A homogeneous coprecipitate of a samarium/barium solution with saturated sodium tetraborate has been air-fired. The product was confirmed to be barium octoborate by X-ray diffraction. The reaction process reduced samarium from the trivalent state to form divalent samarium. The samarium(I) emission is consistent with that of samarium-doped barium octoborate prepared by ceramic methods. The Raman scattering exhibited by the product proved extremely useful. The formation of this species by this method has not been reported.