Step off the garden path and into the wild. This collection gathers Limoges boxes from the forest edge to the far savanna: a hedgehog trundling out of the hedgerow, a squirrel guarding his acorn, a deer among the wildflowers, and a moose by a northern lake, alongside giraffes, hippos, monkeys and a kangaroo with a spring in her step.
Limoges boxes are small porcelain boxes with hinged lids, hand-painted in and around Limoges, France. Fur, stripes and spots all come to life under the brush, so each animal has its own character and expression.
Wildlife boxes make thoughtful gifts for hikers, gardeners, travelers home from a safari, and anyone who keeps a pair of binoculars by the back door. Mother-and-baby pieces are a sweet choice for a new parent or a grandmother, while a woodland creature suits a cabin, a study or a child's first collection. Each one is a small reminder of the wild places we love.
Rochard Little Hedgehog Porcelain Limoges Box
When the lamps go on in the cottage kitchen, Hérisson trundles out from under the hedge. He has an appointment with a saucer by the back step and a very important beetle near the rain barrel. He snuffles, he rustles, he sneezes once at a dandelion. By midnight he is home again, prickles tucked, dreaming of slugs.
Deer with Butterfly and Flowers Rochard Limoges Box
Early on a June morning, before the mist has lifted off the meadow, a young deer steps out of the trees. The poppies are open, the bees are already at work, and a butterfly lands, very lightly, near her ear. She holds perfectly still. For one long moment the whole meadow seems to hold its breath with her.
Rochard Raccoon and Baby Limoges Box
Tonight is the little raccoon's first lesson. His mother shows him how to wash a berry in the stream, how to test a log for grubs, and how to wear the family mask with pride. He gets most of it wrong and splashes a great deal. She does not mind one bit. There will be plenty of nights to practice.
Rochard Squirrel Limoges Box, Log and Acorn Design
This acorn, the squirrel would like you to know, is the finest in the whole forest. He found it himself. He plans to bury it somewhere very clever, somewhere no jay could ever guess. Unfortunately he has already buried four hundred acorns this autumn and cannot remember where a single one of them went.
Rochard Moose Porcelain Limoges Box
At the edge of a still northern lake, the canoeists stop paddling and whisper. There he is, knee deep in the reeds, water dripping from his great antlers. He looks up, chewing slowly, and considers them for a long moment. Then he goes back to his breakfast. Visitors, in his opinion, are not nearly as interesting as lily pads.
Rochard Wild Boar Porcelain Limoges Box
Deep in the oak woods, the old sanglier knows every trail and every hollow where the chestnuts fall thickest. The village truffle hunters keep a respectful distance and grumble that he finds the best ones first. They may be right. He has never once told anyone where he goes, and he never will.
Rochard Babar the Elephant Hand-Painted Limoges Box
Every child who ever curled up with a picture book knows him: the gentle elephant king, as dignified as a gentleman strolling to his favorite café. Here he stands ready for a new adventure, perhaps a visit to the city, perhaps a walk in the royal gardens. Turn the page, he seems to say. The story is just beginning.
Rochard Mother and Baby Hippo Limoges Box in Water
The afternoon is hot and the river is cool, so the hippos have decided not to move until sunset. Mother floats with only her ears and eyes above the water. Baby keeps bobbing up beside her, blowing bubbles and asking whether it is time to go home yet. It is not. It is hardly ever time to go home.
Mother Giraffe and Calf Rochard Limoges Box
The young giraffe is still getting used to his legs, which seem to be much longer than anyone warned him. His mother walks slowly beside him across the savanna, lowering her head now and then to check on him. From up there she can see for miles. From down here, he can see her, and that is quite enough.
Rochard See No Evil Three Monkeys Limoges Box
Three brothers sit on a branch above the market square, each with a very particular rule. One will not listen to gossip, one will not look at it, and one will certainly not repeat it. The villagers find this most annoying. After all, where is the fun in a secret if the monkeys refuse to pass it along?
Rochard Australian Kangaroo Limoges Box
Far, far from France, across the red earth of the outback, the kangaroo has been practicing her jumps. Two hops to the gum tree, three to the water hole, one great leap over a sleeping lizard. She has heard there are ballet dancers in Paris who can leap almost as high. She very much doubts it.
Bear with Honey Pot Limoges Box
The bees had been warned. They had posted guards, hidden the hive, and buzzed their most fearsome buzz. Yet here sits the bear, paws sticky to the elbow, the honey pot cradled in his lap like a treasure. He looks up with an expression of perfect innocence. Honey? What honey? He has no idea what you mean.
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