Limoges Valentine Boxes
Valentine’s Day is an annual celebration of love and affection. Traditionally, people will exchange cards, candy or flowers with their loved ones. Children will give their secret crush a “will you be my valentine” note. Valentine’s Day is a common wedding anniversary in many countries. The Cottage Shop provides several romantic Limoges boxes to give your loved ones. Remember all of your “firsts” with the Limoges First Love Swing Box. This Limoges is uniquely shaped and will stand out among your collection. The Limoges French Romantic Couple with Swans has a 3 ½ inch diameter and 2 inches height. This Limoges box is a perfect romantic gesture or to keep precious jewelry in. Hand-painted by our museum artist, you will not be disappointed!
In Ancient Roman times, the festival Lupercalia was celebrated in mid-February. This festival included fertility rites and pairing women with men by lottery. In 494, Pope Gelasius I replaced this festival with the Feast of the Purification. During the 14th century, St. Valentine’s Day was celebrated as a day of romance. The Limoges Couple on Heart Box with Gold Heart is shown with a couple sitting together with a bouquet of flowers. The Limoges Couple by the Eiffel Tower Box on France Map is perfect for those who have visited the most romantic place on earth!
Love notes and Valentine’s requests first appeared in the 1500’s. By the late 1700’s, commercially printed cards were used. Finally, in the mid-1800’s, the U.S. printed their first commercial valentine’s cards. These cards often have Cupid with hearts on them. Cupid is the ancient Roman god of love. He was the son of Mercury and Venus. Depicted as a winged infant with a bow, when shot by his arrow, his victim would be inspired by love and passion. His mother, Venus, became very jealous of a beautiful mortal named Psyche. She directed Cupid to inspire Psyche to fall in love with the most despicable of men. Disobeying her, Cupid placed Psyche in a palace where he could visit her in secret. He would only do so in complete darkness until one night, Psyche lit a lamp and saw that it was the god of love by her side. Cupid fled and Psyche wandered the earth searching for him. Venus found Psyche and imposed difficult tasks on her. Cupid finally rescued her and Jupiter made her immortal and gave her in marriage to Cupid. The Limoges One Cherub Heart Box has a painted Cupid with his bow and arrow looking down from the clouds. The Limoges Angel Bottle on Stand Box has a detailed cupid holding an arrow attached to a perfume bottle. The Limoges Cherub with Harp Box with Heart has a garland of roses painted on a green base and includes a porcelain “Be mine” heart. Perfect for Valentine’s Day!
People give flowers on Valentine’s Day to communicate their feelings. Roses are a popular Valentine’s Day flower. Each color offers a distinct meaning. The red rose is a symbol of love and beauty. They convey deep emotions of longing and desire. The red rose is one of the most universal symbols of love throughout the world. Like roses, different colors of Tulips have different meanings. Red Tulips are also strongly associated with love. Pink Tulips are a symbol of caring. The orchid represents love, luxury, beauty and strength. In ancient Greece, women believed that if the father of their unborn child ate a large new orchid tuber, the baby would be a boy. The Limoges Egg with a Rose Box is painted with pink and red roses with their green leaves. Enclosed is a removable porcelain rose. The Limoges Red Rose on Gold Heart Box has an elegant 3D rose and painted rose buds on top and a red painted base. The Limoges I Love You Heart with Floral Garland Box has a variety of vibrant flowers painted around the border. The Limoges Pink Tulips Bouquet Box is a great gift that will never wilt!
Another traditional gift is candy or more specifically, chocolate. Chocolate began in Southern Mexico with the Olmecs. They created a drink with cacao beans to use during ceremonies. The Mayans revered in chocolate. They combined chocolate with chili peppers, honey or water. The Mayans enjoyed it with every meal and celebrations. The Aztecs believed that the cacao bean was given to them by their gods. They valued cacao beans more than gold and used them as currency. Montezuma II drank an excessive amount of chocolate each day for energy and as an aphrodisiac. In the 1500’s, cacao beans arrived in Europe and was a luxury that the wealthy could enjoy. Over the next couple centuries, chocolate popularity grew and chocolatiers began changing the way we consumed chocolate. In 1847, J.S. Fry and Sons created the first chocolate bar. It was molded from a paste of sugar, chocolate liquor and cocoa butter. In 1876, Swiss chocolatier, Daniel Peter, was credited for adding dried milk powder to chocolate and years later, he worked with his friend Henri Nestle to create the Nestle Company which brought milk chocolate to the mass market. The Limoges Dark Chocolate Bar Box is a classic replica of the traditional candy bar. The Limoges My Dearest Heart with Chocolates Box, Limoges Darling Heart with Chocolate Box, and Limoges For You Heart with Chocolates Box have endearing notes to make any gift recipient feel special.
The Limoges Happy Valentine’s Day Box is painted with hearts, flower bouquet, and roses around the base. This Limoges comes with 4 porcelain heart cookies with a flower and I Love You painted on each one.
The Limoges Valentine Champagne in Case Box has a gold porcelain box hearts and love notes painted on top. The inside has a champagne bottle and two champagne flutes.
The Limoges “I Called to Say” Telephone Box is painted red with gold accents with a porcelain love note. This Limoges would make a special gift for any loved one!
The Cottage Shop offers several Limoges Love Always Boxes. Each one has “Love Always” painted on top with a variation of flowers painted on each.
