Retired Owls Perched on a Tree Stump Limoges Box

A pair of owls perches side by side on an old tree stump on this porcelain piece. It is a retired design, hand-painted as a Limoges box in Limoges, France.

Night Watch in the Woods

Owls have stood for wisdom since ancient Athens, and a pair of them together suggests companionship as well. The weathered stump gives the scene a woodland setting, as if the birds have just settled in for the evening's watch over the forest floor.

Wise Choices

• A retired design, hand-painted in Limoges, France
• Belongs in an owl, woodland or bird collection
• Pairs with fox, deer and mushroom pieces in a forest grouping

Library and Study

An owl piece is a natural fit for a library shelf, a teacher's desk or a reading nook. It makes a fine present for a graduate, a librarian retiring after years among the stacks, or a couple whose long partnership calls to mind two owls sharing one branch.

Owl collectors are some of the most devoted in the porcelain world, and retired designs like this one tend to be sought after once production ends. In a curio cabinet with other woodland creatures, it adds a quiet, watchful presence.