Limoges is not a single factory, but an entire area of France abounding with fine porcelain potteries. Kaolin was discovered in France about 1768, close to Limoges, and gave rise to the Limoges porcelain industry. Underground deposits around Limoges also included metals which had been used to provide metallic oxides for coloring enamel and Faience since the Middle Ages. In 1771, Faience manufacturing was converted into porcelain manufacturing, and the first hard paste porcelain was made in the Limoges region.
This first factory established about 1774 became a subsidiary of the royal factory in Sevres in 1784. Following the French Revolution, this governmental influence once again gave way to private interests, and by the early 1800s Limoges was making the finest, purest white porcelain in the world. By the 1830s, there were at least 35 porcelain factories operating in the Limoges region..JPG)
The latter half of the century was the period of greatest growth and recognition for Limoges porcelain, repeatedly recognized for its quality and innovation in the universal expositions now being organized in various parts of the world. The finest artists migrated to Limoges to practice their art on the fine white porcelain now being produced to international acclaim. Limoges transitioned almost seamlessly from the Art Nouveau period into Art Deco in the 1920s, and many fine works continue to be produced to this day.Please do not confuse porcelain from the Limoges area of France with American Limoges items that were manufactured in Ohio. The Limoges China Company was opened around 1901 in Sebring, Ohio by F.A. Sebring.In the 1930's legal pressure from the French forced the Sebrings to change the name to the American Limoges Company. Production ceased around 1955. There is no connection between this company and French Limoges. Search engines will almost always bring up items from both areas so read listings carefully.
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