Pair of Miniature Samson of Paris Cat Figurines

Porcelain : Decorative & Figurines : Samson : Cat

 

These charming miniature cat and kitten figurines have the gold anchor mark of Chelsea Staffordshire porcelains. However, they appear to be replicas produced by the House of Samson of Paris, France which became famous in their own right through their excellent copies of other porcelain houses' wares in the 19th century. They often produced hand painted versions of Meissen, Derby, Chelsea, French faience and even Chinese wares. Their items sometimes included their company mark as well as the company mark of the piece being copied. Sometimes only the original company's mark was applied. Reportedly, at times the owner removed the Samson mark to deceive their friends into thinking they owned a more expensive work of art. At any rate, this set is enchanting. Except for the position of the mother cat's tail, these are mirror images. There is a slight crack on the end of each as shown in the photos which appears to have been made during production, as they are painted over. No other damage.The porcelain is beautifully painted with cobalt blue cushions, and gold trim. They have a nice weight for being so small. The pieces measure 2.75" tall and just over 2.5" wide. They are most likely from the early 1900's.

Item ID: 1665