Limoge Boxes An Artform On It’s Own

Still in the same artistic and craftsmanship as yesteryear Limoge boxes are created in the same way with not much changes The value can be determined by quite a few things from the manufacturing to the type of material to even the shape!

So let’s take a look at this labor-intensive and time-consuming art form coming from the French city where it got its name from, Limousine

SHAPE

The value of a box can be determined by the complexity of its shape. So from the most expensive being ones that are made from different parts put together, with curves and circles and all different angular shapes to the lower cost ones made mostly in simple shapes like circles, squares, and rectangles.

ARTISTRY

One of the most valuable additions to the value is the artistry on the limoges boxes. A box painted by a day to day painter with little expertise has much lesser value if any than one compared to made by a renowned artist, with intricate and fine painting and designs as well as the use of vibrant colors making it more in demand and thus more valuable.

What we find interesting is that some of the simpler cheaper boxes made by a more experienced artist who adds intricate and beautiful artistry on the inner therefore making it even more valuable as the more external intricately designed ones, especially if accompanied by intricately designed extras that comes with it.

NUMBER OF COLORS USED

The number of colors used or not used can also affect the value, as when painting intricate porcelain boxes, the paint used is a delicate natural pigment mixed with special mineral oils.

Apart from the actual color, but the actual preparation of the exact color and paint making process, like certain paints needing extreme heat for long periods, affects the artistry effects and therefore the value.

USE OF 24K GOLD

Some of the most expensive boxes ever made and are still being made today have some of the least intricate designs and paintings on but because the artist actually uses 12 to 24-carat real gold.

This is done by being melted down and mixed with special powders and oils and heated to high temperatures and then goes through a cooling process and oiled as a powder and mixed into a paint.

Then no matter how much or little color is in the design or the artistry the value skyrockets, but then the art form of turning the gold into the paint and then to paint great or even minor art is an art form on its own as well, which adds to any box made.