Crayon de Couleur Colored Pencil Limoges Box

A single colored crayon, sharpened and ready to draw, becomes a little work of art in its own right. Named Crayon de Couleur in French, this hand-painted porcelain Limoges box was made in Limoges, France, where painters still decorate each piece with a brush.

Sketching in Porcelain

There is a pleasing joke in a painted crayon: the tool of the artist rendered by an artist. The bright barrel and pointed tip are colored by hand, so it carries the same small irregularities you would find in a real drawing. The French name gives it a touch of the Paris art school.

A Studio Shelf Lineup

• Hand-painted Limoges porcelain from France
• Groups well with paint palette, easel and paint tube pieces
• Belongs in an art supply, drawing or classroom themed collection

Thanks for the Lesson

An art teacher at the end of the school year, a watercolor class instructor or a friend who never travels without a sketchbook would all appreciate it. Graduating art students, illustrators and designers make good recipients too. On a studio windowsill, a drafting table or a bookshelf filled with art books, it signals the owner's craft in a cheerful way.