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.

Cleaning and Maintenance of Limoges Boxes and Figurines

The unique appeal of limoges boxes and figurines with their meticulous imagery and vivid hues charms one and all. Whether you have been collecting these exquisite pieces for some time now or have just received the first piece as a gift from someone special, it is important to keep them clean and well maintained. This will keep your precious Kaolin clay box or figurine looking brand new and even add to its value.

You need to be extra careful while cleaning or repairing these delicate boxes and figurines that are made from Kaolin clay. It would help if you dust them lightly with a soft, dry cloth on a regular basis. This will prevent dust and dirt from settling on the surface and scratching it. However, while it may be easy to wipe the surface clean, it requires a little more precision to get rid of dirt and dust that accumulates in the crevices.

Cleaning the crevices of Limoges boxes and figurines

The best way to remove dirt or dust that has settled in the crevices of your Kaolin clay item, be it a figurine or a trinket box, is by using a solution of warm water and mild detergent to clean it. Just a few drops of the detergent will be enough. You may use a soft cloth to remove the debris. You may even soak your box in the detergent solution for some time and then use a light sponge to wipe off any accumulated dust or dirt.

In order to remove tough stains from your porcelain box, you need to soak the same in a solution of warm water and mild detergent for approximately half an hour. Make sure that the detergent you use does not contain any bleaching agent or chlorine that can damage the imagery on these items. The stains will most likely fade away after 20 to 30 minutes after which you should remove the item from the cleaning solution and wash it gently with distilled water. Thereafter, pat the item dry with a soft cloth and it will look as good as new.

Repairing Limoges boxes and figurines

These items require careful handling or else they can easily develop cracks on the surface. You can mend minor cracks and chips on the surface of your limoges trinket box or figurine by filling them up with epoxy putty using a butter knife. Once the putty has dried, you need to smoothen it with silicon carbide paper and apply a top coat of white-colored lacquer, the cold-cure variety, using a soft artist’s brush.  With proper care and maintenance, these collectible items are sure to last you a lifetime.

Limoges Boxes and Figurines- Things to Cherish for Vintage Collectors

Your son has just taken his first step or your daughter has won the first prize in a dance performance. It is your 25th marriage anniversary or your husband got a terrific breakthrough in his career. Whatever may be the reason for extolment Limoges boxes and figurines can be some of the most unique and exquisite things to gift.

Above all, if you are an avid collector of vintage items, you are sure to turn all heads to your display shelf simply by keeping a few of these impeccable art pieces. However, as a serious collector you need to take into consideration a few things before picking out a box simply because you like the look of it.

Know the Authentic Manufacturers: Duplicate Limoges boxes have flooded the market these days owing to the burgeoning demand of these pieces of art. Hence, in order to ensure that you are not laying your hands on a figurine done by some brick and mortar local artist, it is imperative to know some of the genuine manufacturers.

Vintage Limoges boxes were traditionally designed and manufactured by royal commission and are rare varieties possessing Fleur de Lys imprinted on them. Some of the more recent manufacturers are Haviland, Rochard, Artoria, Dubarry and the likes who are known for their excellent craftsmanship in designing the boxes.

Decoration: The surface decoration is another important criterion to look at. For adding some of the immaculate hand décor varieties, look out for the label Peint Mein. Alternatively, you can also try out a combination of hand work and decals where the highlighting streaks are done by hand and which will have Rehausse Main as their designation.

Detailing and Painting: Authentic Limoges boxes are known for their flawless detailing whereby artists use their creative clout to make intricate designs with one color taken at a time. When one shade is done with, a firing process is applied prior to use of another color. Hence, be aware of designs, which depict mere daubing of colors. The proportion and pragmatism of varying hues are ultimately used for putting up a specific scenery or image.

Collector’s Collection: If you wish to add to your collection of Vintage items, it is worthwhile to look for miniature sets of Limoges tea and coffee designed by a particular factory or artisan. Alternatively, you can also accumulate the items in tune with a particular theme, occasion, or animals.

Limited Edition Boxes: The Limited Edition Limoges boxes are truly valuable pieces of art that not only enhances your treasure trove of collectibles but can also bring you huge profits at auctions later on. If you want to add a Limited edition to your display closet, look for one, which is restricted to a specific designer. Authentic and accurate limited designs are unique in their mold designs since the detailing on the miniature is done completely by hand and by a single artisan. You can identify a limited edition from the registered trademark signature of the particular artisan.

Genuine Limoges boxes are indeed priceless treasures to cherish and it is the assiduous artwork done by hand which catapults their prices. Hence, do not be overwhelmed to come across such boxes at throwaway prices. They are likely to be duplicate ones, and will add no value to your collectibles.