Send us your photos

Many people own a piece of Limoges that came from a grandmother’s china cabinet, an estate sale or a market stall, and would simply like to know more about it. We are happy to take a look.

Identification is something we do every day in our own buying, and we enjoy it. There is no charge and no obligation. You do not need to be thinking of selling, and we will not pressure you if you are not. Use the form below to send your photos and a few words about the piece.

What photos to take

Good photographs make all the difference. A phone camera is fine, as long as the light is good and the image is in focus. Daylight near a window works better than a flash, which tends to bounce off glaze and hide detail.

Please send:

1. The front. A clear, straight-on view of the whole piece, showing the full decoration. For a set, one photo of the group plus one of a single piece is ideal.
2. The back mark, close up. Turn the piece over and photograph the mark on the underside as closely as your camera will focus while staying sharp. Fill the frame with the mark. This is the single most useful photo you can send.
3. Any second mark. Many pieces carry more than one mark, often in different colors: one for the maker of the porcelain and one for the decorator. Photograph each separately. Painted signatures on the front, often near the edge of a design, are worth a close-up too.
4. Measurements. Tell us the height and width, or the diameter for a plate or charger, in inches or centimeters. A photo with a ruler or tape measure alongside is helpful.
5. Any damage. Chips, cracks, hairlines, worn gold or old repairs. Hold the piece up to a light to look for hairline cracks, and photograph anything you find.

If you have a set, let us know how many pieces there are and what shapes are included.

What we can tell you

From good photographs we can usually offer an opinion on:

• The factory or maker, from the back mark.
• The decorator or decorating studio, where a separate mark or signature is present.
• An approximate era, based on the marks, shape and style of decoration.
• The pattern, where it is a known, recorded pattern. Many Limoges patterns, especially in Haviland dinnerware, were never given names, and some hand-painted pieces are one of a kind.
• Whether it is likely to be antique, vintage or modern.

If you want to start on your own, our guide to Limoges marks and our page on Haviland Limoges are good places to begin.

What we cannot do

We offer an informal identification only. We do not provide formal appraisals, written valuations, or appraisals for insurance, estate, tax or legal purposes. For those, we recommend a qualified, independent appraiser.

We are also working from photographs, not holding the piece in our hands, so our opinion is an educated one rather than a guarantee. Some marks are worn, partly hidden or simply unrecorded, and occasionally we will have to tell you that we are not sure.

If you would like to know what a piece might be worth to us as a buyer, that is a separate question, and our We Buy Antique Limoges page explains how that works.

Your privacy

We use your photos and details only to answer your question. We do not publish your photos, share them, or add you to a mailing list. If we would ever like to use an image of your piece, for example in one of our guides, we will ask you first and only use it with your permission.

How long it takes

We read every message ourselves, and we usually reply within one to two business days. Pieces with unusual or unfamiliar marks sometimes take a little longer while we check our references.

Ready to send?

Use the form below. Attach your photos, add the measurements and anything you know about the piece’s history, and we will be in touch.