Blue Oval Limoges Box with Painted Flowers

Painted flowers spread across a blue oval in this simple, classic porcelain box. Hand-painted in Limoges, France, it shows how much charm a traditional shape can carry when the brushwork does the talking.

Bouquet on a Blue Ground

The oval is one of the oldest forms in the Limoges tradition, and it gives a painter a smooth, generous surface to work on. Here blue sets the background and the flowers bring color across the porcelain. Because each piece is decorated by hand, the blossoms differ slightly from box to box.

A Shape With Deep Roots

Small porcelain boxes became fashionable in 18th-century France, when they held snuff, pills and the tiny beauty patches worn at court. The oval was a favorite then, and it still looks right on a dressing table today.

On the Vanity and Beyond

• Hand-painted porcelain from Limoges, France
• Fits a floral, garden or classic shape collection
• A gracious present for Mother's Day, a birthday or a retirement

Set it on a vanity tray, a bedside table or a guest room dresser, where a ring or a pair of earrings can rest inside overnight. The quiet shape blends with nearly any room, and the blue holds its own beside both white linens and darker wood.