In the 1990s, Starbucks had several styles of Limoges boxes produced for them and sold in their stores. Limoges is not actually the name of a company, but rather a region in France where these porcelain boxes are produced. I only own one of several porcelain boxes that were sold. The bottom of these boxes it says “Peint Main,” which means, “painted by hand” in French.
Some of you may remember that previously I took a trip to the home of a former partner, who was selling her 1990s era collection of Starbucks mugs, merchandise, and collectibles. This Limoges box came from that excursion, and so it must have sold in Starbucks between 1993 and 1998, because the former partner worked during Starbucks during that era.
I don’t know much about this adorable gem of an item, and I would completely invite you to tell me more. Maybe there are even a few Limoges box collectors on this site? I’ve spent a lot of time recently writing store reviews, and thought we needed a change of pace with something totally different. This is totally different than store reviews!
This is an open thread. Feel free to talk about anything Starbucks related! We are only one week away from the start of the 40th Anniversary festivities, including Tribute Blend. Please weigh in if you have any scoop about special events happening for the 40th, or if you’ve tried Tribute Blend, or anything else about Starbucks.
(Photos of the Limoges box taken by Molly of Seattle Custom Framing)
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Melody what a beautiful cup and saucer. Have never seen that before. This partner really had a nice collection. Re the upcoming anniversary celebration- my local SB seems to not have much info unless you ask a question of the SM. When I ask the partners, they have no clue and as of late seem like they are in a fog. I am sort of hoping that with this upcoming anniversary the store will update their interior and make it more festive. It still looks so sad. I am really looking forward to the mini treats arriving at my local SB on March 8. I also wonder if the SM or DM are going to gather the partners to make the store more lively and embrace the anniversary celebration.
This is such a rare find! I don’t rmemeber these in any Sbux….but, back in those days I was totally taking everything in Sbux for granted. I guess the lesson is: everything will disappear, sooner or later. Sadly in the case of Sbux, it all seems to have been replaced by VIA and 7-11-type snacks.
re: next week. I was told by one of the partners (and the manager) that it’s gonna be ‘REALLY BIG’ …bigger than any Christmas display, she said. All the stores (almost all) around here are looking very bare, too. I assume this, at this time, is to rid the stores of almost all the current ‘stuff’…..to be replaced by ..whatever the really really BIG event is next week. I haven’t been able to taste “Tribute” yet but most descriptions I’ve heard are Indonesian like…Sumatra, Christmas blend etc.
we;ll see!
Very nice find indeed! These treasures are so precious – odd that the 90s are now considered vintage!
My family has collected various items: porcelain, crystal and the like. I will see if I can provide more history on Limoges to share.
Judi
Wow, this is a curio. The Limoges box has the crafter’s love.
I wanted you to photograph something to be able to compare size. For example, Starbucks card. 🙂
I cannot go to the McCaw Hall but I am excited about 40th Anniversary festivities.
These are really lovely. I like rare little Starbucks things like this.. 🙂
Wow, I LOVE that box. Fantastic! I wish I saw more stuff as unique and cool as that in stores these days. Though I do enjoy a lot of the mugs they make. And I’m very enthused to see what new merch comes about next Monday! I had a brief conversation with a barista at a Starbucks in Target who told me they’re getting all new everything—new aprons, some new coffee bags (I assume the meant the packages), new mugs and cards. I’m so excited!
I wish the merchandise SB sells now would have the same charm as this Limoges. I guess I see it as a cup and saucer and not a box. This is surely something worth keeping.
That is a really cute Limoges box…never seen anything like it.
There is a Starbucks in the lobby of my office building, and they’re business as usual. Nothing mentioning a 40th, or a celebration.
No info to offer, but that sure is lovely! Thanks for sharing these great collectables with us, I really enjoy reading about them!
Time for another cup of Pike’s Place, I think!
A
Wow! Really rare. Thanks so much for sharing this Melody. I always love seeing all the different products that Starbucks produces…The problem is…LOL!….It makes me want one! 😉
I didnt know starbucks ever made these! again you introduce me to something new from starbucks 🙂 This tiny box has got to be one of the cutest items I have seen from starbucks…I havent read the other comments yet but I’m hoping to sdee/hear more about these boxes! Thank you again for sharing. I love your merchandise posts as much as the coffee posts!
P.S. I didn’t mention above but yesterday I got to try the Tribute Blend in a French Press thanks to my favorite barista in Carmel, IN! The blend is pretty bold but has a nice balance. The Tribute Blend is a blend of 4 coffees according to what I was told. Sumatra is one of the coffees blended – I’m not usually a big fan of Sumatra but it’s not predominant in this blend. I could see this drink pairing well with something chocolate. I wish we had a Clover Starbucks in my region so I could try it in a Clover. 🙂
@Nob – If I send you a loaded $5 gift card, you can’t use it? Well, you could save it for your next trip to Seattle. You have to come back again. There will be more Starbucking to do when you come back.
@Lori – I really like the Tribute Blend. It’s so complex, I have to have it a couple of times. That is a bold bold coffee!
@Lynoth – Pike Place Roast isn’t my favorite (it’s not actually “Pike’s” though I realize everyone says that, it’s not correct) though there are a number of lighter coffees that I really do like. If you are looking for a change of pace, try the Organic Shade Grown Mexico at home – amazing coffee, and pretty light roast. Also, at your local grocery you can find the new SBC Levels coffee, and levels 1 through 3 are pretty light. I had Level 3 SBC coffee at an airport recently and I was very happy with it, though it’s a milder coffee. Of course, drink whatever you like, but I thought I’d throw out some coffee ideas for other things to try!
To everyone:
If you would like a $5 gift card (Starbucks gift card) send an email with your postal address to Sbux206 [at] StarbucksMelody.com [dot] com. Warning though, I’ll probably get all the cards, envelopes, and such together over the weekend, so it might be one week before it goes out in the mail.
I’ll be happy to send out 3 or 4 more before I close this contest. I’m glad others like the Limoges Box as much as I do.
When people talk about merchandise now, it’s nothing compared to the Starbucks of the 1990s!
Melody,
Exactly, I can not use that. So, please exclude me from a person of contest. 😉
This is a beautiful piece. Thanks for posting it, Melody.
I’m quite surprised that this dates as recently as the 90’s. It has me thinking about the power of the Starbucks brand compared to others, in making “collectibles” like this. We don’t see many brands that care enough about longevity and heritage to create things like this for their fans. Starbucks is obviously one of them. Great post!
Very cool collectibles. I wish I have tried the Tribute blend..from what a Starbucks manager told me, its a great bold with beans from all regions and I truly cannot wait to try it (It comes out just in time for my birthday for me to treat myself to a few bags).
Okay thanks everyone for playing in this morning’s contest. To anyone who posted BEFORE this comment right now, send an email to Sbux206@StarbucksMelody.com with your postal address if you want a gift card. Please note, they probably won’t go out in the mail for one week. I have to work! I’ve received two emails with addresses so far.
Comment contest now closed.
*****
Also, please consider clicking the Amazon Widget and buying the book Onward (or whatever else you might buy) from this site’s Amazon.com widget. I figure that many people will buying Onward anyways, and it’s a small way that you can help offset my operating costs for this blog.
Just gorgeous! Melody – that is so beautiful! You find the most amazing things to share.
I’m excited about your new widget too.
(I got my new phone!! I can post again!) I’m off to try to catch up
Crazy…I had No idea Starbucks ever sold that type of thing. One of my favorite baristas showed me the new Starbucks card for the anniversary (the bright green one). But hadn’t sampled the Tribute yet I don’t think. Excited for next week!
(sent you an email)
re: next week: BIG countdown on the board at Streets, and a sign about “Tribute” and order now etc. Some stores say zero and are empty, others, still on the empty side, really seem to be amping up.
Denise – I am suddenly noticing pre-order forms all over downtown Seattle, plus signs with a big countdown to Tribute Blend. Before the signs and pre-order forms, talk of Tribute Blend was hush hush! I’m going to end up with like 15 pounds of it for sure by the time I get several pounds from each of my favorite stores. I have no doubt, we’ll see a Tribute Blend giveaway at some point in the future.
Wow, Denise and Melody, that’s really interesting! I didn’t notice any kind of signage or especially order forms for the new Tribute Blend. Maybe they will be up later in the week, but for now there stores around here are pretty bare…the Casi Cielo is long gone and I really never saw much Valentine merch except one mug and it wasn’t the Adler one either 🙁
I hope Tucson isn’t missing out on stuff…well more than the lack of Reserve.
@Hayley – I am sure that Tuscon won’t be missing out on Tribute Blend! You’ll get it too! Yes, there really wasn’t hardly anything in the way of Valentine’s Day merchandise. Seeing the sign up sheets everywhere makes me wonder if every store has high goals for selling Tribute Blend. And that in itself doesn’t make total sense to me, I assume since it is a limited coffee, stores will just be selling it fast. It’s going to fly off the shelves!
I don’t suspect that Tucson will miss out on the Tribute blend…but I definitely think it will sell out fast!! We usually get smaller quantities. I just love hearing about all the hype leading up Tuesday, and I want Tucson to get excited too!! 🙂
@Hayley and Melody: the hype re: Tribute varies wildly around here! I’m guessing once they (corp) realized that it was ‘out’ and had been written about, here and there, hit or miss, they decided to (suddenly) make a big to-do over it. (besides the normal emptying out of all the stores…pretty much)
As I said, the Clover store I was at on Monday…..was making pretty much a big do re: next week, overall….countdown to “BIG surprise” next week, Tribute announcement & order sheet.
Yesterday, at my regular store, they had BOGO on many of the tumblers, which had already been marked down. too bad I already had them. (and don’t need another tumbler anyway)
I still am sad to see the old logo go…..
this blog is just a great place!!!!! 🙂
My local SB is so sad looking and absolutely no mention of the Tribute coffee or anything related to next week’s celebration. Yesterday afternoon I saw a box with a note re when to put the sign up but when I asked about it they said the logo sign was not coming down for the new logo sign. That can’t be true? There just did not seem like there was any excitement by the partners nor the SM.
@purple1 i do wish the merchandizers would look back on some of the old stuff and bring back the charm as opposed to the convience store stuff we’re getting now
This is so adorable! i have many starbucks ornaments, and not much room for decorations but that is cute! i do wish there were some seasonal pretty items like the ornaments seasonally!
I’ve been to 2 different starbucks in Boston the last week and none seems to have signs for the anniversary. The day it comes out, I cannot wait to try it in the clover press.
Amy in Boston I think there are some SB in Cambridge that have signs for the anniversary, however, I find it so interesting how different SB stores in different regions are responding to next week’s events. Perhaps communications from corporate or each region is lacking something.
Aren’t they beautiful, I was very lucky to attend a wedding in Limoges only last year. It’s a very beautiful part of France.
I’m expecting a Tribute blend blog post from you ASAP! 🙂
And I’m sorry, Melody, I wish I had seen this blog post yesterday… I already preordered Onward and would have used your link had I known about it. :/
@Tobias – Well I hope you’ll use the Amazon widget for something else. It doesn’t matter what you buy from it, it all counts! As to the Tribute blog article, I doubt it will be asap. I don’t think I have anything more to say that hasn’t already been covered in the official mystarbucksidea.com blogs. And I don’t know of any Tribute Blend coffee events happening that I could write about. Probably mini treats will be a topic soon – I can eat my way through a blog post. 😉
@Amazonv – I sometimes wonder if the merchandise people have forgotten what used to be available in the stores. They don’t have a basis of comparison!
It would be interesting to hear from someone at the SSC that has been there for a while to understand how in-store marketing and merchandise are now handled compared to how they were in the past. It seems like there is a much smaller crew and they tend to do both jobs. There is so much VIA promotion and merchandise and it’s so obviously connected to VIA goals instead of enhancing the store and retail purchase experience.
Long gone are the items like these Limoges boxes and so many other thoughtful items. For what it’s worth, I also miss the in-store promotions about beverages (t-shirts/posters/etc.) and even the Akeela and the Bee promotion. Re the Bee, I looked up some google images of the Starbucks promotion of that movie and while that promo was heavily dismissed by many customers (and the movie tanked), looking back, the promotion was quite thoughtful with the spelling words on flash cards, beverage sleeves, an in-store “spelling bee champ” seat and even Scrabble boards for sale. It’s certainly a far cry from the VIA “cheese grater” mugs and hot water heater.
@denise you nailed it. Everything looks so horrible to me right now though! And the setup is bigger than Christmas. it’s a little over board if you ask me. I’m sorry, but parts of it just make me laugh. I have to admit i’m not too excited for most of the merch. And I really REALLY wanted to be!
I am pumped for the mini treats and tribute blend. I can’t say how much I love this blend. (even though the secrecy about it is hilarious! ) I love too, how at this point I know my customers well and know who to will love this! So, as far as sampling ect, I’m super excited for that 🙂
@Lori it’s actually at the end nearer to medium as far as bolds go. it’s very mild for a bold. The body is medium and it has a high acidity for a bold. It does have 4 kinds of coffee in it. It is a post roast, which is rare for starbucks, but that’s how they achieved the taste that they were going for. I too found the aged sumatra to be very mild, especially compared to any other blend I’ve tasted it in. I think the peaberry and the columbia are predominant and think it tastes like chocolate and berries! Although, I had some today w/ something spicy and it became a bit spicier, but not overwhelmingly so.
re excitement for anniversary: I think more than anything quite a few people are a bit stressed out. It’s a big deal and everyone needs to have so much done before then.
There will also be lots of marque events coming up where cafes from whole cities participate in community service together, but that won’t be stressed yet as it’s not until April.
@CD: I remember (now that you mention it) that Akeelah stuff very well! How elaborate that was (so recently, relatively) compared to now, and as you said, all things VIA!!! I actually really liked the movie, have the cd and book, which ironically I just ran into the book yesterday and moved it from one bookcase to another…on its way to give-away. And the cd, I remember burning it for a friend and her kids.
But, the point is yes, Sbux did alot of cute things with all that, and the ‘words’ etc.
I really hope whatever ‘really really’ big plans they are talking about for next week….pan out.
Now I so want to have this! Makes me wonder if there will be a Dijon mustard jar sold someday, or even pain d’épices and nonnettes! 😀
@FrenchBean – perhaps Dijon mustard is coming to Starbucks and we don’t know it yet! Think of it as the next condiment for the sandwiches and breakfast items! 😉 😉
If you like Starbucks and Limoges boxes, this is a match made in heaven! There is also a Starbucks Coffee Pot Limoges, a Starbucks Coffee Percolator Limoges and a Starbucks Table Limoges.