The era of creating the perfect gift in the form of Limoge boxes in the shape of eggs in some cases, not only started many, many years ago but has crossed cultures and has become very valuable in some of these cultures and as heirlooms very invaluable. It has never been offered up for sale by even the most poorest of the poor because of the significance behind the first day of the Iranian creation and the craftsmanship behind the creation.
One of these invaluable and never to be released in auction or sale Limoge boxes, is the unique Norooz Limoges Boxes (pronounced Nowruz in Iran and most of the Middle East)
Most of these boxes were designed for none other than, to celebrate the Iranian New Year. Though it has been sometimes offered as some other small gift for smaller occasions like a wedding, declaration of love or just a small valuable, not financially but personal gift.
Just a bit on the Iranian New Year:
- USUALLY FELL ON THE EQUINOX IN MARCH
- AROUND 21 MARCH ON THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING
- THE NOWRUZ WAS ARRANGED TO FORM PART OF THE VERNAL EQINOX TO BE A PART OF THE BEGINNING OF THEIR NEW DISCOVERED CALENDAR YEAR
- AROUND THE 11th CENTURY, REFORMS TO THE IRANIAN CALENDAR WHICH MADE THE FIRST MONTH OF THE SOLAR CALENDAR OF IRAN AND THE FIRST DAY WHICH WAS KNOWN AS FARVARDIN IN NOWRUZ, TOGETHER MADE IT NOW OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS THE FIRST DAY OF THE OFFICIAL YEAR (NOWRUZ)
- AS IT WAS THE DAY THE SUN ENTERED ARIES JUST BEFORE NOON, AND ALL THIS WAS TOLD AS PER THE IRANIAN SCIENTIST, TUSI.
Now that we know a bit about Nowruz, we can see why the influence of the Norooz Limoges Boxes was a major influence by the egg (birth due to new life).
Even though once again made from porcelain, it did have like the other Limoge boxes, its special artistry, images and extras like gold, pearl and other valuable materials and sometimes non physical value, like a depiction of a religious moment, image or even event.
Some of these eggs, was of such beauty and intricacy, the Char of Persia (what Iran was known as back then) actually confiscated the most valuable. These were the ones which depicted their religious history-either the faults or even cruel triumphs – and kept it either hidden, in his personal vaults where it ended up lost over the years or was just plain destroyed, as it was considered to beautiful to beheld by the unworthy human eye and or mind.
