The Parisian Master of Imitation: Edmé Samson and the Art of Reproduction Edmé Samson, born in Paris in 1810, occupies a fascinatingly ambiguous position in the history of ceramics. He wasn’t a creator of wholly original forms, but rather a remarkably skilled interpreter—a copyist who elevated reproduction to an art form. His firm, Samson, Edmé et Cie, founded in 1845, became synonymous with exquisite recreations of earlier porcelain styles, particularly those from the 18th century. To label him simply as a forger would be inaccurate; Samson’s intention wasn't primarily deception, but rathe…