Edmé Samson built its entire business model around reproducing historical ceramics, working across Chinese export, Meissen, and various other established styles with enough skill that pieces sometimes still get mistaken for the originals today. This inkwell takes that Chinese export approach specifically, a yellow ground body decorated with white medallions, each hand-painted with polychrome red and purple flowers, and marked underneath with a pseudo Chinese red seal, part of the deliberate visual language the reproduction was styled after.
The gilt bronze top is divided into four sections, three functioning as actual wells while the fourth, fitted with a hinged lid, has no bottom at all, likely intended to hold a sponge, wafers, or something else that didn't need to sit in liquid. Samson pieces are collected in their own right now rather than dismissed as mere copies, since the firm's own output has developed a genuine following distinct from whatever original inspired each desig
Condition notes
Very good antique condition. Some wear to yellow ground and gilt; markings inside; the bronze top is a bit indented in the centre; fleabite to rim.
