Chewing Gum Candy Porcelain Limoges Box

A pack of chewing gum, the kind tucked into every glove compartment and coat pocket, is reborn here in porcelain. This is a hand-painted porcelain Limoges box made in Limoges, France, and it brings a bit of candy counter fun to a serious art form.

Fresh From the Checkout Lane

Few treats are as everyday as a stick of gum, which is exactly why it looks so witty rendered in fine porcelain. Its lively colors are painted by hand, so the shading and small details can vary slightly from box to box.

A Sweet Tooth Lineup

• Hand-painted porcelain from Limoges, France
• A playful entry in a candy, sweets or snack collection
• Pairs with lollipop, ice cream cone and candy jar boxes

Pocket Sized Grins

This makes a funny thank-you for a dentist or hygienist, a stocking surprise for someone who always has gum to share, or a retirement nod for a longtime candy shop owner. It also suits a teacher's desk or a reception counter, where it never fails to start a conversation.

A Very Old Idea in Miniature

Small porcelain boxes first became fashionable in 18th-century France, where they held snuff, pills and beauty patches. Today the same tradition turns ordinary objects like this one into small works of painted art.