Consider it the ultimate royal seal of approval: When the young LINLEY founder, David Linley (b. 1961), made a decorative box as a teenager — a project he’d crafted at Bedales School that impressed his teacher — it was proudly passed around as a cigar box at parties by the Queen Mother. Of course, the royal treatment makes a bit more sense when you consider that the Queen was simply grandmother to Linley, formally David Albert Charles Armstrong-Jones, second earl of Snowdon, son of Princess Margaret and photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones.
Born in London, Linley was creative from an early age — a characteristic eagerly encouraged at home with his parents and at Kensington Palace with the extended family. After completing his studies in carpentry and design at Parnham House in 1982, Linley set up his first studio. Within three years he had moved to King’s Road in Chelsea and, with his friend painter and designer Matthew Rice, officially cofounded LINLEY, a source for luxury furniture and accessories and bespoke carpentry and millwork.
The brand was a quick success. When Linley presented its first line at Christie’s in 1985 — a collection of furniture and more called “Venetian,” which was inspired by the Italian city’s grandiose Gothic architecture — the entire lot sold out on the day of its presentation. Besides Linley the brand being a commercial success, Linley the founder was somewhat of a marvel: At the time, the designer was the first of the royal family to undertake any sort of vocational work, let alone establish their own brand.
LINLEY has become known over the years for its fine craftsmanship, detailed marquetry and inlay and use of rare and exquisite woods. Its case pieces, seating, other furnishings and decorative objects owe consistently to traditional methods and conventions as often as they do clean modernity. The designer has long looked to Chippendale furniture as well as other styles that gained prominence during the 18th century as much as he has toward the future.
Now, in addition to its furniture, accessories and custom millwork, LINLEY operates an interior design business, outfitting homes (and a few cars and yachts) in the brand’s singularly chic style. And while its output is marked by style, craftsmanship still comes first: “I’m a maker, not a designer,” the earl once proclaimed.
Find a collection of LINLEY furniture on 1stDibs.
$248,443
Highclere Castle Jewellery Box
By LINLEY London
Located in London, GB
Over the years, British design company Linley has developed expertise in creating scaled versions of famous architectural buildings including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Opera House. In this instance, Highclere Castle...
Maple
Modern Girih Treasure Chest Tall Cabinet in Satinwood Marquetry and Sycamore
By LINLEY London
Located in London, GB
Back in October 2016, on one of his many travels to the Persian Gulf in his role as Honorary Chairman of Christie’s Europe Middle East, Russia and India, David Linley’s fascination with Islamic art and architecture was reignited. A photograph of a vibrant tile mosaic pattern was sent back to the LINLEY studio on Pimlico Road, inspiring the design of the spectacular Girih Treasure Chest. The Girih Treasure Chest explores Islamic pattern through detailed wooden marquetry in brilliant sapphire blue and rich gold tones. Girih is an Islamic decorative art form consisting of geometric lines that create an interlaced framework. As if a precious stone in a delicate claw setting, the chest perches on a simple sycamore frame which is supported by a forged brass metal stretcher. As the center of the design lies an eight-pointed star, taken from a beautiful mosaic tile pattern that caught the eye of LINLEY Founder and Chairman David Linley on a visit to Doha, Qatar back in October 2015. Adorning all façades of the chest, the pattern is created using a specially dyed deep blue ripple sycamore...
Gold Leaf
$5,451
H 14.18 in W 16.15 in D 11.42 in
Antique English Victorian Decanter Humidor Games Box Compendium
Located in Northampton, GB
Dating to the late 19th Century Circa 1900 From our Games Boxes collection, we are delighted to offer this Victorian Entertainment Compendium. The Compendiu...
Mahogany, Cedar
Miniature Rosewood Wellington Chest
Located in Folkestone, GB
A charming early 19th century rosewood five drawer miniature Wellington chest with a stepped rectangular top above five graduated drawers wh...
Rosewood
Antique Jewelry Box Art Deco Period
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful antique Art Deco period jewelry box, styled by Jacques Kreisler, circa early-20th Century, New York, New York. Box is an aubergine ...
Metal
Chinese Reverse Glass Treasure Chest. c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
As much an artwork as a piece of furniture, this 19th-century treasure chest from northern China is richly decorated with relief carvings and delicate gilt paintings. The doors bear ...
Glass, Elm
Large Gilt Bronze Feuille Box by Line Vautrin
By Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A large cast bronze powder box (poudrier) by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997) circa 1945-1950. The box called "Feuille" (Leaf) features an irregular leaf form wit...
Bronze
Iron Strong Box Treasure Chest
Located in Ferndale, MI
Iron strong box treasure chest, nicely crafted case and mechanism. Original key included . Possibly stage coach item .
Steel, Wrought Iron, Iron
$3,450
H 6.13 in W 36.13 in D 12.5 in
Jewelry Chest by Paul McCobb Planner Group, Ten Drawers, Original Brass Pulls
By Planner Group, Paul McCobb
Located in Kansas City, MO
Ten-drawer Paul MccCobb Planner Group jewelry cabinet with original brass pulls. Very good completely original condition with some signs of wear and scratches which should be evident...
Brass
Pair of Sheraton Revival Small Locking Cabinets
Located in Hanover, MA
Pair of interesting and lovely single door walnut cabinets with satinwood decorative inlay, probably Edwardian made in the Sheraton taste. Each has a single pull-out open drawer shelf. Possibly bedside lockers...
Satinwood, Walnut
Towering Skyscraper Storage Cabinet by Maitland Smith 1980s
By Tony Duquette
Located in Dallas, TX
This Maitland Smith hommage to Paul Frankl's "Skyscraper Furniture" Features 18 Drawers two drawers and a pull-out shelf. It is a post-modern mast...
Brass
Mid Century Cabinet in the Form of Bass Cello Great Storage
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous bass Cello storage cabinet. Has 4 shelves that are 5 x 5 x 10.5. Door opens and closes with ease. Well made, high quality. In excellent vintage con...
Iron
Large French Silvered Bronze Box Line Vautrin
By Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A silvered bronze poudrier box "Ammonite" by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997). In the 1940s, Line Vautrin designed a series that was inspired by the shape of na...
Bronze
Fornasetti Rectangular Box with Smoking Motif
By Fornasetti
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Fornasetti long, rectangular, box with a charming illustration of three pipes. Hand colored Lithography on metal. Exterior metal box slides over a metal interior box, powder coated...
Tin
Contemporary Jackie Tsai Decorative Box in Walnut
By LINLEY London
Located in London, GB
An exclusive collaboration between the iconic contemporary artist Jacky Tsai and Linley. Our designers have reinterpreted one of Tsai's brilliant designs in a selection of specially dyed marquetry veneers on a limited edition box. Inspired by his 2013 Poker Skull print, Tsai's work is a skilful fusion of Chinese artistic techniques and references to western Pop Art. The Jacky Tsai x LINLEY Box...
Walnut
Trompe L'oeil Jewellery Box
By LINLEY London
Located in London, GB
A detailed marquetry design using hand-dyed sycamore, anigre, bolivar, tanganika and lustrous white mother of pearl veneer gives the illusion of jewellery hanging on the exterior of ...
Mother-of-Pearl, Sycamore
Anniversary Jewellery Box
By LINLEY London
Located in London, GB
The anniversary jewellery box celebrates 30 years of Linley. The design is an abstract interpretation of the pearl fishing waters around Doha and t...
Mother-of-Pearl, Sycamore
Siena Jewellery Box
By LINLEY London
Located in London, GB
For its latest creation, a jewellery box, the Linley designers have taken inspiration from the magnificent stripe pattern adorning the interior of the Duomo of Siena. While the Duomo interior walls were created in alternating white and black marble (which is, in fact, dark green), the exterior pattern of the Siena jewellery box is made up of specially dyed grey anegre and bleached sycamore veneers. The lid of Jewellery box features a slip-matched pattern using sixty individual pieces of bleached sycamore veneer and is crowned by an oval shaped sterling silver plaque, perfect for engraving with a name, date, initials or special message. Believed to be completed between 1215-1263, the Duomo of Siena also contains an exceptional decorative floor. Made up of panels designed by important sculptors and painters of the time, the scenes were created using a technique of inlaying colored marble into slabs of white marble in a manner similar to marquetry, the incredibly intricate skill that Linley is renowned for. Constructed in sycamore, the jewellery box opens to reveal glass mirrors, angled so that jewellery can be admired from different views. The interior is a myriad of compartments and drawers that swing and pullout, each one lined in pale grey faux suede and individually designed for storing different jewellery, watches and trinkets with ring inserts, padded watch...
Sterling Silver
Ruby Jewellery Box
By LINLEY London
Located in London, GB
The Ruby is created from a stunning Myriad of different hues to match the glimmering facet cuts of an exquisite ruby. Each veneer is hand-dyed and precisely pieced together in an abs...
Sycamore