Samantha Marsden’s fascination with engraving began early, watching the celebrated craftsmen at gunsmith houses openly promoted for their artistry. A Country Life profile described her at the time as 41 years old and “by far one of the youngest” engravers in the UK, placing her birth year around 1972–1973. She originally intended to become a pathologist before art won out over science.

Sam completed a pre-apprenticeship in engraving at the Sir John Cass School of Art and Design, before going on to a full apprenticeship under master engraver George Lukes.

In 2011, Sam joined forces with fellow master engraver James Neville to found Sam James Ltd at the Goldsmiths’ Centre in London, creating a studio offering outstanding quality across all facets of engraving, from simple inscriptions to intricate portraiture and cutting for enamel. James Neville has described Sam’s specialism as “intricate pictures — she has a very fine artistic style.”

Samantha appeared as a guest expert on The Repair Shop across three episodes in 2023, working alongside jeweller Richard Talman on projects including restoring a faded inscription on a wedding ring and creating a new copper nameplate for a Royal Navy hat box.