Gucci Cestri e Nastri Porcelain Ashtray by Limoges

Long before trend-bucking creative director Alessandro Michele brought his hallucinatory “Utopian Fantasy” campaign to Gucci, it was a modest Italian leather shop. Today, it’s an internationally renowned luxury house with an iconic logo, and vintage Gucci clothing, handbags and shoes are among high fashion's most covetable goods.

Guccio Gucci (1881–1953) admired the stylish suitcases he saw wealthy guests arrive with at the Savoy Hotel in London, where he worked as a bellhop. So, in 1921, after a stint at Franzi, a luggage company in his hometown of Florence, he opened a leather goods shop of his own.

At first, Gucci’s Florence business specialized in equestrian accessories. But as its reputation flourished, particularly among the English aristocracy, so too did its footprint. In 1938, he brought three of his sons — Aldo, Vasco and Rodolfo — into the business and expanded it to Rome and later Milan. In the mid-1930s, a League of Nations embargo against Italy pushed Gucci to experiment with alternatives to imported leather. Its woven hemp fabric from Naples, adorned with the brand’s signature diamond print, was a hit, especially among A-list celebrities. The material was first used on suitcases before finding enduring popularity on handbags. (No list of revered designer purses would be complete without Gucci.)

In the 1950s, Elizabeth Taylor carried one of Gucci’s bamboo-handled tote bags, another adaptation to material rationing. After Jackie Kennedy was seen sporting a slouchy Gucci tote in 1961, it was renamed for the First Lady. Then Grace Kelly, on a visit to the boutique in Milan, inspired Rodolfo Gucci to work with Italian illustrator and Gucci textile designer Vittorio Accornero on the Flora print in 1966. Taking cues from Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera, with its pattern of flora and insects, it was painted entirely by hand and featured no fewer than 37 colors.

In 1953, just 15 days after opening his first store on New York’s 5th Avenue, Guccio passed away at 72. The early 1970s saw store openings in Tokyo and Hong Kong, but by the late 1980s, Gucci was floundering. Rodolfo Gucci took charge in 1982, but family drama and lawsuits ensued. In 1993, Rodolfo’s son, Maurizio, transferred his shares in the company to Investcorp, ending the family’s involvement in Gucci. Dawn Mello, then-president of Bergdorf Goodman, joined as creative director in 1989. But it was Tom Ford, who took over as creative director in 1994, who ultimately revived the brand.

Ford’s racy ads, shot by photographers such as Mario Testino, stirred controversy. And his potent vision of sexed-up femininity — with “jewel-toned satin shirts unbuttoned to there,” as Vogue described his breakthrough 1995 runway show — was wildly successful. The new millennium brought new ownership — Pinault Printemps Redoute in 2004 — and a more toned-down vision from Frida Giannini, who became sole creative director in 2006. Alessandro Michele was named creative director in 2015, and the storied brand took a giant leap forward.

Find vintage Gucci clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.

Limoges porcelain has withstood the test of time for centuries. The widely cherished ceramics named for the French city and commune in which they are made are synonymous with sophistication, elegance and refinement. Today, antique Limoges dinnerware, serveware, decorative objects and other porcelain products are coveted and collected all over the world. 

The story of Limoges porcelain, which refers to porcelain made in the Limoges region of France — not by a specific factory — begins in 1768. The region is a rich source of kaolin, feldspar and quartz — vital ingredients to the production of this type of pottery.

Porcelain was first made in China and spread all over the world owing to the trade routes to the Far East established by Dutch and Portuguese merchants. Given its origin, English speakers called porcelain “fine china,” an expression you still might hear today. "Fine" indeed — for over a thousand years, it has been a highly sought-after material. Meissen Porcelain (Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen), which was founded in the Electorate of Saxony (now Germany), is one of the preeminent porcelain factories in Europe and was the first to produce true porcelain outside of Asia.

Limoges porcelain refers to porcelain produced in and near the city of Limoges — it does not refer to a specific manufacturer — and it’s distinctive for its luminous hue and bright white qualities, providing an ideal canvas for intricately detailed hand-painted decorations. (Revered Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir began his career painting plates in Limoges.)

It wasn’t long before Limoges porcelain captured the attention of King Louis XVI — the region’s first manufactory, established toward the close of the 18th century, was placed under the protection of the King’s brother, the Comte d’Artois. It was later purchased by the King and became Manufacture Royale de Limoges. The facility produced a variety of pieces, including delicate, gold-embellished trinket boxes, ornamental vessels, Rococo-style figurines and elaborate dinnerware service sets. 

Following the end of the French Revolution in 1794, Limoges porcelain was no longer restricted, and the commercial porcelain industry ballooned. 

By 1819, Limoges had four porcelain factories, and as demand for porcelain grew during the 19th century, the industry expanded in the French city. In 1853, American businessman David Haviland opened the Haviland & Co. factory in Limoges to export porcelain to the United States. The company produced several iconic serveware collections for many American presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and Rutherford B. Hayes. Bernardaud opened in the early 1860s.

By 1900, Limoges had 35 factories, which employed close to 8,000 workers. In 1925, Limoges porcelain was shown at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts — the design fair in Paris that brought global attention to the Art Deco style — where it garnered international acclaim. 

During the 20th century, Limoges factories such as Bernardaud collaborated with a range of notable artists and designers, including Franz Bischoff, Joan Miró, Raymond Loewy, Alexander Calder and Julian Schnabel, to name a few. 

Today, authentic Limoges porcelain tableware, vases and objets d’art continue to gain renown with collectors and design lovers all over the world. 

Find an extensive collection of antique Limoges porcelain on 1stDibs.