Ballet Pointe Shoes on Wood Floor Limoges Box

A pair of ballet slippers rests on a patch of wooden floorboards, the way a dancer might leave them after a long rehearsal. This hand-painted porcelain Limoges box was made in Limoges, France, with the floor forming the base and the shoes set on top.

After the Final Curtain

Anyone who has taken a ballet class knows that studio floor, scuffed by years of practice at the barre. Pairing the slippers with the boards gives the piece a sense of place, so it feels less like a shoe and more like a quiet moment backstage. Every box is painted by hand, so the shading of the wood and the shoes varies a little from one to the next.

Gifts En Pointe

It marks a first recital, a company audition, a final season on stage, or a dance teacher's retirement after years of lessons. Choreographers, studio owners and grown dancers who still take class all tend to recognize the scene right away.

Building a Dance Shelf

• Hand-painted porcelain from Limoges, France
• Belongs with ballet, theater and music pieces
• Looks right on a dresser, a studio desk or a vanity