Limoges Tea Pot
A Touch of France
You just bought a limoges tea pot but in reality you were not planning on this...what a wonderful surprise.
It all began as you walked around Paris, absorbed the smells and sound of the city. You wander down the small cobblestone streets and gaze into the store window.
Look....there is a beautiful tea pot in that window but you are not sure what type it is.
The store owner graciously explains to you about this limoges tea pot and you want to know more. He suggests a trip to Limoges to learn more.
You may not be familiar with Limoges, France...
What make this place so special?
- This town in France has been famous for its high quality porcelain ware since the late eighteenth century.
-
It still maintains its reputation for fine ceramics.
- It's a great place to find distinctive, beautiful, well made tea pots and other ceramic items.
While you are browsing...
You may want to look at the stores selling the limoge tea pot. Perhaps you can stop and ask questions to the store owner about the pot.
You may be lucky enough to hear about the owner's relative in the past once worked at a Limoge factory.
They tell his story, handed down from generation to generation about the hard work and detail that went into his work and craft. But, at the end of the day, he just loved to come home to his family.
What is Limoges porcelain?
- It refers to a kind of hard paste porcelain pottery.
- It was made by factories in and around Limoges, France. Production started in the late 1700s, and continues today.
- The
term refers only to ceramics made in or near this town, and not to any
made elsewhere. It does not refer to one particular maker of ceramic
pieces.
- This town had started producing plain earthenware in the 1730s. It was not a major manufacturer.
- It
wasn't until local supplies of kaolin clay, and a material similar to
"petuntse" an important ingredient in porcelain, were discovered nearby
that porcelain making came to Limoges.
- Turgot began production of hard paste porcelain at Limoges in 1771. Manufacturing was put under the patronage of one of Louis XVI's brothers, the comte d'Artois, until 1784.
Did you know...
King Louis XVI then purchased the manufacturing location himself. He apparently was interested in making ceramic decorations for one of his properties but something known as the French Revolution got in his way! He most likely was not a happy King at this point!!
After the Revolution private factories were established. These included Bernardaud, as well as Haviland and Company.
Throughout the nineteenth century, these tea pots and other pieces were in high demand throughout France and the rest of the world.
Wow! Can you feel the history and gorgeous work?
