Gilded Age

A fine quality French kingwood and marquetry, ormolu-mounted Bureau plat, signed Linke. Having three frieze drawers to one side, dummy drawers to the reverse, inset Moroccan leather...

A fine quality and rare pair of late 19th century French Louis XVI style pedestals by Francoise Linke. Each having their original marble tops, wonderful gilded ormolu mounts depicting ribbons, swags, Lion masks and rococo mouldings...

French rare 19th century cabinet. Kingwood and parquetry with fine quality gilt bronze mounts. Clock on top. Signed Francois Linke      

A stunning and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XV st. kingwood and ormolu barometer/thermometer, signed F. Linke. The barometer is centered by a fine richly chased f...

Large and very fine Francois Linke roll top desk French late 19th-early 20th century Bureau a cylindre, index number 393. Paris. Acajou and satine cu...

Louis XV style vitrine by François Linke (1855 - 1946) Made of gilt bronze mounted wood, with a violet breccia marble top, front and beveled glass pa...

One of only three of its kind, this commode was crafted by the famed and highly celebrated ébéniste François Linke. Blending the stunning marquetry of the Louis XV and XVI styles with the elegance of Art Nouveau, the commode exemplifies Linke's skilled craftsmanship. Inspired by François Alix's iconic "Meuble Soleil" design, Linke's creation showcases his signature genius in every aspect of the commode's construction. The superior quality of the breche marble shelves and top, marquetry and ormolu that form the undulating body of the cabinet serve as a testament to Linke’s unwavering dedication to perfection. The craftsman spared no expense, investing significant time and utilizing only the finest materials to create this work of art. Tens of thousands of hand-wrought chisel marks are visible within the ormolu frieze of scrolling foliage. The breathtaking marquetry landscape on the front is perhaps the commode's greatest feature, depicting a radiant sun bursting from behind trees, elegantly enhanced by Linke's unmistakable signature on the lower right molding and on the inside of the inner cabinets. For Linke, winning the coveted Gold Medal at the 1900 Paris Exhibition Universelle confirmed his already solid reputation as France's leading ébéniste. His work had long been admired for its exceptional quality and unique interpretation of the Louis XV style. Born in Bohemia in 1855, Linke moved to Paris in 1881 where he established his now-famous workshop and showroom. Word of Linke's superior work spread quickly through France, and he soon eclipsed even the finest furniture houses in Paris. Today, Linke is counted among the most important furniture makers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and his work is dearly coveted by collectors. As one of the most masterful furniture designers and bronziers of his time, François Alix would only supply designs and bronze pieces to the most skilled of his contemporaries. Linke chose this unique design personally and only produced three versions of this remarkable piece, with the first one crafted in 1910. A similar commode is housed in the Royal Collection Trust...

Superior craftsmanship and elegant adornment characterize these exceptional, matching pair of mahogany twin beds by François Linke, the most influent...

A fantastic late 19th century gilt bronze-mounted Louis XV style kingwood centre table By François Linke With serpentine-grey and yellow marble top, above a frieze drawer centr...

Rare and Beautiful 19th century French inlaid pedestal after Francoise Linke around 1900 very good conditions

Magnificent composition for this clock in marble and chiselled, gilded and patinated bronze depicting Venus disarming Cupid, who begs the goddess to return him bow and arrow. The whi...

A very special and Palatial early 20th century Louis XV style gilt bronze mounted Mahogany and Bois Satine Parquetry Bureau a Cylindre by François Linke François Linke – Index Num...

A rare and fantastic quality late 19th century Louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted inlaid marquetry and parquetry center table By Franc¸ois Linke. Franc¸ois Linke. The crossbanded oval top with central parquetry panel surrounded by floral and ribbon tie marquetry, above frieze with four drawers, bronze mounted tapering legs joined by a bronze mounted stretcher. Signed F. Linke to the top corner of one leg Back of lock stamped Ct. Linke and the number 402. Linke was born in Pankraz in Bohemia and was celebrated by the French as one of the greatest ébénistes of meubles de style at the turn of the century. He began his apprenticeship with a Bohemian master at the age of thirteen. Four years later, he toured Austria, settling and working in Vienna for two years. Linke arrived in Paris in 1875, and by 1881 he had established his own small workshop at 170 rue du Faubourg St. Antoine. Taking 18th century styles as his starting point and adapting earlier styles to contemporary taste, Linke produced fine quality furniture, steadily expanding his business during the next 20 years. He firmly established his reputation after receiving a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900 for his extraordinary Grand Bureau. He continued to use international fairs as a means of exploring new markets, exhibiting at the 1904 World’s Fair...

A palatial and superb early 20th century gilt bronze Mounted Louis XVI style Mahogany Vitrine by François Linke François Linke The arched top with scrolled corners and centered by a laurel wreath and crossed acanthus branches, above a central large door at top by a lyre on drapery-covered plinth, flanked by scrolling acanthus, with a smaller door to each side hung with floral swags and with central oval plate, the divides cast with a slender flower-filled vase, the interior with adjustable shelves and drawers to the bottom, on shaped foliate-cast plinth and acanthus-capped tapering feet. Inscribed F. Linke to the top right bronze mount and stamped “C LINKE” on the back of the locks. Linke was born in Pankraz in Bohemia and was celebrated by the French as one of the greatest ébénistes of meubles de style at the turn of the century. He began his apprenticeship with a Bohemian master at the age of thirteen. Four years later, he toured Austria, settling and working in Vienna for two years. Linke arrived in Paris in 1875, and by 1881 he had established his own small workshop at 170 rue du Faubourg St. Antoine. Taking 18th century styles as his starting point and adapting earlier styles to contemporary taste, Linke produced fine quality furniture, steadily expanding his business during the next 20 years. He firmly established his reputation after receiving a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900 for his extraordinary Grand Bureau. He continued to use international fairs as a means of exploring new markets, exhibiting at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, the Liege in Belgium and the 1908 Franco-British exhibition in London. Linke’s highly original designs sprang from the Régence and Rococo styles but were imbued with something quite new – Rococo curves were laden with gilt-bronze sculptural mounts in the tradition of A.-C. Boulle (1642-1732) or Charles Cressent (1685-1758). Stylistically, the new designs still adhered to the Rococo; the novelty, however, was Linke’s fusion of the Rococo with the liveliness and the fluidity of the ‘art nouveau’. The Revue called Linke’s creations entierement nouveau, and continued to say that ‘Linke’s stand...

A wonderful early 20th century gilt bronze mounted king size mahogany bed By François Linke With cartouche-shaped headboard, footboard an...

A very fine early 20th century Louis XV style gilt bronze mounted three-leg Grand Erard piano. By François Linke. Beautiful quarter veneered case inlaid with cartouche panels surmounted by a hinged lid, with great quality pierced foliate bronze mounts running down each leg, finishing off with lion paw feet. Signed F. Linke to the bronze clasp on the side leg, The movement stamped with Erard serial number 97037 and patent stamps, the interior of the case further stamped F. TURBEC/A LEMOINE. Erard is the oldest and most prestigious French piano manufacturer. The firm was founded by Sebastian...

A Fantastic Late 19th/Early 20th Century Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Commode By François Linke François Linke – Index no. 599 Brèche d’ Alep marble top above one long bronze mounted drawer, the center two drawers bronze mounted with floral wreath and bird, the base mounted with a tambourine and flowing curtains. Signed F. Linke to the right-hand chute, locked stamped Ct. Linke and the number 599. Pictured on Page 493 and Daybook Entry on Page 477 in “François Linke 1855-1946 The Belle Epoque of French Furniture” By Christopher Payne. Designed in 1900, this model commode was conceived en suite with a dressing table, index number 600, and a double bed, number 601. Although clearly started in 1899, a note in the Blue Daybook shows that the ciseleur enriched the chasing on the bronzes much later, in September 1902, and with a fleur de pêcher marble top costing 110 francs. Whereas two of the matching beds and dressing tables were made, Linke made five versions of this commode between 1899 and 1910, with one example made for the compagnie nationale de Buenos-Aires in 1908. Linke was born in Pankraz in Bohemia and was celebrated by the French as one of the greatest ébénistes of meubles de style at the turn of the century. He began his apprenticeship with a Bohemian master at the age of thirteen. Four years later, he toured Austria, settling and working in Vienna for two years. Linke arrived in Paris in 1875, and by 1881 he had established his own small workshop at 170 rue du Faubourg St. Antoine. Taking 18th century styles as his starting point and adapting earlier styles to contemporary taste, Linke produced fine quality furniture, steadily expanding his business during the next 20 years. He firmly established his reputation after receiving a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900 for his extraordinary Grand Bureau. He continued to use international fairs as a means of exploring new markets, exhibiting at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, the Liege in Belgium and the 1908 Franco-British exhibition in London. Linke’s highly original designs sprang from the Régence and Rococo styles but were imbued with something quite new – Rococo curves were laden with gilt-bronze sculptural mounts in the tradition of A.-C. Boulle (1642-1732) or Charles Cressent (1685-1758). Stylistically, the new designs still adhered to the Rococo; the novelty, however, was Linke’s fusion of the Rococo with the liveliness and the fluidity of the ‘art nouveau’. The Revue called Linke’s creations entierement nouveau, and continued to say that ‘Linke’s stand...

A Very Special Early 20th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Kingwood, Satiné, Holly and Hornbeam Marquetry “Coquille” Table by François Linke François Linke – Index Number 544 The beautifully curved table excellently designed, with a shell top and of a vegetable marquetry, the top flips open to a decorated marquetry landscape scene with a swan on a lake, with three separate compartments and standing on cabriole legs headed by pierced rocaille-cast clasps running to scrolled sabots. Signed F. Linke to the right hand clasp. The same model is pictured on Linkes’ 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle stand (page 123), along with a large full page colored sample of the table on page 137, in “François Linke 1855-1946 The Belle Epoque of French Furniture” By Christopher Payne. Combining traditional Louis XV values with the modern idiom of the Art Nouveau, this table of unusual and innovative design, is a seminal item of Belle Époque furniture...

A Fine French 19th-20th Century Louis XVI Style Mahogany, Tulipwood and Gilt-Bronze (Ormolu) Mounted Belle Époque Guéridon Circular Side-Table with a Parquetry Top, by François Linke (1855-1946). The single-drawer end table inset with a symmetrical parquetry top an ormolu frieze, the apron with bow-tied swagged floral wreaths, the corners with fruit and acorns ormolu mounts, raised on four tapered legs topped with chased rings and inset spigots, all raised on bell-shaped sabots. Signed on top trim: F. Linke. Circa: Paris, 1890-1900. François Linke (1855-1946) was one of the most celebrated ébénistes of his time. Born in Pankraz, Bohemia, Linke moved to Paris in 1875 and six years later established independent ateliers at 170, rue de Faubourg St. Antoine. As was the practice among contemporaries and noteworthy predecessors, such as Alfred Beurdeley and Henry Dasson, Linke initially produced furniture derived from styles popular during the 18th century ancien régime. By 1900, his worldwide reputation as an individualistic master of high quality furniture was already established. However, with a huge display, placing his extravagant pieces in room settings and winning the Médaille d'Or for his Grand Bureau...

FRANCOIS LINKE LOUIS XV CARVED WOOD MARBLE TOP CONSOLE TABLE, CIRCA 1890, By Francois Linke. The table is composed of a veined marble top rais...

A parquetry inlaid side table, having a hinged top, opening to reveal a shaped and divided compartment within. The bronze trimmed cartouche formed top with cross banding intertwined ...

This is a gorgeous pair of French Louis XVI style signed Francois Linke Cane back and seated walnut side chairs. They are in good condition with minor signs of age and use but nothin...

A Very Fine French 19th century Louis XV Style Ormolu-Mounted Kingwood and Satinwood Parquetry Vernis Martin Decorated Meuble D'Appui Side-Cabinet by François Linke (1855-1946) - Index Number 204 - Paris. The serpentine Griotte de Campan Rouge marble top above a single bombé door painted with a scène of a couple running through the forest flanked by cupids and angels over a waterfall, the interior fitted with one wooden shelf, the front angles each with a scrolling foliate clasp, the bombé sides decorated with square parquetry fields, on cabriole legs and acanthus-cast sabots. The lockplate engraved 'Ct. LINKE - PARIS'. The ormolu cast stamped 'FL' on the back. Circa: Paris, 1890-1900. François Linke (1855-1946) was one of the most celebrated ébénistes of his time. Born in Pankraz, Bohemia, Linke moved to Paris in 1875 and six years later established independent ateliers at 170, rue de Faubourg St. Antoine. As was the practice among contemporaries and noteworthy predecessors, such as Alfred Beurdeley and Henry Dasson, Linke initially produced furniture derived from styles popular during the 18th century ancien régime. By 1900, his worldwide reputation as an individualistic master of high quality furniture was already established. However, with a huge display, placing his extravagant pieces in room settings and winning the Médaille d'Or for his Grand Bureau...

A Wonderful Late 19th Century Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Guéridon By François Linke François Linke – Variant to Index no. 146 The beautiful alabaster fiorito top above the ...

A magnificent antique gilt-bronze mounted mahogany, kingwood, satiné trellis parquetry, and satinwood marquetry center table attributed to Francois Linke. The circular parquetry top...

A French Ormolu Mounted Tulip-Wood Vitrine by Francois Linke Circa 1890 Origin: Paris Height: 66.5" (168cm) Width: 34.5" (87cm) Depth: 17" (43cm) Good condition Ind...

19th Century. French. Bronze-mounted. Signed Linke. Original marble top.

A Rare François Linke 'Suite de Chambre À Coucher', index number 1447 Paris, circa 1905-1906. Comprising of two beds, two bed side tables and a wardrobe. Having acajou and oeil de vermeil cube parquetry, the wardrobe with two shelves and an adjustable shelf-drawer, both bedside tables with fleur de pêcher marble tops and white marble lined interior, Signed F. Linke to the right-hand sides chutes. Dimensions of beds: Height: 63 1/2 in Width 61 in Length 6 ft. 10 1/2 in. (161.5 cm; 155 cm; 209.5 cm) Dimensions of Wardrobe: Height: 99 in Width: 57 1/2 in Depth: 19 1/2 in (251.4 cm; 146 cm; 49.55 cm) Side Tables: Height: 32 in Width: 16 in Depth 16 in (81.2 cm; 40.6 cm; 40.6 cm) Literature: C. Payne, François Linke, p. 445, pl. 526, showing a slight variant of the present pair of double beds in a watercolor interior project from the Linke Archives Notes: Linke title: Lit Louis XV...

Large Louis XVI style secretaire in mahogany marquetry in frames of light wood and ebony fillets, rich ornamentation of very finely chiseled gilt bronze such as flower garlands, inte...

An Exceptionally Rare and Important Louis XV Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Marquetry Inlaid Centre Table by François Linke, the Mounts Designed by Léon Messagé. Linke Index No. 930. Signed 'Linke' to the upper bronze moulding. Stamped 'FL' to the reverse of the bronze mounts. Stamped to the carcass 'Made in France’. Of exhibition quality this magnificent table has a fine marquetry inlaid top and sumptuous gilt-bronze mounts, designed and sculpted by Léon Messagé. The shaped gilt-bronze mounted serpentine top is finely inlaid with scrolling bois de bout floral marquetry, above an undulating frieze set to the front with a long drawer and centred by a female mask, the sides are mounted with exuberant scallop-shell mounts and the angles with lively and emotive female espagnolettes emblematic of Modestie and Coquetterie; the table is raised on cabriole legs terminating in shell-capped scrolled sabots. A rare example in Linke’s oeuvre, the table is a variation of a larger example index number 930, described by Linke as modèle riche, which included an elaborate stretcher with banner-bearing cherubs based on Léon Messagé's celebrated sculptural group 'La Source' (illustrated C. Payne, François Linke: The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, Woodbridge, 2003; p.172, Pl. 186). Linke workshop's cliché of the larger modèle riche is illustrated in C. Payne, François Linke: The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, Woodbridge, 2003; p.483. The exceptional sculptural mounts are characteristic of the very finest 19th Century furniture created through François Linke and Léon Messagé’s collaboration. Messagé’s enhanced Louis XV Rococo style embraces the asymmetrical lines of designers such as J.A. Meissonnier, to create lively and emotive figures linked by sinuous encadrement, but cleverly modernised to reflect the surge of popularity of the Art Nouveau. The female busts, referred to by Linke as Coquetterie et Modestie, although reminiscent of the paintings of François Boucher and Flaconet have moved on in their design from the classical espagnolette, introduced by Charles Cressent in the 18th century, to become something new and vital. Designed for the celebrated 'Commode coquille: Coquetterie et Modestie' (index 559), presented at his award-winning stand at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, (C. Payne, François Linke: The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, Woodbridge, 2003; p.142-144, pl. 151), Linke was obliged to purchase their design at a tremendous cost from Messagé. First castings began in 1897 and they proved fruitful for Linke, becoming a favourite mount, repurposed by Linke for use on a number of important designs. The larger version of the current table was intended to be displayed en suite with the commode but was not ready in time for the exhibition. It was first exhibited at the Salon des Industries du Mobilier in 1902, and again in Liège in 1905 (C. Payne, François Linke: The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, Woodbridge, 2003; p. 170-173). Available in three sizes, 132 cm x 72 cm, 138 x 75 cm and an even larger version (index no. 965) the design proved popular with Linke’s clientele, which included commissions supplied to Elias Meyer in 1909 (Illustrated C. Payne; p.243, pl. 258), Madame d’Astoreca in 1910, Antonio Devoto...

A Louis XVI style table Ambulante By Francois Linke The master ébéniste using kingwood and tulipwood to great effect, with foliate ormolu mounts, rising form hoof-foot and acanth...

A very rare Louis XVI style gilt-bronze and glass, Pendule a cage, by Francois Linke, with a white marble base. Linke Index no. 076'. Linke Title: 'pendule a cage'. Signed to th...

A Marquetry-Inlaid Pedestal in the Louis XV Style Index no. 184 Of elegant bombé form with bookmatched kingwood crossbanding and floral marquetry to all sides on a bois satiné gr...

An important and rare gilt-bronze, mahogany and Bois Satiné centre table, with campan rubané marble top. By François Linke. Linke index number 1103. The g...

An important gilt-bronze mounted parquetry inlaid piano a queue, by François Linke, the Movement by Erard.  Signed 'F.Linke' on the keyboard cover mold...

A Rare Belle Epoque Gilt-Bronze Mounted Parquetry Inlaid Grand Buffet, By François Linke, The Mounts Designed by Léon Messagé. Signed to the right corner clasp ‘Linke’ The enamel...

A gilt-bronze mounted parquetry envelope card table by François Linke. Signed to the gilt-bronze 'Linke'. This fine card table has a swivel top, with four 'envelope' panels, ...

A fine Louis XV style gilt-bronze mounted petit corner vitrine by François Linke. The gilt-bronze mounts stamped to the reverse 'FL'. The back of the lock stamped 'C.T. LINKE'. ...

A Louis XV Style gilt-bronze mounted bureau plat by François Linke. The rectangular top inset with a green leather writing surface with gilt-tooled border, within a gilt-bronze su...

A rare Belle Epoque gilt-bronze mounted vitrine pedestal By François Linke, Paris. Signed 'F. Linke / Paris'. Reverse of the bronze mounts...

Ormolu, kingwood, bois satine and parquetry side table by Linke France, Late 19th/Early 20th century Dimensions: Height 86cm, width 81cm, depth 50cm Designed in the Louis XV st...

A Fine Louis XV Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Bombé Vitrine With Vernis Martin Panels, by François Linke. French, Circa 1900. Signed 'F. Linke' to one bronze mount. The reverse ...

A very fine Louis XVI style gilt bronze-mounted marquetry commode after a model by Jean-Henri Riesener by François Linke. French, circa 1905. Linke Index No. 10. Signed 'F...

A fine Louis XVI style gilt bronze and white marble clock depicting Diana and Cupid, by François Linke.  French, circa 1890. Signe...

Kingwood, Vernis Martin and Gilt-Bronze mounted side cabinet by Linke French, Late 19th Century Height 127cm, width 147cm, depth 50cm Made in the late-nineteenth century in the height of the French Belle Époque, this exceptional ormolu, kingwood, and Vernis Martin cabinet...

A rare and unusual Louis XV style gilt-bronze mounted and marquetry inlaid Bureau de Dame by François Linke. French, circa 1890. Signed to the gilt-bronze rim ‘Linke’. Stampe...

A Magnificent Regence Style gilt bronze Mounted Trellis Parquetry Bureau Plat by François Linke. French, circa 1890. Linke Index No. 795. Signed to the gilt bronze border ‘F....

An important Louis XVI style gilt bronze-mounted commode, after the model by Jean-Francois Leleu by François Linke. French, circa 1910. Linke index number: 1127. Linke title: 'Commode Louis XVI, Bois d'amarante et de rose.' Signed ‘Linke’ to the right-hand side chute. This distinguished commode is quarter veneered in mahogany with bois de violette banding and boxwood stringing. It is furnished with finely cast gilt-bronze mounts and surmounted by a brèche violette marble top. It appears that Linke bought the rights to make this commode from the Vente Cueunières in 1902, although there is no trace of it being made by him until the summer of 1908 and there is no entry in the Blue Daybooks for this model. The green registres have two pages devoted to the making of the commodes, the first at a cost of 1,540 and 40 centimes, with eight more made in the intervening years, the last, a pair, in 1927 with the cost price escalating to 8,529 francs. The registre is not entirely clear, but it appears that Clément Linke, father and son, made the locks for this model. The cabinetmaking was exclusively by Guntren who took 496 hours per commode, paid 85 centimes in 1908 rising to 5 francs 75 cents for the last pair. Linke priced this commode at 3,000 French francs, noting in his book 'original est de Leleu est à Trianon.' The original commode by Leleu, on loan from the Petit Trianon, is shown in a line engraving in the retrospective part of the Exposition de l' Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, 1882, De Champeau & Others, 'Les arts du bois,' pub. Quantin, 1883, p. 80. The commode entered the Petit Trianon in 1867 on the occasion of an earlier exhibition dedicated to the memory of Marie-Antoinette, organised under the patronage of the Empress Eugénie. Jean-François Leleu A pupil and later collaborator with Jean-François Oeben, Jean-François Leleu became maître on the latter’s death in 1763. His work can be divided into two concurrent but distinct styles: the first owing more to the legacy of Oeben, being of large, solid forms, more noble in style; the second, although retaining the clean, definite lines of the first, being an exercise in elegance and understatement. It is this second style for which Leleu is chiefly remembered and which the present commode, with its lightly bombé form and restrained frieze mounts, is a principal example. Literature: Payne, Christopher. François Linke, 1855-1946, The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, (woodbridge, UK), 2003; p. 502, for the black and white cliché of index number 1127 Meyer, Jonathan. Great Exhibitions, Antique Collectors club, (Woodbridge, UK), 2006; p. 298 - 300. Pradère, Alexandre. French Furniture Makers; p. 340, fig. 398; and P. Arizzoli-Clementel. Versailles Furniture...

Arguably the greatest craftsman of the 19th and early 20th century, French cabinetmaker, François Linke, is responsible for the design of this stunning console table. In his lifetime...

This armchair is a fine piece of workmanship, completed by possibly the most important craftsman of the late 19th and early 20th century, François Linke. The back of the chair is sig...

A gilt bronze-mounted mahogany desk chair by François Linke. French, circa 1910. Signed 'F. Linke' to one acanthus clasp. Linke made six versions of this chair in two sizes...

An Ormolu-mounted and mahogany parquetry cabinet by François Linke Constructed in the Louis XV transitional manner, in mahogany parquetry work, and dressed with ormolu mounts of ...

A Louis XV style marble and gilt-bronze mounted table Ambulante attributed to François Linke. French, circa 1880. A Louis XV style marble and gilt-bronze mounted table Ambulant...

A fine Louis XV style gilt bronze-mounted Vitrine with a Brèche d’Alep Marble Top By Franc¸ois Linke Signed to the reverse of the lock ‘CT LINKE/ PARIS’. Linke index number 208. Th...

This fine satinwood tea table is made by the highly celebrated Parisian cabinetmaker Francois Linke (French, 1855-1946). The table features a glass tray of rectangular shape which si...

A unique monumental Louis XVI Style giltwood centre table with a Brèche Violette marble top by François Linke. French, circa 1914. Giltwood furniture by Linke is not only rare, but can be difficult to identify as it tends to be unmarked. This table can however be confidently attributed to Linke, as an early black and white photograph of the piece, Linke index no. 2575, survives in the Linke Archive (see page 428 pl. 501, in Christopher Payne: François Linke, 1855-1946, The Belle Époque of French Furniture). The only one of its kind known to have been produced, it was carved for Linke in May 1914 by the outworker Derivry. It formed part of the important commission of furniture ordered by the Italian born Argentinean banker Antonio Devoto...

An impressive pair of Louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted mahogany vitrines by François Linke. French, circa 1890. Signed to the reverse of the bronze mounts ‘LINKE’. Each ...

A Louis XV Style gilt bronze-mounted parquetry inlaid writing-table, by François Linke. French, circa 1890. Stamped 'FL' to the reverse of the centre bronze mounts to the front...

A very rare and important exhibition encrier by François Linke and Léon Messagé. French, circa 1900. Index number 709. Signed to the edge 'F. Linke'. This exceptional and ambitious encrier is modelled as two putti, each holding a standard and sitting on the water's edge, the two inkwells with hinged spirally-fluted covers with glass liners. This important inkwell is based on Léon Messagé's celebrated sculptural group 'La Source' and was originally intended by Linke to form part of his spectacular Stand at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Like seven or eight other pieces originally intended for inclusion on the Stand, it would seem the encrier was a casualty of both Linke's over-ambitious production schedule and the financial burden that the manufacture of such ornate and high quality work imposed. It was eventually shown on the Stand in September after the gilding was finished by Picard at a cost of 90 French francs. The costs of the model were very high: some 2024 francs (of which Message's combined fee was 1158 francs 40 centimes), underlining the originality and complexity. The 1900 Exposition example was sold, along with three important pieces of furniture from the Stand (the Grand bureau and associated armchair, and the Bahut Louis XV Mars et Vénus), to the South African banker and diamond merchant Solomon Joel. A further six encriers were produced up until 1925. Object Literature: Payne, Christopher. François Linke, 1855-1946, The Belle Époque of French Furniture, p. 90, pl. 97; p. 149, pl. 157; p. 150; pp. 182-183, pls 197 & 198 as exhibited at the Liege exhibition in 1905 & p. 480 for the original notes in Linke's Blue daybook of the late 1890s. François Linke (1855 - 1946) was the most important Parisian cabinet maker of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and possibly the most sought after cabinet maker of his period. He was born in 1855 in the small village of Pankraz, in what is now the Czech Republic. Records show that Linke served an apprenticeship with the master cabinetmaker Neumann, then in 1875 at the age of 20 he arrived in Paris where he lived until he died in 1946. It is known that the fledgling Linke workshops were active in Paris in the Faubourg St. Antoine as early as 1881, and during this time he supplied furniture for other more established makers such as Jansen and Krieger. The quality of Linke's craftsmanship was unsurpassed by any of his contemporaries and reached its peak with his spectacular Stand at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1900, where his Grand Bureau took the Gold Medal. He gambled his fortune and reputation on this Stand, exhibiting several breathtaking items of furniture with sculptural mounts of the most exceptional quality and proportion. His gamble worked and his reputation was established to such an extent that Linke continued to be the pre-eminent furniture house in Paris until the Second World War. As the Art Journal reported in 1900 on Linke's Stand: 'The work of M. Linke ... was an example of what can be done by seeking inspiration amongst the Classic examples of Louis XV and XVI without in any great sense copying these great works. M. Linke's work was original in the true sense of the word, and as such commended itself to the intelligent seeker after the really artistic things of the Exhibition. Wonderful talent was employed in producing the magnificent pieces of furniture displayed....' The formation of Linke's distinctive style was made possible by his collaboration with the sculptor Léon Messagé. Together Linke and Messagé designed furniture for Linke's 1900 exhibition Stand, with exuberant allegorical figures cast in high relief, that exemplified Linke's ability to seamlessly merge the different mediums of wood carving, bronze and marquetry into a dynamic unified whole. Today Linke is best known for the exceptionally high quality of his work, as well as his individualism and inventiveness. All of his work has the finest, most lavish mounts, very often applied to comparatively simple carcasses. The technical brilliance of his work and the artistic change that it represented were never to be repeated. Bibliography: Payne, Christopher. François Linke, (1855 - 1946), The Belle Époque of French Furniture, Antique Collectors' Club, (Woodbridge, UK), 2003. Meyer, Jonathan. Great Exhibitions - London, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, 1851-1900, Antique Collectors' Club, (Woodbridge, UK), 2006; pp. 298 - 300. LeDoux - Lebard, Denise. Les Ébénistes du XIXe siècle, Les Editions de l'Amateur, (Paris), 1984; pp. 439-43. Revue Artistique & Industrielle, (Paris), July-August 1900. Coral Thomsen, D. (ed), The Paris Exhibition 1900, The Art Journal, 1901; p.341. Léon Messagé (1842-1901) had a brilliant, but short lived career. He is best known for his incredible sculptural collaboration with François Linke for the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. A gifted sculptor, Messagé was also responsible for much of the design and creative work for Roux et Brunet and Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener. Messagé enjoyed great success as a designer/sculptor before his collaboration with Linke. Indeed he was mentioned as a Gold Medal winner at the 1889 International Exhibition and was especially praised for his work on a cabinet by Zwiener. He came into contact with Linke in 1885 and it appears from then on Linke employed him on a regular basis. Messagé was primarily influenced by Rococo ornament but he strove to re-interpret it. He did not produce slavish copies, and his original approach can be appreciated in Linke's celebrated Grande Bibliothèque and Grand Bureau exhibited at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. A number of drawings by Messagé are recorded and after his success at the exhibition of 1889 he was encouraged to publish his designs. 'Cahier...

A gilt-bronze and mahogany bois satine vitrine table by Francois Linke French, Late 19th/Early 20th Century Height 76cm, width, 70.5cm, depth 52cm This excellent piece was made around the turn of the twentieth century by the renowned and exceptional ebeniste Francois Linke, a leading maker of furniture in Paris...