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The Limoges trinket boxes that you were gifted or were bought by you on a trip to Europe are considered to be valuable collectible items that are made in Limoges in France. These boxes may feature exquisite designs of animals, fruits, landscapes and other designs. If the Limoges porcelain hinged boxes you own consist of designs that have retired, chances are that they will fetch a decent price at an auction. But this is provided that your boxes are genuine and no longer in production. Even if you are not looking at selling your boxes, you should still find out the market value of these items for the sake of having them insured against theft or a fire. How to Understand the Value of the Boxes 1. The first thing to do is to find out as much as you can about your boxes. Understand where they were made and go through the history of the boxes. You should be able to find sufficient information on this on the company website or through collector forums and guidebooks. Your local bookstore or library should be housing books about collecting Limoges items. Books written by Mary Frank are considered to offer significant information on this subject. 2. Make sure that the box in question is truly one of the retired porcelain hinged boxes. Also check the underside of the box for markings such as “Peint Main”, a stamp or mark of the artist and location in which it was manufactured. If your trinket doesn’t come with these markings, changes are that your box isn’t authentic. 3. Now you can start hunting for auction houses that deal in Limoges items. You can go through their listings that write down the final sale price of the boxes that comes with similar features such as yours. Consider factors such as year of manufacturing, design and region of manufacturing while doing so. 4. You may also get in touch with a Limoges expert who will be able to offer appraisals. You may also attend events organized by Limoges collectors. This way you will be able to get a feel of the market for collectors and assess the price others are willing to pay for boxes such as yours. 5. You may be able to locate an appraiser online. Get in touch with a few and feel free to ask them about their experiences with these boxes and how much they would typically charge. Arrange an appointment with an appraiser who you feel has good references and experience in this field. You may discuss the appraised value of your box with the expert and feel free to ask for suggestions in case you plan on selling your items. Also, make sure you know how to maintain these boxes so as to keep the value intact. About Author: Paul Karrels has been interested in collecting small antiques from an early age by the inspiration of his grandfather. He has since improve his knowledge of antiques and design through research in the web and reading books. His recent articles and blogs on the porcelain hinged boxes have been very useful to antique collectors, antique lovers and Limoges porcelain box dealers.
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