Starting in the middle 1700’s, during the time of monarchial and aristocratic rule in France. French artisans started to create porcelain boxes for the purpose of holding tobacco which back then, are mostly owned and enjoyed by French aristocrats. It will be no surprise if those rich aristocrats also used porcelain boxes to hold their gold coins and currency or other precious belongings like jewelries. Ever since then, these porcelain hinged boxes were made into different shapes and sizes and hand-painted and hand-decorated.
These porcelain boxes became to be known as Limoges Porcelain Boxes and has become a rare and sought-after collectible that dates back all the way to the late renaissance era, to the Victorian era, up to the modern 21st century.
Limoges porcelain are uniquely crafted ceramic trademarked from Limoges, France. Special material and meticulous quality and attention to detail makes the manufacturing of Limoges porcelain more special than the traditional porcelain.
Limoges Porcelain Boxes provide timeless elegance and traditional but superior craftsmanship. From the birth of each piece starting from a clay, baked in a kiln, to the hand-painting, all of these processes are crafted by the best and experienced craftsmen and artists who strives to give their best to their creations.
To some collectors, some say that evaluating the quality of the of the decoration in a Limoges porcelain product is more important than its age. However, both are considered very important since age adds a certain value of antiquity, and the decoration factor determines the beauty.
A product made of Limoges Porcelain is valued as a collectible based on how it was hand-painted by the artist. Anyone can paint anything, but hand-painting Limoge porcelain requires a steady, careful, and most importantly, artistic touch by the best artist who specialize particularly in the same art. Rest assured that each and every Limoges Porcelain Box is unique and marked with the French word “Peint Main” or “hand painted” and signed by the artist who brought life to this miniature modern treasure chest.
Put everything you wish to put in these porcelain boxes from jewelries, candies, medicines and vitamins, even coins, or why not keys?
Choose from different themes and designs that suits everyone’s taste for art, class and usefulness. Such designs come in to a wide variety of concepts such as:
Limoges Porcelain Boxes American Spirit-designs inspired by Empire State building accented in gold, Green Statue of Liberty, Jefferson Memorial, Space Needle, Indian Tee-Pee, World Trade Center Twin Towers, and the White House.
Limoges Porcelain Boxes Animals-from dogs and cats to owls, ducks, horses, all the way to eagles, dolphins and giraffes, this collection is guaranteed to satisfy any animal lover.
Limoges Porcelain Boxes Asian-to commemorate the origin of porcelain in Limoges form, we have come up with a line-up to honor the humble beginnings of porcelain established by the Chinese. Designs include Limoges Chinese Take-Out Box, Fortune Cookie, Mount Fuji, Rickshaw, Aladdin Lamp, Japanese Sided Box, and Rice Bowl with removable chopsticks.
Limoges Porcelain Boxes Automobiles-an ancient art form touched with a modern twist. This collection showcases designs of vintage and modern cars such as Sports cars, Yellow Taxi, Stretch Limo, London Red Bus (double deck), 1920’s Sedan Truck, and even license plates.
Limoges Porcelain Boxes Birthday-includes Limoges cake-shaped boxes entitled 39 Again Cake, Birthday Cake w/Candle, and Vanilla Cake along with Limoges heart-shaped boxes themed with Happy Birthday Heart 50th and Heart and Red Bow & 3 Candies.
Other different themes such as Weddings, Graduation, Anniversary serves as the perfect gift for all occasions. Having Limoges Porcelain Boxes automatically initiates it as a quality collection. Timeless elegance makes Limoges porcelain a collectors choice.
All of these products I found on the Internet but the largest selection by far was at Cherry Lane Keepsakes.com.
Other great lines areWillow Tree Angels and Lenox Disney