The Samson company was founded by Edmé Samson (1810–1891), who began his career in the late 1830s by producing replacements for porcelain services and set pieces. In 1845, he established Samson et Cie at 7, Rue Vendôme, Paris, with the goal of creating high-quality reproductions of ceramics displayed in museums and private collections. The company specialized in copying 18th-century designs from renowned factories such as Sèvres, Chelsea, Worcester, Derby, as well as Chinese and Japanese porcelain.

 

These pieces were never intended as forgeries, but their remarkable craftsmanship makes them difficult to distinguish from the originals even today. Samson focused on replicating the finest European porcelain, often reaching such an exceptional level of artistry that collectors later sought out these works as highly as the originals. The firm exhibited at the International Exposition of 1867 and the Exposition Universelle of 1889, further solidifying its reputation for excellence.