Limoges is a City in France

Limoges (LEEmozh) is a city in France. It became famous for its very white and fine grain porcelain after the discovery of kaolin at St-Yrieix-la-Perche, 41 km south of Limoges, in 1768.
To protect the long-established reputation of Limoges porcelain and to maintain its high standards, the French government limits use of the name Limoges.

Thus, Limoges is a designation like Champagne:

Any sparkling wine within the official Champagne region is Champagne.
Any porcelain made within the official Limoges area is Limoges

There is no THE Champagne label or vintner, but many labels and makers.
There is no THE Limoges mark or company, but many marks and makers.

Obviously, since Limoges is a city name, it's never Limoge, Lomoge, or Lamoge. It always has the silent s.

What is porcelain ?

Limoges boxes are made of true porcelain. Porcelain is made from a distinctive very fine, pure, white clay (kaolin) mixed with pulverized feldspar (petuntse). The molded clay mixture is held at 1450°C (= 2,650°F) for 30 to 45 hours. The clay maintains the shape while the feldspar melts and fuses the piece into one homogenous, non-porous body.

The European definition of porcelain emphasizes that it is translucent if thin, the Chinese definition that it rings when struck.

Porcelain is a special type of pottery. Pottery is clay hardened by heat. Other types of pottery, such as faience or brick, require a glaze to protect the body. If the glaze gets cracked or chipped, the porous body will absorb water and can become discolored and impossible to clean. In contrast, chipped porcelain will not absorb water because the glaze and body are fused to become homogenous and non-porous. Glazes added to porcelain are for decoration.

Three main types of Porcelain

True porcelain or hard paste porcelain or pâte dure (France) or porcelaine royale (Sevres) is made from kaolin and a natural fusible stone, almost always petuntse. In western England c1748-1820 soaprock replaced petuntse in soaprock porcelain.

In artificial porcelain or soft paste porcelain or frit porcelain (England) or pâte tendre (France) or porcelaine de France (Vincennes and Sevres) powdered glass (or frit) replaces the fusable natural stone, and it is fired at a lower (or softer) 1200°C. Europeans made artificial porcelain in trying to duplicate true porcelain imported from China.

Bone china or English china is a true porcelain with a small percentage of calcinated animal bone (bone ash), which acts as a flux to promote fusion of the porcelain body. Bone china has been made almost exclusively in England and was first made sometime between 1794-1802 by Josiah Spode II. Prior to 1802 the English used larger proportions of bone ash in some artificial porcelains. Bone china chips less easily that other porcelain and is often thinner.

Limoges Boxes are Distinctive

During the firing of porcelain Limoges boxes there is shrinkage and sometimes distortion or breakage. This means that every Limoges box is slightly different from others of the same model, and this difference makes it necessary to apply the hinges by hand. Most Limoges boxes at e-limoges.com are hand painted, and no two Limoges boxes will be hand painted identically.

Bookmark e-Limoges

Appraisals • Limoges Makers
Shipping • What's Limoges ? Bears • Big cats • Birds • 'Bugs' • Cats • Dogs • Frogs • Furry • Horses • Livestock • Pigs • Rabbits • Reptiles • Wild birds • Aquatic • Wildlife Art • Music • Literature • Angels • Christian • Jewish • Zodiac • Peanuts© • Miscellaneous Fruit • Veggies • Desserts • Foods • Kitchen • Serving • Wine • Champagne • Coffee/Tea • Drinks Furnishings • Garden • Flowers • Equipment • Dwellings Babies • Play • School • Love • Wedding • Friends • Professions Bags/Cases • Shoes • Purses • Hats • Sewing • Hygiene • Men's • Women's New Year • Easter • July 4 • Halloween • Thanksgiving • Winter • Santa • Christmas • 12 Days • Gifts Hearts • Rounded • Squared • Eggs • Perfumes • Other Beach • Golf • Ball sports • Sports • Gambling • Smoking • Fish/Hunt Air & space • Land • Water • Eiffel Tower • Paris • France • England • Italy • Europe • World • USA Brooches • Earrings • Necklaces

Michael Crezee
Contact & info email