Samson Ceramics 5737856 163237467 2007-10-09T02:21:36Z Jason Quinn 48734 sp porcelain, between '''Edmé Samson''' (b [[Paris]], [[1810]]; d Paris, [[1891]]), founder of the [[Ceramics (art)|ceramics]] firm '''Samson, Edmé et Cie''' (commonly known as '''Samson Ceramics'''), was a famous copyist (and perhaps [[art forgery|forger]]) of [[porcelain]] and [[pottery]].<ref name= Grove>[http://www.artnet.com/library/07/0755/T075563.asp Grove Art Library: Edmé Samson]</ref> ==Edme Samson's ceramics== Samson began his career by making service and set piece replacements in the late 1830s. In [[1845]] he opened the ceramics firm Samson, Edmé et Cie at 7, Rue Vendôme (later Rue Béranger) in Paris, with the intention of supplying reproductions of ceramics on display in [[museums]] and private collections.<ref name= Grove/> The factory was moved to [[Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis]] in [[1864]] by Samson’s son, [[Emile Samson]] (1837–1913). The firm either drew inspiration from other factories, or directly copied their pieces.<ref name =Herald>[http://www.buenosairesherald.com/generic/note.jsp?idContent=9790 Edmé Samson: copyist or forger?] Buenos Aires Herald</ref> Designs from the factories of [[Meissen porcelain|Meissen]], [[Manufacture nationale de Sèvres|Sèvres]], [[Chelsea porcelain factory|Chelsea]], and [[Royal Crown Derby|Derby]] were among the reproductions Samson, Edmé et Cie produced, along with designs copied from and all the major factories of [[England]], [[France]] and [[Germany]].<ref name= Grove/> During the eighteenth century, the market for [[fine china]] was considerable and Sampson’s firm reproduced ceramics in a breadth of styles including the [[faience]] and [[maiolica]] types of [[Italy|Italian]] pottery, [[Persian Empire|Persian]] style dishes, [[Hispano-Moresque]] pottery (a blending of [[Islamic]] and [[Europe]]an motifs, produced during the 13th to 15th centuries), plates in the FitzHugh pattern, as well as plates designed by his fellow Frenchmen, [[Bernard Palissy]]. Another frequent style copied by the Samson firm was the [[famille rose]] and [[famille verte]] styles produced in [[China]] between 1720 and 1790. [[Imari porcelain|Imari]] wares, named for the [[Japan]]ese port where a type of richly decorated porcelain made at [[Arita, Saga|Arita]] was shipped, were also copied by Samson.<ref name =Herald/> ==Copyist or Forger== Samson, Edmé et Cie did not set out to produce copies with the intention to deceive, and claimed that all reproductions the firm produced would be distinctly [[Trademark|mark]]ed to avoid confusion with the originals. However, many of its products have been passed off as originals. The Samson firm, in many instances, attempted to distinguish their reproductions from originals. The Samson wares were produced in hard-paste porcelain, while many of the originals would have been produced from soft-paste porcelain. The [[ceramic glaze|glaze]]s utilized by the Samson firm were often [[glossy]] and somewhat glassy, the modeling stiffer, or wrong in [[Scale (ratio)|scale]], the decoration was often too heavy, and colors were often inaccurate. Leading many experts to conclude that Samson, and his firm, were merely enthusiastic, if sometimes clumsy, copyists.<ref name =Herald/> On the other hand, some Samson reproductions have only been detected by recognition of [[anachronistic]] details. Samson copies of Meissen pieces have passed for originals, since the blue [[underglaze]] ‘Ss’, Edmé’s mark, can be removed and substituted with false marks. Additionally, an [[1880]] reproduction piece by Samson, of a [[British East India Company]] [[Roll of arms|armorial]] plate shows evidence of scratchings, perhaps in an attempt to erase the Samson mark and pass the plate off as an original.<ref name =Herald/> Further complicating authenticity, numerous reproductions of Chelsea and Derby figures bear marks other than his trademark ‘Ss’, and in some instances bear no mark at all.<ref name= Grove/> It is impossible to determine when, by whom, and for what reason the Samson marks might have been removed. However, during the same period other companies were producing reproductions similar to those created by the Samson firm. In [[Hungary]] the [[Herend]] company produced famille rose pieces and armorial plates. However, unlike the Samson firm’s marks, Herend utilized both [[Impression seal|impressed]] marks and painted ones, which cannot be erased or removed.<ref name =Herald/> ==Collector's items== The Samson, Edmé et Cie company continued to produce and astounding amount of porcelain until 1969. The salesroom models were finally sold in 1979 by [[Christies]], [[London]]. Today many of the Samson’s pieces are collectors’ items.<ref name =Herald/> And ironically not all of the Samsons around are actually Samsons: some were actually produced by Herend, although the Herend mark (usually a shield with crossed paintbrushes) cannot be erased. ==References== <references/> [[Category:Ceramics manufacturers]] [[Category:Pottery]] [[Category:Porcelain]] [[Category:Art forgery]]