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Attributed to L.Messagé (1842-1901) and F.Linke, "Source Allegory" Clock
About the Item
Attributed to Leon Messagé (1842-1901) and François Linke (1855-1946)
Gilt bronze clock surmounted by an allegory of the Source.
With rocaille decoration, resting on four cambered legs, gilt bronze terrace.
Rich repertoire of rocailles
White enamel dial with Roman and Arabic numerals.
Louis XV style
Original and key, in working conditions
H 26 W 14.5 D 9 cm
Bibliography: C. Payne, Francois Linke 1855-1946: The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, Antique Collector's Club Ltd, Woodbridge, 2003, pl. 104, p. 93 (details) and pl. 102, p. 92, for an illustration of a similar clock
Léon Messagé was born March 8, 1842 in Sens, Yonne. At 20 years old, he lived in Paris at 23 rue de Rivoli and was then referred to as "stone carver." Around 1885, he began collaborating with François Linke, important cabinetmaker of the Belle Epoque, providing him models for furniture and ornamental bronzes. They collaborated until the death of Messagé, who lived until the age of 58 and died May, 16 1901. It is through this collaboration with François Linke, that Messagé would be successful during the last decades of the nineteenth century. In fact, Messagé was awarded a gold medal at the 1889 World Fair and it was he who designed all the important furniture for the stand of François Linke for the Universal Exhibition in 1900.
Even though he worked hard for Linke, Messagé still remained an independent craftsman, working on his own account. In his studio at 40 rue Sedaine, in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, he was the designer and creator of its models. The fundamental principle of the de-signs by Messagé is a light rococo, a characteristic asymmetry of rock that Parisian artisans developed in the 1720s.
François Linke, born in 1855 in Bohemia (Czechoslovakia), worked as a cabinet-maker in Paris from about 1882 until his death in 1946. In 1900, at the apex of his career, he opened a new shop at the famous Parisian place Vendôme. He specialized in Louis XV and Louis XVI style furniture: all pieces were beautifully mounted with gilt-bronze ornaments, and he received numerous commissions. Later Linke decided to collaborate with the well-known sculptor Léon Messagé and integrated new lines and shapes announcing the “Art Nouveau” style. His great success is definitely the 1900 Universal Exhibition where he was awarded the gold medal for his extraordinary kingwood desk, designed by Messagé. At this occasion, the “Revue artistique et industrielle” commented that “Linke’s stand is the biggest show in the history of art furniture”.
- Attributed to:François Linke (Retailer)Léon Messagé (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 10.24 in (26 cm)Width: 5.71 in (14.5 cm)Depth: 3.55 in (9 cm)
- Style:Napoleon III (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1890
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. working mouvement.
- Seller Location:Saint-Ouen, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2612339357152
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