Rochard Limoges boxes and Porcelain—for the “Perfect” Gift!

For many decades now, Rochard Limoges boxes been used synonymously for French porcelain boxes. Exquisite, classy and elegant in nature, these premium Limoges porcelain boxes are appropriate for your collection or to be gifted to someone special.  A careful research of e-catalogs can help you get your hands on well designed, hand-painted boxes-- that speak volumes about your taste for something different.

So, whether you are looking for the perfect gift for your Mom on Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas or desirous of arranging your precious assets into stylish boxes –think Rochard Limoges boxes. You will be pleased with your selection.

Authenticity of Rochard Porcelain

Look for the ‘Limoges, France' stamp. It is usually placed at the base of boxes and figurines. This mark guarantees authenticity and ensures that you are investing in the right place. You should also look for the lot number printed alongside --which verifies that your chosen
piece is an integral part of an exclusive/ limited edition collection crafted by a master artist.

Original use of Limoges porcelain boxes

Get ready to be surprised. The contemporary uses of these porcelain boxes are much different from their original use. Today, they are used as collector’s items or as storage space for your valuable knick-knacks. In the years gone by, these very boxes were used to keep snuff or tobacco leaves!

Given their elegant look and appeal, they were later used to ferry love epistles to one’s beloved as well. Over time, they started playing the role of engagement ring boxes and were used to keep delicate pieces of bracelets, rings and trinkets. Also used by noble ladies to carry their makeup items and other precious belongings, these boxes are rare and exquisite and bear the mark of Rochard.

About the Company

Known for manufacturing both porcelain figurines and boxes, the manufacturers have made their mark through superior craftsmanship and the best designs. The hand-painted pieces of porcelain pieces from Rochard find a pride of place amongst the most coveted collector's items of our modern-day world.

The products from this company are packaged in smart designer boxes and boast of a certificate of authenticity. Granting the utmost value for your money, the designer figurines and trinket boxes from Rochard rank amongst the top of the line products and are exclusive, authentic and priceless—in every manner possible.

With a Rochard box or figurine in your hand, you can be assured of taking home the best gift for your mom. So stop looking elsewhere and get your hands on the finest piece of porcelain in your favourite gift store. With the “Rochard’s” Mark in place, you will be investing in high quality, value and timeless worth alike. Just go for it!

How to Clean and Repair Limoges Boxes and Figurines on your Own

Your Limoges boxes and figurines--steeped in unique aesthetic charm and timeless beauty, require proper care and maintenance. These exquisitely crafted and hand-painted Limoges boxes are valuable and need to retain their intrinsic worth—especially the ones made from special Kaolin clay and other delicate raw materials.

Dust them Off

Your figurines and porcelain boxes boast of numerous curves and corners. These are the ideal resting places for dust particles and other pollutants. It’s worthwhile to trigger off a regular regime of dusting these items lightly with a soft cloth—on a regular basis. Everyday care will prevent dust accumulation and eliminate the fear of scratches and other damages.

Handling Crevices

Even though you have taken adequate care to maintain your Limoges boxes and figurines, it is quite natural for dust to percolate into the embedded crevices and cracks. Take a bowl of warm water and add a few drops of mild detergent to make a frothy cleansing solution. Just dip your Limoges figurines and boxes into the same –after brushing off the dry dust.

Soak for ten minutes and then wipe off the soapy water with a soft sponge. You may use a soft bristled dusting brush to dislodge the dust in the crevices. Soak these porcelain pieces in distilled water and then dry off with a soft cloth.

Removal of Hard Stains

It may be a bit difficult to get rid of difficult stains on your dinnerware, Limoges figurines or miniatures. Soak them in a bowl of warm water mixed with mild detergent for about 20-30 minutes. The detergent should be free from chlorine or bleach. Prolonged soaking will make the stains fade away gradually. Use a soft brush to remove the tougher stains. Soak for 5 minutes in distilled water and pat dry.

Repairing Limoges Boxes

If you can see a crack on the surface of your precious figurines then you need to invest some time to correct the same. Minor chips and cracks can be repaired easily. You just need to procure epoxy putty, razor blades/butter knife, silicon carbide paper, cold-cure lacquer and some artist brushes.

Scrape off a little amount of epoxy putty with a butter knife on the cracked/chipped off place. Dampen and smoothen out the area by taking some water on knife and pressing the same on the damaged area. Remember to be gentle and careful. After the putty dries, you can use a small piece of silicon carbide paper to smoothen it further. Apply a thin coat of cold-cure lacquer (white) with an artist's brush and leave to dry –for at least 12 hours. Acrylic paint can be used as a touch up—if necessary.

If cleaned and maintained with care, your dinnerware, Limoges boxes and trinket boxes and all other dainty pieces of porcelain can keep looking as good as new—for a longer time.

A Beginners Guide to Collecting Smartly

Collecting is many times a decision that is made unconsciously. Chances are that you simply realize one day that you have a good number of vintage Christmas ornaments over the years or a significant number of Limoges porcelain boxes that can now safely be known as a collection.

Over a period of time, you may also convert this into a conscious effort to transform your existing collection into something meaningful and probably even valuable. If this is the road you intend to tread onto, you need to make sure you do it the smart way.

1.Is this Item Collectible?

A collectible means different things to different people. For some it may mean simply storing a collection of stamps or coins that they happened to own by chance. The more serious collectors will be able to give you a more detailed story behind the challenges they faced on their quest to create their Limoges porcelain box collection or authentic miniature car collection. The prospect of an appreciation in value is usually the determinant of whether or not an item is collectible.

2.Choosing what to Collect

While no one can really tell you what to collect, remember that your selection should be something you are personally attracted to and something you will love to look at. Also, it does not always have to be one item. It could be a theme that appeals to you as well. For example, if you love elephants, you may want to pick up paintings, porcelain boxes, kitchenware and other home décor items that follow that theme.

3.Buying with your Heart

The best collections are created when collectors buy from their hearts. If there is something you truly love that is affordable, do not deter while purchasing it. Your collection needs to be something you will be able to enjoy and live with. Leave the profit making to the experts.

4.Investing in Limited Editions

Depending on the item you are collecting, you may be able to pick up some limited edition items en route. For example, you may find vintage Limoges porcelain boxes with designs that are no longer in the making, or you can hunt for limited edition wine bottles, if that is what you are collecting.

5.The Condition of the Item

As easy as it may be to ignore the hairline crack on the porcelain plate, remember that the condition of your collection will significantly influence the value of your collection. Only invest in the items that come in the best condition.

In addition to this, while collecting items remember to keep the original boxes, be well informed about how you can maintain them and conduct comprehensive research before and during the collection process to make sure you are getting value for the investment you are making.

How are your Limoges Items Made?

Every Limoges item that you come across will be unique and exquisitely made. Its appeal comes from the meticulous process that goes into creating each one of the exquisite pieces. So the next time you are out purchasing Limoges boxes, knowing the process of how it got to the shelf is a great way to realize its true value.

Step I

The first step of making these exquisite collectible trinkets involves creating a design for the molding. Artists plan these design and they draw it by hand to get an idea on how the finished product will look. The design comes with elaborate features such as the proper curves the mold will take, the color scheme, and the images it will represent.

Step II

After a satisfactory version of the design is created, a mold is developed for the Limoges boxes. This mold will be used to handle the proper shape of the box or the figurine. Considering that this mold has a temporary life a new mold is made after it has been put to use over a few dozen times

Step III

After the mold is created, a thick porcelain solution will be poured into it. Rochard Limoges boxes and other Limoges products source this porcelain from a variety of places. Fledspar and Quartz are the most commonly used forms of porcelain. These materials are extremely durable allowing the creation of thick walls for boxes and figurines.

Step IV

Once the porcelain is poured into the mold, it is left out for one day for drying. On the completion of this process, the figurine or box will be taken in by the artist for hand finishing.

Step V

In this stage, the box or figurine will be smoothed out by hand in a way that all the jagged edges are gotten rid of. After this process, the Limoges item is placed in a kiln that burns at 900 degrees Celsius.

Step VI

Now it is time to venture into the painting process. Here, the material will be dipped in enamel before it placed in a kiln again, this time at1200 degrees Celsius. Paint can be applied on the material after this process is complete.

The darker hues such as blue and the brighter shades such as red will be separately handled. As each color is added on the Limoges item, it will need to spend some time in the kiln again. The heating process for darker shades is typically more intensive than that used for lighter shades.

At the end of this process, your boxes get hinges attached to it, to create memorable collectibles. Note that every authentic Limoges item is hand painted. Most of them come with extremely elaborate detailing that adds to its monetary and aesthetic value.

Frequently Asked Questions by Limoges Box Collectors

Limoges boxes are considered to be exquisite works of art. One can find original Rochard boxes that continue to be manufactured in this region in France that goes by the name of ‘Limoges’. Like most other collectible items, there are number things to consider and learn before you call yourself a seasoned collector. Especially with so many impersonations available in the market, as a collector, you need to be able to easily differentiate between authentic Limoges boxes and fake ones.

Here are some of the most commonly raised questions by first time collectors.

1.Do all Limoges boxes come with consistent quality?

Evidently, the answer to this question is no. While most boxes are made with the help of kaolin or clay, only the ones that are made in the Limoges region are considered to be the authentic ones. Some manufacturers may use different techniques and materials to producing these boxes. This influences the standards in quality among different boxes made from the same region. Depending on the quality of the box you purchase, your price will vary. Boxes made by the most well known and authentic artists, with the help of the best quality moulds and paints will obviously come at a premium.

2.Do these boxes exist in limited editions?

You can surely find limited addition boxes. Especially vintage Limoges boxes that are made in a specific design or shape may have been manufactured only in limited numbers. Chances are that the artist disposed off the moulds after producing a specific number of boxes in that design. In most cases, you will be able to find a number under the box which indicates the quantity that it was originally manufactured in. The numbers are usually counted backwards. This means that a number 6 may be manufactured before a number 5.

3.What do you mean by American or Chinese Limoges boxes?

These are evidently not vintage Limoges boxes. A Limoges box can be considered original only if it comes from that particular region in France. This is because the porcelain used in these boxes is only available in this region. The porcelain procured from any other region in the world will give the box a very different consistency and texture. You can identify the authenticity of the box by looking for a mark at the bottom on the box. Here, you will be able to find the country of origin.

Authentic Limoges boxes make for an excellent collectors’ item for home décor as well as investment. This speciality of France is typically exported to various parts of the world. Start collecting and gifting these beautiful works of art that you can eventually pass on for generations to come!

Cleaning and Maintaining your Delicate Limoges Boxes and Figurines

All of us are charmed with the unique appeal of Limoges boxes and figurines, with their scrupulous imagery and vivid hues.  You may have been collecting these exquisite pieces for some time now or may be this is the first piece you ever received as a gift from someone special. Either ways, it is extremely crucial to keep them clean and well maintained. This will help in keeping your precious box or figurine looking brand new for years to come.

Cleaning the Crevices

Using a solution of warm water and mild detergent is the best way to clean the dirt or dust that has settled in the crevices of your trinket box or figurine. Adding a few drops of the detergent will be enough. One may use a soft cloth to remove the debris. One can even soak their box in the detergent solution for some time and then use a light sponge to wipe off any accumulated dust or dirt.

To remove tough stains from their porcelain box, soak the same in a solution of warm water and mild detergent for approximately half an hour. Ensure that the detergent one uses does not contain any bleaching agent or chlorine that can damage the imagery on these items. These stains will most likely fade away after 20 to 30 minutes. After this one should remove the item from the cleaning solution and wash it gently with distilled water. Thereafter, pat the item dry with a smooth and soft cloth and it will look as good as new.

Repairing them

One should handle these items carefully or else they can easily develop cracks on the surface. One can easily mend minor cracks and chips on the surface of your Rochard Limoges boxes or figurine by filling them up with epoxy putty using a butter knife. Once the putty has dried, one needs to smoothen it with silicon carbide paper. Applying a top coat of white-colored lacquer which is the cold-cure variety by using a soft artist’s brush helps a lot. By properly caring and maintaining these collectible items one can be sure that they will last a lifetime

A Better Idea

One should keep the collection in a curio cabinet. Because of its closed environment, they can be barred from being exposed to light and dust. Plus, it will prevent interaction with people and pets averting breakage from accidents. It further ensures that dust will not catch in the grooves and the sunlight will not make the paint fade.

These boxes are the representation of French artistry and grace of the uppermost peculiarity and style.  These splendid hand-painting and metal works boxes and figurines have long been hunted after by accumulators worldwide. If maintained well they can shoot up in their value too and preserving them is no herculean task.

Tips to Identify an Authentic Limoges Porcelain Box

A porcelain box looks simply exquisite. The production of the Limoges porcelain boxes dates back to the late 1970s. They were produced for the first time in the city of Limoges in France. The initial production used kaolin clay as the raw material for these boxes. However, later the manufacturers graduated to the use of feldspar and quartz for creating these one of a kind boxes.

These boxes are popular as gift items as well as collectibles and if you too want to have a collection of your own, it would be a wise idea to learn how to distinguish an authentic porcelain box from a fake one. Whether you are buying a box or figurine as a gift item or as a showpiece for your home or office, make sure that you keep the following tips in mind before loosening your purse strings.

Check the stamp on the box

One of the most common identification marks for a genuine Limoges porcelain box is the factory stamp that is painted by hand at the bottom of the piece. You will be able to see the ‘Limoges, France’ insignia clearly on an authentic piece. That apart, a printed stamp that reads ‘peint main’, meaning hand painted, will also be there at the bottom of the figurine or box.

You can spot a fake easily by the ‘C’ or ‘RC’ stamp printed at the bottom of it. This means that the piece is a mere replica that has been manufactured in China or the Republic of China. Do not be fooled into buying such a piece at a premium price. It would also help you to know the well-known makers of these boxes and their product stamps.

The imagery and design provide other clues

The most common designs that you will find on authentic Limoges porcelain boxes are those of fruits, flowers, people, animals, and landscapes. Check the design closely to see if it appears to be hand painted. To add to it, some common elements of imagery that you will find on a real Limoges porcelain box are colorful birds and butterflies. Most experts are trained in recognizing the imagery and the glazing on genuine kaolin clay pieces.

Compare the prices

The last and most obvious clue to the authenticity of a porcelain piece can be found in its price tag. An original porcelain box will be more expensive due to the labor-intensive manufacturing process that it entails, whereas a knockoff will be sold at dirt cheap prices.

Follow the tips mentioned above to buy an authentic piece that will last forever.. Do not be fooled into purchasing a fake one with your hard-earned money.