One of the most common questions I get is "Who makes the finest Limoges box?" or "How do I know if it is high quality?"

The first thing I want to point out in regards to the limoges box industry is that limoges boxes are a craft. As with most crafts it takes hours and hours to cast, mold, fire, paint, fire, repaint, mount, and fire again each color on each  individual piece. The wonderful thing about limoges boxes is that not one limoges box is the same. Each one has it's own humanities and inconsistencies about it. Each one tells its own story.  They are not supposed to be perfect replicas of one another like something that is corporate factory made, for it is the fact that they are made entirely by hand that makes them beautiful. They should be appreciated and understood like an Appalachian mountain wood whittler’s hand-carven crafts are appreciated in this country. Limoges making in general is a part of the French culture, tradition, and history.

In determining quality, I want to adamantly stress that it depends more on each individual box than the maker or signature of the piece. For example, I have many people that ask for "Rochard". Rochard is a limoges box importer who hires the limoges factories to create his pieces and sign his name on them. Rochard does have a reputation for contracting the creation of extremely well detailed and decorated pieces that are often very time consuming to create and thus rather pricey. But this high quality creation isn't true of every single Rochard limoges box I have seen. Most often a high quality limoges box is judged by limoges collectors on the detail of line, the conditions and time spent around the creation of that mold, the artistic instinct, and the intricacy involved in making the piece. Yet with this in mind, I would like to stress is that a fine quality limoges box also depends on your own personal taste and symbolic need at the time of purchasing the piece.

I have seen Limoges boxes that I personally like and dislike made and decorated by all the popular makers, factories, artist, and importing signatures. Some people love Artoria for example, who tends to use very bright colorful childlike hues and a brisk painting style in decorating their pieces. Some people prefer a warmer choice in color like Dubarry or Chanille, a realistic, or even an expressionistic approach in painting style like PV. My personal preference tend to be towards pieces that are entirely hand-painted and very intricately decorated, well detailed in line, and grasping a intuitive scope in theme of the piece. That is not to say  that a piece that isn't well detailed is of poorer quality, for I have seen fabulous limoges box pieces that aren't overly detailed in line, and it is this brushing over of detail that makes the theme and artistry of the box ring out. I have found windmill limoges boxes, for example, that were spectacular in containing a windmill that actually spins, and I have seen windmill limoges boxes that were just as beautiful where the windmill is mounted stable into the mold. So in essence, what I am trying to point out is that the finest quality limoges box is most importantly subject to personal taste and symbolic occasion. It is ok to favor a mold and design that doesn't fall in step with the status quo, especially when it is given as a gift, where it holds a more symbolic value of occasion between friends. Humanity is what any craft is suppose to be about, rather than some high priced showmanship of status quo artistry. So in short, trust your own judgment and enjoyment when choosing your limoges piece and please throw the status quo out the window. Enjoy the translucent light porcelain paste and special thin powdery paste that is only found in authentic French porcelain limoges and then let your own personal taste find the one that is perfect for you. When choosing one as a gift, choose it with the recipient in mind and find the style that holds the most value and meaning between you and this special person.

The second most common question I get about Limoges Boxes is "Why are Limoges Boxes so Expensive?"

The most obvious answer is because they take many many hours to create and the French like to pay their craftisians adequate living wages (unlike the low cost hand made items that come from low wage third world sweat shops). The more detailed and time it takes to create a Limoges box the more expensive that piece is going to be. The second reason for the high price is because Limoges boxes are an exclusive item. This means they are not as popular by word of mouth as other types of collectibles and the marketing to make a sale of just one Limoges box costs almost as much as the box costs your importer. Most limoges retailers sell limoges as a hobby for the profit margin is not high. The third reason for the costliness of Limoges Boxes is that during the turn of the millennium the dollar has lost its value two fold compared to the Euro. So in 1999, the euro costs 60 cents to our USD dollar, but in 2005 the Euro costs 1.15 - 1.40 to one of our USD dollars. In short,  the cost of Limoges boxes over the past 5 years has doubled, thus the retail price has doubled. As a result the limoges industry has suffered from a severe loss in American sales, the greater part of their market, and 50% of the factories have gone under as the rest are hanging on by a thread. As a further result of this, the quantity of newer designs and molds haven't been created in recent years. On Ebay you may find brand new Limoges Boxes at incredible prices right now. This is only because the industry is in trouble and many of the retailers are forced into early retirement. If you are purchasing a Limoges Box for under $75 - $85 dollars you are getting it below wholesale cost.  Understand that Limoges is not a name of a brand. There are many factories that make these in France, so competition is high and our basic rules of capitalism apply in keeping the dollar down to it's lowest possible degree.


Now with all the explained and said, please check out my About Me Page where I list the most common factory markings and examples of authentic Limoges signatures as well as links to our huge inventory that can be placed on Ebay for purchase.

Also please check out my Ebay Store and see what I have already listed for sale there. I do give discounts on multiple boxes purchased at one time so send me an email I will list what you are looking for on Eaby so Ebay will get their proper fees and advertizing dues.