Rare Large Armorial Porcelain Tureen by Samson, Paris. Circa 1880.

A rare large and highly decorative porcelain Tureen by Samson, Paris. Circa 1880.

The Tureen is presented in elaborate form, with a beautiful shape, bold sculptural scroll handles, and raised on scrolled pedestal feet.

The surface is richly ornamented with polychrome floral sprays, stylised flowering branches and fine arabesques, applied over a crisp white porcelain ground with subtle low relief. Generous gilding defines the rim, handle, borders and scrolled details.

The Tureen is decorated with finely painted Armorial Crests bearing the Latin motto "Sic donec" meaning "Thus until" or "So long as," often interpreted as "We serve while we live". It is commonly used as a motto to signify continued service, dedication, and endurance to the end.

The composition shows Armorial shields with a diagonal band and cross motifs, surmounted by a crown and flanked by heraldic animal supporters, notably a Lion and Pegasus horse in a decorative pseudo Chinese-Armorial Samson interpretation.

This type of large-scale armorial Tureen represents one of the most ambitious categories of Samson production, combining complex modelling, heraldic subject matter and extensive gilding. Such pieces were made in limited numbers and are particularly sought after by collectors of Samson porcelain and historicist armorial wares.

Condition: Excellent with no restoration and original gilding. Signed to bottom with pseudo Chinese red-mark.

Dimensions:

Height = 19 cm (top of finial)

Width = 26.5 cm (across handles).

Depth = 19.5 cm (diameter of bowl)

*Edmé Samson (1810-1891) a French porcelain decorator. Founded his firm [Samson, Edmé et Cie] in Paris in 1845. Specialised in high-quality imitations of antique porcelain, (particularly 18th-century European, Chinese, and Japanese styles). Decoration reflects Samson’s refined reinterpretation of 18th-century Armorial and Compagnie des Indes porcelain within the elegant Parisian aesthetic of the late 19th century. Typically features coats of arms (armorial decoration), a characteristic feature of Chinese Export porcelain that Samson famously reproduced.