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History of Porcelain
Limoges
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Marco Polo’s famous 24 year trip to the
Orient was where the notion of porcelain and Chinese ceramics originated
throughout Western Europe. The Chinese were so distinguished for their
porcelain production that they influenced European style for centuries.
The first Europeans to bring porcelain making to Europe during the middle
ages were the Venetians and Portuguese. The most important ingredient to
making porcelain is Kaolin, which is a white clay that is a silicate of
aluminum found in China, Germany and Limoges France. Europeans didn’t
think that such an ingredients could be found in the earth and had their
alchemists try to artificially make this substance.For years Europeans
used a soft fake substance for porcelain that was more of a soft paste and
like that of glass. They couldn’t find a substance like the middle East
had made their fine porcelain from. In the early 17th century
Kaolin was discovered in Germany and the secret to Chinese porcelain was
finally disclosed throughout Europe. It was in the mid to late 18th
century that Kaolin was discovered in Limoges France in 18 miles southwest
of Limoges at St. Yrieix. It is shortly after that time period that the
first porcelain Limoges box factory was established. Louis XVI soon bought
the Limoges Box factory, and Limoges porcelain box blanks were taken to
Sevres to be hand painted and decorated.
Antique Limoges France and Porcelaine de Limoges factories
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No one knows exactly when and who made the first porcelain Limoges
snuffbox. The soft paste Faience snuffboxes began to be produced sometime
around 1730. These antique snuffboxes can't either be identified by back
stamp marks, for none were put on them. Nor were they signed or dated.
There is no easy way to know if a antique Limoges snuff box is authentic
beyond having a grasp of the history of the styles they made in that time
and the Four big factories that made them, Chantilly(1725-1800), Saint
Cloud(1677-1766), Mennecy(1734-73), and Vincennes(1740-56), which became
Royal Sevres(1756-present). Sometimes a popular artist at the time would
place his signature on the antique Limoges snuffbox. The discovery of
Kaolin and the creation of hard-paste Limoges porcelain in 1768 brought
many new companies into the scene who began creating Limoges porcelain
boxes in competition with the big Limoges porcelain box companies.
Identifying an 18th century Limoges snuffbox is just as difficult for they
also did not mark their Limoges Boxes with back stamps and competitors
were producing knockoff's of one another and stealing one another's
porcelain formulas and enamel recipes. For back stamps were used it is
still difficult to distinguish for many companies in competition would
forge one another's Limoges Box back stamps. It is in the 19th century
that the soft-paste porcelain ceased to exist and only genuine Limoges
porcelain boxes were made of the special clay Kaolin come solely into
play. But in the 18th century snuff became unpopular and the factories
declined in snuff Limoges box making and made more other subjects with
porcelain. It was at this time that the Limoges porcelain industry all
centered in the actual area of Limoges and it's outlying areas.
What are Limoges Pill Boxes
Limoges Collection |
Limoges Box is a small hand-painted box made of
Limoges Porcelain that has been man-made in Limoges France. The Limoges Hinged
Box was invented in Paris in the early 1700's, and were popular among the French
aristocracy as snuffboxes. The Limoges Box virtually disappeared around the
French Revolution and came forth again in the 1840's as the aristocracy once
again began to build. During the Victorian Era the Limoges boxes lost popularity
again until the 1970's when people began to carry their pills in the limoges
porcelain figurine boxes. Originally Limoges snuffboxes were considered apart of
ones wardrobe. They were carried in one 's pocket like a fancy cigarette case.
In the 20th century they became popularly used as pillboxes.
Snuff went out of style long ago. These Limoges
boxes in the modern era have developed into a friendship and love collectible
decorative objects or the most part Limoges Boxes today are used as A special
figurine gifts between lovers and friends and used for aesthetic and symbolic
value thereof.
Limoges Porcelain Box Factory
Markings |
Many studios operating within the Limoges area may mark their porcelains
Limoges France The number of factories producing Limoges Boxes currently
estimate at about 35 different companies. These factories employ anywhere
between 6 and 400 workers. These companies can be identified by the marking of
Limoges France on the bottom of every trinket or figurine box.
Collecting Limoges Box
Collectibles |
Collecting Limoge boxes can become an
addiction.. Whether you like enchanting groups of dogs or cats or fruit. it's
important to know what you are getting. Limoges Box is a small hand-painted box
made of Limoges hard paste Porcelain that has been man-made in Limoges France.
Plain white porcelain Limoges boxes were very popular in the early years for
their simplicity and translucent white beauty, but now most porcelain Limoges
now are hand painted or with transfers decorations. The porcelain Limoges Box
artist works with special thin powdered paints. Limoges boxes are always hinged
boxes. Because porcelain shrinks during firing and each box is hand painted,
each Limoges box is slightly different, and the metal hinges that are put on
Limoges Boxes must be be fitted by hand. No two Limoges boxes are exactly the
same.
What is Limoges
porcelain box? |
Hard paste porcelain is a high
quality porcelain that was first developed in China and later used in Europe.
This hard paste Limoges porcelain uses the clay called Kaolin. Kaolin Limoges
clay is translucent, durable, nonporous and pure white. consists mainly of
silicon oxide and aluminum oxide, with a low content of iron oxide and other
metallic oxides. White-firing China clay, an essential ingredient of Chinese and
French porcelain. Limoges porcelain is a special kind of pottery made with the
clay Kaolin that is hardened by heating. It consists mainly of silicon oxide and
aluminum oxide, with a low content of iron oxide and other metallic oxides.
Limoges porcelain combines a very fine, pure, white clay (kaolin) with
pulverized feldspar and quartz. The milling, sieving, and kneading of the clay
is a laborious process. Limoges porcelain is often very translucent and
consistently smooth in texture and often rings when it is struck.
All true Limoges Boxes for
trinkets have hinges or a hinge. Today's hinged are made of copper or a copper
alloy and are dipped in chemicals to give the appearance of different metals.
They also have a decorative clasp. Often a Limoges Box will appear defective
because the hinge is off center or is doesn't close tightly. This is not so, for
Limoges firing shrinks the boxes and the hinges have to be hand mounted making
the matching of the hinge of the box naturally different for each individual
box.
Authentic French Limoges
Box |
To be authentic a Limoges Box figurine must be
made of Limoges kaolin porcelain. A back stamp saying Limoges France is a great
indication if the box is authentic. There was a law that was passed in 1841
stating that all Limoges boxes must be stamped this way. Some Limoges boxes are
better quality that other depending on the degree of detail and quality of the
painting, the complexity of the sculpture, and the colors which depict the
knowledge, as well as number of firings. A Limoges box of greater value will
always be hand-painted and marked on the bottom peint mein ("painted by hand").
Boxes that are not hand painted are decorated by transfers or decal process and
can be very lovely themselves. Trust your own taste and judgment when picking
out a figurine Limoges box. Look for a piece that is painted well and detailed
nicely. Look at the name of the manufacturer and ask for a certificate of
Authenticity. Look at the craftsmanship of the box and judge whether you enjoy
the artistry or not. This is what is really important isn't it...if you enjoy
it.
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