About Samson et Cie.

The French porcelain manufactory of Edmé Samson et Cie. was established by Edmé Samson (1810 – 1891) at 7 rue Vendôme (later rue Béranger) in Paris. In 1864, the factory was moved to Montreuil by Samson’s son, Emile Samson (1837-1913).

The firm specialised in re-creating important and rare porcelain from museums and private collections. They reproduced works including faience and majolica, Hispano-Moresque pottery, Meissen, Sevres, Chelsea, Worcester, and Derby factories often to exacting standards. They also copied early Quing dynasty famille rose, famille vert Chinese porcelains and Japanese ‘Imari’ wares.

Often these items were produced in hard-paste porcelain, while many of the originals would have been in soft-paste porcelain.

The company continued to produce porcelain and pottery until 1969, with the factory and contents being sold in 1980.

Literature:

Florence Slitine, ‘The Samson House in Paris 1845-1980 and its imitation wares’, The International Ceramics Fair and Seminar, London, 2000, 36-43.

Florence Slitine, Samson : génie de l’imitation, Paris, 2002.