Montgolfier Hot Air Balloon Porcelain Limoges Box
Rising skyward in porcelain, this Montgolfier hot air balloon honors the French brothers who first sent people aloft. Shaped in Limoges, France, this Limoges box carries its colors by hand.
The Brothers Who Took to the Sky
In 1783, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier launched the first crewed hot air balloon flight from Paris, a spectacle watched by enormous crowds. Their balloons were famous for bold decoration, and the name Montgolfier is still the French word for a hot air balloon.
Up and Away
This is a fine present for a pilot, a balloonist, an aviation buff or a science teacher who loves the history of invention. It also suits a bon voyage, a graduation, or a fiftieth birthday celebrated with a balloon ride. Set it high on a bookshelf where it seems to float, on a desk in a study, or beside model airplanes and globes.
Flight Crew
- Hand-painted porcelain from Limoges, France
- Pairs with airplane, globe and French landmark pieces
- Fits an aviation, French history or travel collection
Fired at High Heat
Limoges porcelain is hard-paste porcelain, fired at very high temperatures, which gives balloons like this one their crisp white base for painting.