enables the Limoges box to open and close.
These Limoges boxes are genuine French Limoges boxes. Their insignia can include the name of the factory or manufacturer. But, usually, these Limoges boxes only have the marking “Limoges, France” as their insignia.
Now that you know the difference between a hand-painted Limoges box and one with a decal, you are more equipped to selectjust the perfect Limoges box for you.
You have come to the right place for choosing among thousands of exquisite, authentic and awe-inspiring French Limoges boxes imported directly from Limoges, France.
At LimogesCollector.com, you can find the perfect Limoges box for your own collection or to purchase a valuable and meaningful gift for someone special.
Take a few moments and browse through our collection of French porcelain Limoges boxes that come in every theme and for every area of interest. We’re sure you will find many Limoges boxes that will impress you and catch your fancy.
