Butterfly Teapot Rochard Porcelain Limoges Box

A butterfly drifts across a porcelain teapot, as if it flew in from the garden to join afternoon tea. Rochard sculpted the little pot in porcelain, and painters in Limoges, France, gave it color by hand.

Tea in the Garden

Teapots are a beloved collecting theme, and the butterfly design gives this one a light, springtime feel. Rochard painters add every wing and line by hand, so each teapot carries slight variations in color. It brings the calm of a slow afternoon to any shelf it sits on.

Tea Party Guests

• A Rochard tea design, painted by hand in Limoges, France
• Pairs with teacup, sugar bowl and cake pieces
• Joins butterfly and garden boxes in a spring grouping

Steeped in Friendship

This makes a thoughtful present for a friend who hosts a weekly tea, a garden club member, or a grandmother who taught everyone how to brew a proper pot. It also suits a Mother's Day brunch, a bridal tea or a tea room owner celebrating an anniversary. Set it on a tea cart, a china cabinet shelf or a sunny windowsill near the kettle. Teapot collectors often hunt for designs that stand apart, and the butterfly brings a garden touch to the set.

An 18th Century Fashion

Small porcelain boxes were the height of fashion in 18th-century France, carried to hold snuff, pills or the tiny beauty patches of the day.