Beautiful Rochard Limoges Porcelain Half-Orange Trinket Box - Retired Design

Limoges has to be one of the most recognizable names in porcelain, the world over. Some of the pieces and sets have gained legendary status. It's no wonder... their history is quite impressive...

Firstly, let's dispel the notion that 'Limoges' is anything but the name of a town in central France. Limoges is not a style, nor a material. Although today it is accepted as a term referring to porcelain of the region, it is simply a town that happened to find itself near a very rich deposit of kaolin. Kaolin was the key ingredient found in hard-paste Chinese porcelain, and has been used in some of the most intricately stunning pieces the world had seen. For centuries, the Chinese ruled hard-paste porcelain creation and those thin, resilient and beautifully translucent works of mastery found their way around the world, but only into the hands of those who could afford them - those luxurious pieces were famously expensive. However, in 1771 in the town of Saint‐Yrieix‐la‐Perche, in central France, just 40 kms outside of the centuries-old town of Limoges, a discovery of pure white kaolin clay was made. The artistic community clamored for the chance to work with the famed clay and as a result, some of the highest-skilled painters, sculptors and potters descended on Limoges. They proceeded to create some of the most stunning porcelain pieces the world has ever seen.
To give you an example of just how desired this porcelain and these Limoges creations were, I present to you the tale of the very first factory set up in Limoges. The brothers Massié and Fourneira Grellet opened their factory a few short years after the discovery and subsequent establishment of Limoges as the new world-class provider of luxury porcelain. They were vastly successful. So much so, that not a decade after they opened, King Louis XVI , King of France, purchased their factory in 1784. The pieces that were commissioned by the royal families and aristocracy, from this and several other private factories, are still available to view and I urge you to have an online gander at some of those pieces... simply astounding craftsmanship. Some of the painting and enamel work seems almost impossible to have been made by human hands. In Limoges, the kilns were being built at a frenzied pace. So revolutionary was the business to the area that, at one point, there were 48 factories operating in Limoges, proper. That's a whole lot of porcelain.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Limoges continued to produce some of the most alluring porcelain the world had ever seen. From 200+ piece dinnerware sets to hat pins, they remained infinitely popular and managed to preserve the air of luxury about them, for over a century. This success continued into the 20th century until a few rather unfortunate arguments with the Germans brought things to a shuddering halt. I can only assume that the Germans were jealous of their cooking, or something, because from 1914-1918 and again from 1940-1945, the Germans wreaked absolute havoc on France. Naturally, the porcelain trade had to be slowed down - it's very fragile, see... not at all conducive to war. After the First World War, business was quick to rebound, as Limoges was in the 'Zone Libre,' and was less-affected by the German assault on the North of the country. But after World War 2, things were a little different. The Germans had requisitioned aircraft engines to be produced at the industrial factories found at Limoges. Under the Germans, the infrastructure remained largely untouched. But given its strategic significance, the allies bombed the city completely, on February 8th, 1944, effectively razing the industrial center to the ground.
Although slowly at first, France rebuilt, and with it, Limoges started reclaiming former storied markets and successes. However, the world was changing. Transportation and communication had become infinitely more accessible and as such, Limoges porcelain was looking to expand. They established export businesses in countries around the world. That way, they could cater to local tastes and preferences, while still providing the utmost quality by keeping production strictly at home. One of said companies was established in the United States, in 1973. Its aim was to provide exemplary, unique examples of their famed and treasured trinket boxes. These small, hinged marvels have long been considered a hallmark of Limoges, but with 'Rochard' Limoges boxes, they aimed to provide the "highest quality Limoges boxes" available. "Superior workmanship, exclusive designs, vivid paint coloring and unique hinge and latch sets are just a few of the attributes that distinguish Rochard Limoges boxes." They remain some of the most adored and collected porcelain treasures in the world.
This beautifully created half-orange is just oozing with whimsy. Although I can't find the exact era, I am aware of the piece's provenance. It is a long-discontinued design that was introduced in the 70s. Rochard, having been chosen to provide the best examples Limoges could produce, was by no means the first, in the US. A gentleman named Charles Martine began importing fine porcelain from France and Limoges, in the 1950s. The only other examples of this particular design are attributed to him. It was the popularity of this simplistically playful form that spawned a more refined version, one commissioned specifically for Rochard, and like all their commissioned pieces, in very limited quantities. Despite extensive searching, I have been unable to find an equal.
The painting is perfectly delicate and the finish, as one would expect, is superb. The colours are just as bright as you'd expect them to be on an orange and the dimpled effect almost has you expecting a slight texture on your fingers. The brass hardware is handsome yet elegant. It is in flawless condition, in every respect. It measures 2 and 1/4 inches in diameter and 1 and 3/8 inches in height and will be shipped along with the original, rather unremarkable, Rochard cardboard box.

As always, should you have any questions or comments, you're welcome to message me any time. I'm always happy to return messages almost immediately,

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