Antique Edme Samson Chelsea Style Porcelain Gentleman Figurine

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This stunning antique 19th-century Edmé Samson porcelain gentleman figurine is executed beautifully in the elegant 18th-century Chelsea style. Renowned for … Read more This stunning antique 19th-century Edmé Samson porcelain gentleman figurine is executed beautifully in the elegant 18th-century Chelsea style. Renowned for their masterful emulations of high-connoisseur European ceramics, the celebrated Samson factory of Paris perfectly captured the whimsey and luxury of the English Rococo period with this exquisite piece. Standing a substantial 9 3/4 inches tall, it serves as a highly striking showcase item that will instantly elevate any fine antique porcelain collection.

The figurine depicts a dapper eighteenth-century gentleman standing in a graceful, swaying pose, captured in a moment of quiet pastoral contemplation as he inspects delicate foliage in his hands. He is meticulously attired in a brilliant, hand-painted ensemble featuring a vibrant pink patterned waistcoat, a soft green vest with gilded trim, and white breeches adorned with delicate blue and yellow polka dots. The lower cuffs of his breeches boast a beautiful vertical pattern of hand-painted pink roses, showcasing the incredible precision of the artisan's brushwork.

Framing the gentleman is a magnificent, dense porcelain bocage consisting of deeply molded, layered green oak leaves heavily studded with small, vibrant multi-colored flowers in shades of blue, red, white, and yellow. This lush canopy is mirrored at his feet by lower flowering shrubbery.

The entire figure stands atop an elaborate, pierced Rococo scroll base, heavily accented with rich underglaze mazarine blue, magenta hand-painted scrollwork, and fine gilded flourishes.

The reverse of the figurine features a clean, beautifully molded tree trunk support that anchors the heavy foliage. Crucial for serious collectors, the lower portion of the tree trunk prominently displays the hand-gilded Samson factory mark—a combined Gold Anchor and Dagger—which paid homage to the early Chelsea and Bow factory marks.

The back reveals the deep texture and crisp modeling of each hand-applied leaf, illustrating the high-quality craftsmanship characteristic of Edmé Samson's Parisian workshop. Viewed from all angles, this antique figurine presents exceptionally well with brilliant enamel colors, a glossy glaze, and a clean porcelain ground.

As is typical and expected with antique elaborate, multi-piece porcelain bocage items of this era, there are flea bites and leaf chips hidden within the dense foliage, on the back view of the figurine. However, as shown in the photographs, the gentleman itself, the face, limbs, and the ornate scroll base and the front leaves and flowers remain beautifully intact. See less