Strike up the band and dim the house lights. This collection gathers Limoges boxes for everyone who lives for a performance: violins and saxophones, a jazz trumpet and a retro jukebox, ballerinas and their pointe shoes, a flamenco dancer mid-step, the comedy and tragedy masks of the theater, and a director's chair waiting on the film set.
A Limoges box is a small porcelain box with a hinged lid, made in and around Limoges, France, and painted by hand. The brushwork suits the stage beautifully, from the curve of a violin to the ruffles on a dancer's skirt.
These pieces make thoughtful gifts for a musician after a recital, a young dancer on opening night, a theater lover, a film buff, or a teacher who has spent years in the rehearsal room. Each one is a tiny encore you can keep on the piano, the dressing table or the bookshelf, and it never needs tuning.
Violin and Pink Hat Music Limoges Box Figurine
The garden concert ended with applause and a sudden breeze. The violinist set down her instrument, took off her pink hat, and went to greet her admirers. When she came back, a little crowd had gathered around the violin and the hat, as though they were still waiting for one more song.
Cinematic Cameraman Porcelain Limoges Box
Quiet on the set! The actors are in their places, the lights are hot, and the whole crew is holding its breath. Behind the camera, one man squints through the lens, adjusts a dial by a hair, and nods. Somewhere a director shouts action, and the reel begins to turn.
Brown Retro Jukebox Hand-Painted Limoges Box
Drop in a coin, press B7, and watch the whole diner change. The waitress starts humming. The cook taps his spatula on the grill. A couple in the corner booth slide out and start to dance between the stools. By the time the song ends, somebody is already digging in a pocket for another coin.
Saxophone on a Chair Porcelain Limoges Box
Set break at the little club in Saint-Germain. The saxophonist has stepped out for some air and left his horn resting on the chair, still warm. The audience murmurs and orders another round. Nobody touches the saxophone. Everyone knows the best part of the night is still to come.
Film Director's Chair Porcelain Limoges Box
Everyone on the set knows whose chair this is, and no one dares sit in it. Not the leading man, not the producer, not even the director's dog, who has tried. Between takes the chair stands empty and important, waiting for the moment someone settles in and calls cut.
Rochard Comedy and Tragedy Mask Book Limoges Box
One mask is laughing. The other is in tears. Together they have watched every play in the house, from the farces to the dramas, and they still argue about which kind is best. On the shelf they wait for the next opening night, ready to laugh, cry, and applaud with everyone else.
Jazz Trumpet on a Purple Base New Orleans Limoges Box
Late on a Saturday, a brass band turns the corner and the whole street follows. The trumpet leads the way, bright and loud, bouncing off the balconies. People step out of doorways to dance along. Nobody planned a parade tonight, but in this neighborhood, a parade has a way of finding you.
Rochard Spanish Flamenco Dancer Figurine Limoges Box
Clap, clap, stamp. The guitar begins softly, and then she rises from her chair, arms curving over her head like a question. Her heels answer it, faster and faster, until the ruffles of her skirt are a blur of color. When she stops, the whole room forgets to breathe for a moment.
Ballet Pointe Shoes on Wood Floor Limoges Box
The studio is empty now. Rehearsal ran long, the pianist has gone home, and the evening light slants across the old wooden floor. A pair of pointe shoes waits where the dancer left them, ribbons trailing. Tomorrow morning, she will be back at the barre before anyone else arrives.
Ballerina on a Piano with Candles Limoges Box
The recital is in the parlor tonight, by candlelight. The pianist plays a gentle waltz, and the little ballerina, who was told to stand still, could not help herself. Up she goes, onto the piano lid, rising onto her toes between the candles. Her teacher sighs. The audience is enchanted.
Hula Dancer Limoges Box with Lift Off Lei by Rochard
The sun is low over the water, and the music has started on the beach. She steps forward, lei bright around her neck, and her hands begin to tell a story about the waves and the wind. When the dance is done, she lifts the lei from her shoulders and places it on a smiling guest.
Dancing Ballerina and Binoculars Hand-Painted Limoges Box Figurine
From the very last row of the balcony, Mademoiselle Odile raises her little binoculars. Down on the stage, the ballerina spins and spins. Odile has seen this ballet eleven times and has promised herself this is the last. She said the same thing last season, and the season before that.
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