Retired Mini Cauliflower Porcelain Limoges Box

Few porcelain makers would think to paint a cauliflower, and that is what makes this mini version such a fun find. Painted by hand on porcelain in Limoges, France, this retired Limoges box has long since left production.

Florets in Fine Porcelain

The cauliflower head, with its bumpy rounded florets, is a surprisingly sculptural shape. In miniature it becomes something close to a little cloud. It is an offbeat subject that tends to spark a conversation.

The Vegetable Patch Grows

• A retired design, painted by hand on Limoges porcelain
• Pairs with lettuce, carrot and eggplant mini boxes
• Suits a kitchen garden or farm market collection

Quirky Corners of the Kitchen

Small enough to squeeze onto a crowded curio shelf, it also looks good on a spice rack ledge or next to a cookbook stand. Give it to the home cook who roasts cauliflower every week, a gardener who manages to grow it, or a chef with a sense of humor. It is a playful pick for a retirement from a restaurant career.

The Painter's Turn

Many Limoges boxes are painted by hand only after the white porcelain has been fired. That step is where a plain shape like this one gets its color and character.