My Wishlist
Samson et Cie.
A Fine Louis XV Style Porcelain and Gilt-Bronze ‘Fontaine A Parfum’
£16,000
A Fine Louis XV Style Porcelain and Gilt-Bronze ‘Fontaine A Parfum’, by Edmé Samson et Cie. This unusual table fountain is designed with finely...
Dimensions
Height: 31 cm (13 in)Width: 26 cm (11 in)
Depth: 7 cm (3 in)
PrintDescription
A Fine Louis XV Style Porcelain and Gilt-Bronze ‘Fontaine A Parfum’, by Edmé Samson et Cie.
This unusual table fountain is designed with finely engraved rocaille gilt-bronze mounts and porcelain Swans modelled in the 18th century style of Meissen and Vincennes.
The central powder blue baluster form vase with a gilt-bronze cover and berried finial, is mounted with a mask of the river God Achelous issuing a small faucet, flanked by bulrushes and a pair of white porcelain Swans on naturalistic bases, within a pierced rocaille cast gilt-bronze base representing ‘La Source’, with water issuing from an upended vase.
With a later mahogany glazed display case.
France, Circa 1880.
Dimensions of the display case:
39 cm / 15 in. high x 39.5 cm / 15 in. Wide x 29.5 cm / 11 .5 inches Deep.
Date
Circa 1880
Origin
France
Medium
Gilt-Bronze and Porcelain
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.
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.
