Limoges Antiques Shop Information

Limoges has become the generic name of hard paste porcelain that was produced during the 18th, 19th and into the 20th century in one of the many factories in Limoges, a region of France situated about 250 miles southwest of Paris in the Vienne valley. Limoges is considered the finest hard paste porcelain in the world because of three very distinct characteristics. First, the essential ingredients making up the content of Limoges porcelain are all natural ingredients: feldspar, quartz, and kaolin. Second, the intense firing process forms a glaze that can not be penetrated and makes Limoges porcelain an exquisite form of translucent pottery. (The glaze on an antique piece of Limoges over a hundred years old will show no signs of crackling or crazing, and if it has not broken, a piece will look as beautiful as the day it was produced.) Thirdly, an abundance of the most prestigious and skilled artisans in the world along with the French flair for design and artistic style set the standard for both Europeans and Americans to emulate. These French artisans created masterpieces out of decorative pieces of art to essential objects for daily use. A piece of authentic Limoges is identified by one of the approximate four hundred different factory marks. Turn your piece over and look for the underglaze factory mark. It is not as simple as the mark stating Limoges or France, and the most common reproduction mark states Limoges China. After reading my books (Living with Limoges and Antique Limoges at Home), you will learn Limoges is a porcelain and not considered china! Identification is easy using the marks sections in the back of the books. In addition, American Limoges is not Limoges hard paste porcelain from the Limoges region in France, but a pottery reproduced in the United States of America during the same time period. Antique Limoges at Home explains the difference in detail and has a complete French Limoges and American Limoges marks section. Beautiful pieces of art; hand painted antique Limoges porcelain, ...