The Limoges Porcelain Boxes collection is handcrafted in France. The style was developed in the latter half of the 18th century. The pure white clay known as kaolin was discovered around the same time in St. Yrieix.  This resulted in the production of hard paste Limoges Porcelain Boxes . Prior to the discovery only Europe and China produced excellent quality porcelain. This was delivered to the nobility in Europe.  

Patronage of the Limoges Porcelain Boxes  

Limoges Porcelain Boxes and many other art forms in France were influenced by royalty. One famous influencer was  Madame De Pompadour, the mistress of Louis XV. Her persuasion resulted in the creation of The Royal Factory of Sevres. This is the world-renowned factory for the manufacturing of finest porcelain. The collections from this factory are housed in museums across the world. Since the factory was owned by Louis XV it was very successful. Much of the sales were conducted by the Mme. and Louis XV themselves.

Not only was it difficult for wealthy owners to refuse them, but it could be grounds for banishment from the court. The small item that this factory produced were the Limoges Porcelain Boxes.  

Uses of the Limoges Porcelain Boxes  

These boxes were used for many different purposes. These were originally used as bon-bonnieres, snuff boxes and scent flacons. These were also used as etuis or carrying cases and even cane heads. The boxes have turned out to become very charming and decorative items. These are perhaps the most enticing collectible items in the market today. 

There are more than 36 studios that produce high quality Limoges Porcelain Boxes. The reason why they're known and marked as Limoges Porcelain Boxes is because they are made in the city by the same name. 

Designs are produced by the upper crust factories. The top factories vie for the best box of the year. The lower quality factories based in China follow by making cheaper copies of the high-end versions. You can get them today on the Internet for five dollars but any discerning collector would know that it's not a true Limoges piece.

The true Limoges Porcelain Box artists are trained and skilled for many decades. Following this exacting skill development they are qualified enough to work at the high end production level. A great detail orientation is required for crafting the boxes. It includes making the mold and painting each individual box beautifully. This is followed by designing the metal fittings to adjust each box. Finally the fittings are attached to the box in a smooth finish. From start to finish each step involves a highly skilled artisan. 

Description of the Limoges Porcelain Boxes 

The basic Limoges Box is a miniature range in a size of ~ 2 inches. The maximum size it reaches is 3-5 inches. On each product page we describe the size of the box. For many styles, there is a limited production run. Special limited editions may have only 400 units in the production run. Our high end pieces may be limited to only 100 pieces.