Style Louis XV / Ref.13082

Manufacture Samson for L'Escalier de Cristal, Series of four Louis XVI style wall lights with parrots, after 1885

This series of four gilt bronze wall lights featuring a porcelain parrot was made for l’Escalier de Cristal after 1885, year during which Henry and Georges Pannier start to manage the store after their father Emile. Not signed, they are however illustrated in one of Henry Pannier’s notebook, under the designation « Applique Louis XV. Trois lumières. Perroquet chine sur un culot Louis XV. Niche feuillagée bronze doré »

Imagined in the pure Louis XVI style, our gilt bronze wall lights depicts moving lines giving prominence to the fullness and the emptiness. The three light arms, put together in a non symmetric way, are formed by rolled acanthus leaves, and hold by a fenced alcove with moving edges.
The alcove is adorned with stylized shells, flowers and acanthus leaves, it is used as a cage for a porcelain parrot with bright colors reminding the production of the Samson manufactory. These wall lights were very likely made there as the notebooks kept by the family teach us that the Samsom have worked for l’Escalier de Cristal at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
This earthenware makers dynasty starts in 1845 with Edmé Samson (1810-1891), painter and ceramic decorator, who bought the white mounts to other manufactories. A few years later, his son (1837-1913) succeeds to him and install a manufactory in Montreuil-sous-Bois where he specializes his production to reproduction of old Saxony, China or Japan porcelains. The manufactory knows a huge success during the International Exhibitions of 1867 and 1889, where it maintains its reputation of specialist for important dimension pieces imitating models from the most important museums such as the Louvre or the Victoria & Albert Museum. In 1891, the manufactary grows after the association between Émile and his son Léon (1868-1928) under the name Samson & Fils, therefor, it employs an important amount of workers and decorators. More than the porcelain fabrication and decoration, the manufactory Samson also had a bronze workshop for the mounts. With a rich and various production, also of a great quality, the Samson were the genius of the imitation and the best producer of antique pieces in ceramic.

The Pannier brothers only collaborate with the best artists for the realization of models proposed in their store. For instance, our gracious wall lights, undeniable very well executed, are very likely due to the mastery of a great manufactory such as the one of the Samson.