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Hand Painted Sea Life Limoges set of Six Plates
Beautiful French Limoges porcelain has always captured hearts, and has the ability to inspire. To collectors, the beauty, incredible artwork and exceptional quality of Limoges porcelain surpasses any other in the world. A collection of Limoges, edited and arranged in a contemporary style, is as beautiful as fine art in any interior. More exciting, Limoges porcelain is usable today, vases hold lush floral bouquets, place settings set a gracious table, tea cups are a most welcome indulgence when filled with steaming hot tea every afternoon.
There is an incredible range of Limoges porcelain to collect, from full dinner services to precisely painted hat pins, one of a kind hand painted objects or transfer printed. No matter what type of Limoges captures your heart, the history of Limoges is enchanting.
History
The term Limoges refers to the hard paste porcelain produced by factories in Limoges, France for over 200 years. The name of the city has become synonymous with the luxury porcelain products made by those factories. Hard paste porcelain is known as grand feu in French, it is porcelain that is fired at very high temperatures. Before kaolin clay was discovered in the town of Saint-Yrieix-la-Perch in 1771, the Chinese were the only ones able to produce hard paste porcelain. Kaolin clay creates a resilient, translucent porcelain, unlike any other porcelain.
The first factory was founded by brothers Massié and Fourneira Grellet. The King of France, Louis XVI, purchased the factory in 1784, so it could exclusively make white porcelain to be decorated at the royal porcelain factory at 50 Sèvres, just outside of Paris. The very first pieces of Limoges dinnerware were marked with the royal crest, the royal court commissioned extensive and exquisite dishes to be made exclusively for the palaces of the King.
By the beginning of the 1800’s, several private factories began producing the porcelain. The aristocracy of France were the main buyers of Limoges, commissioning vast dining services, vases and decorative pieces.
Types of Limoges to Collect
Antique and Hand Painted.
The creme de la creme of Limoges porcelain. Produced by one of the many factories in Limoges, often decorated by that factory’s accomplished artists. It is quite common to find a piece produced by one factory, and decorated or painted by another. A mark under the glaze indicate the factory that produced the porcelain, the mark over the glaze identifies the studio that painted the piece.
Haviland Limoges
One name that is immediately connected with Limoges is Haviland and Company. David Haviland moved to France in 1842 after having owned a business in New York, his factory in Limoges created primarily dinner services exclusively for the American market. Haviland porcelain became {and still is} a status symbol especially for brides. Produced in thousands of different delicate patterns, each piece of Haviland china is considered a collector’s item.
Blanks
Porcelain from Limoges was sold as blanks, or undecorated pieces. Painting the blanks was a beloved hobby amongst upper class ladies in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. By the turn of the 20th century, more than 25,000 artists, mostly women, also painted Limoges blanks in a cottage industry. Unknown, they are responsible for the hand painted pieces collectors proudly display, each is as unique as the artist who painstakingly painted it, using all her creativity and skill.
A good quality piece of Limoges is a good investment. Buy what you love, your collection of French porcelain will bring beauty to your home, joy to your heart and will be an heirloom to pass down to the next generation.
What To Look For:
1. Look for the mark. Almost all Limoges is marked. Each factory had its own production and decorating marks. There are online resources where you can learn about the different Limoges marks. A very few pieces have no mark.
2. Study the quality of the porcelain. A genuine piece of Limoges porcelain will be translucent and bright white under the glaze. The glaze should be smooth and hard. I suggest you go to a reputable antique shop and study some of their Limoges pieces. After you see a few good pieces of Limoges, you will recognize it by the exceptional quality.
3. Look closely at the beauty and skill of the painting. The really good pieces of Limoges were painted by incredibly skilled artists. Many pieces of Limoges were painted and signed (or not) by an amateur artist. To determine whether or not to add these to your collection, look at the quality of painting. A piece of slightly inferior porcelain that is extremely well painted with a beautiful subject is superior to a piece of Limoges that is superior in porcelain quality but poorly painted.
I am constantly adding antique Limoges Porcelain to FrenchGardenHouse. To find an exceptional piece to add to your collection go: Antique Porcelain.
I will be getting a 12 piece place setting of Limoges Haviland soon. I’ve no idea how many pieces there are – quite a few serving pieces and platters plus the dinner plates, cups & saucers, etc. The pattern is Rosalinde and it is the French Haviland. I’m curious about the blanks. I have several pieces of handpainted china that I’ve put away and wonder if they could be Limoges, also. What sort of mark would I look for if there is, indeed, a mark?
What a timely post! Thanks so much!
Lucky you, Vicky! Most of the blanks were marked on the bottom with the factory mark. Not all of them, but most. The larger Limoges factories imported thousands of blanks to the USA, as painting blanks was not just a hobby, but a huge cottage industry in the late 1800’s, early 1900’s.
These are gorgeous pieces, Lidy. You have such a great knowledge of all things pretty and from the past. We learn so much from you!
Jane x
Terrific article, as always, Lidy. Pinned and Facebooked it 🙂 Hope you’re having a great long week-end!
Thank you Jane and Diana! I love the hand painted pieces, they are miniature pieces of art.
Thank you Lidy for this very informative article. Love the pieces you have displayed.
I’d like to send a photo of a Limoges tureen, including markings inside lid and bottom of bowl. I would you send me your email address?
Most appreciatively,
Kaye Steele
Kaye, I’m so sorry but we are not appraisers. I suggest you contact a local antique shop and ask them if they know of an antique appraising service that will help you. {for a fee.}
I bought a piece today that just has a green mark France below glaze but has Hershey 1901. No other identifiers but it resembles the pink and red tea roses with a green glaze. Do you think blanks were ever sent without their logo?
I have inheirted a ton of limoge made by Havilland 21294 is what the number looks like any idea?
Could I troiuble you with a question please. I have a soup terrine which is marked at the bottom with G D M then underneath an L
Would it be from Limoges and who is the manufacturer_
Cheers and Merry Christmas
Hans, GDM is the mark of Gerard Dufraisseix & Morel, and yes, they made what is known as Limoges porcelain. The company was owned by Charles Field Haviland, he retired in 1881 and the company became known as Gerard, Dufraisseix and Morel using the white ware mark GDM.
Great, my knowledge bank has increased thanks to you.
All the best.
‘Cheers
Hans
‘
I recently found a Limoges brooch in my mothers belongings. Story is it belonged to my great great grandmother. It’s possible it was a gift to her during WW1. The only stamp is in colored and looks like the number 50. There is a first name but I’m not sure I am reading the fancy script properly. “ Pettijean” Limoges. Any ideas? Or where can I learn more?
Erica, what a treasure you have! I am not sure, but there are plenty of Limoges marks sites to be found to do research. Put Limoges marks in the search engine, and it should bring some great sites up for you. Good luck!
I have inherited my great grandmother’s Haviland. It has beautiful blue flowers and says Patent applied for as well as Haviland Limonge. I can’t identify it. Please advise.
Hi! I have a beautiful Limoges plate that my mother in law had wrapped and hidden on the back bottom drawer of her China cabinet. I’m sure she was so fond of it because of being passed down for generations. An antique lady saw it and told me to name my price so I asked her the value and she said I can’t give you a price because it’s priceless and told me to name my price again and I said I’d keep it. She begged me to never sell it to anyone else. I’ve had it 30 years. It has no mark of any kind that I can see so I’m wondering if it’s worth trying to find out it’s value! Any thoughts you might have, I’d appreciate hearing them! Thank you!
I have a set of Limoges – Elite Works France China and I have been unsuccessful in finding the pattern and unable to determine if it is real. It has two markings – one is Green and one is Red. Thank you in advance!!
I recently found a beautiful piece it’s red with a floral pattern in the middle gilded in gold with gold handles
How can I find out if it’s real and it’s worth
It’s beautiful I’ll keep in my collection even if it’s not , I’m curious though
Margaret, there are many places online to research Limoges back stamps, Just google: Limoges marks. Barring that, there are also many online services which, for a small fee, will appraise your piece for you.
Hello, I am intrigued by the statement: “Porcelain from Limoges was sold as blanks or undecorated pieces. Painting the blanks was a beloved hobby amongst upper-class ladies in the late 1800s and early 1900s.” Is there a book about the subject that you could refer me to? Thank you!
Celine, The MET Museum has a page entitled ‘Women China Decorators’ that may be a good starting point for you.
Why would a piece of porcelain be marked with both Limoge and G. Keifier & CIE?
Limoges would be the maker of the “blank” piece of porcelain, G.Kiefer in Basel could be either a blank decoration company or a high end retailer that ordered and then sold the piece.