Text: Jennifer Boles
Among the most beloved porcelain collectibles, Limoges boxes are familiar sights in many homes, where they tend to draw attention to themselves by their frequently sizable groupings. But what some may not know is that these charming porcelain boxes were inspired by a popular eighteenth-century accessory that is something of an anachronism today: the snuffbox. A custom once heartily embraced by men and women, eighteenth-century snuff-taking was considered so fashionable among the upper classes that the containers designed to hold their tobacco became objects of fashion themselves.
Made small so that they could be carried in one’s pocket, fine snuffboxes or tabatières, as they are known in France, were originally made of gold, silver, and even precious gems, particularly those intended for royalty and the very wealthy. But as European porcelain manufacturing developed and became more widespread, factories such as Meissen in Germany and Chantilly and Saint-Cloud in France began producing snuffboxes in porcelain, which was more economical than precious metals and stones. A wider swath of elegant society was subsequently able to afford not just one snuffbox, but many, allowing snuff-takers to coordinate their boxes with their daily attire.
Comprised of two porcelain halves connected by a gold, silver, or brass mount, ceramic snuffboxes were initially round or oval, with variety bestowed by their hand-painted ornamentation, which adorned not only the box’s exterior but oftentimes its interior, offering a surprise of sorts. In time, as porcelain manufacturing became more sophisticated, so, too, did the snuffbox’s shape. There were boxes in the form of eggs, vegetables, shoes, and even pugs, which were also the height of eighteenth-century fashion. Collectors became so enamored of small trifles that other types of miniature porcelain boxes were also produced, including the etui, the bonbonnière, and the patch box, which were designed to hold sewing implements, candies, and beauty marks, respectively.
By the mid-nineteenth century, porcelain snuffboxes were no longer as desirable as they had been, resulting in their waning production. But a century or so later, these porcelain miniatures were revived. Rediscovered in the 1970s by porcelain makers in Limoges, one of the leading porcelain manufacturing areas in France, antique porcelain snuffboxes inspired the production of modern-day versions, which are known informally as Limoges boxes. Although not intended to hold snuff, Limoges boxes are reminiscent of their antique predecessors in their construction, with porcelain bodies, metal mounts, and hand-painted surfaces crafted in the same manner. And similar to their eighteenth-century counterparts, Limoges boxes boast a staggering range of designs, something which leaves collectors coming back for more.
need to KNOW
• According to Sara Balough, proprietor of Freighthouse Design & Consign in Torrance, California, for a Limoges box to be authentic, it must be marked with “Limoges” and “Peint Main.” “Some factories export blanks, so it is possible to have a box that was painted elsewhere, but if they are signed on the box with those two things, you can be pretty sure they are authentic Limoges boxes from France.”
• A vast array of Limoges box designs has been manufactured over the years, with many of those designs now retired. “Vintage boxes will sell for more because the design of the box is most likely discontinued, which increases rarity. But quality trumps age for a lot of collectors, so the painting is very important,” Balough says.
• Balough notes that unusually shaped boxes tend to be more popular than simple, rectangular ones. “People love the boxes with animals, of course, and foods are very popular. I think the most precious are the ones that hold a related treasure inside, like the peas in a peapod or the picnic basket with food inside.”
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