A gilt-bronze mounted kingwood and satiné marquetry cabinet on stand, Index Number 832, by François Linke, Paris circa 1910

with molded brèche violette marble top, above a spreading frieze centered by a foliate cast cartouche, above a cupboard door with latticework and flower marquetry within a foliate encadrement with hibiscus mount at the bottom, opening to a single shelf on cabriole legs with foliate hips and espagnolette chutes, the lock stamped CT LINKE / SERRURERIE / PARIS and numbered 832.

There are no dates in Linke’s Blue Register for this cabinet but judging from the date of 12 May 1900 for the following model, also a Louis XV style bahut, it would seem that they were started possibly in the same month.  It would appear that Linke subsequently made six models between 1905 and 1923.  One of these was a narrower version than the normal 31 ½ in. (80cm) by special order for a Mr. Algave in 1913 and two were described as ‘sans entourage,’ the meaning of which is not explained.  The 1900 and 1905 models were made for 822 and 990 French francs respectively.  The retail price was 1,850 francs.  The only invoice however for Algarve is for a guéridon for a Monsieur Algarve, 241 rue Saint Germain, on the 21st October 1912.

Although listed in the price book as bois de violette et satiné, the title in the Green register has been amended to read palissandre et satiné.  The various marble tops are recorded as fleur de pecher.  For the first example, Linke has unusually drawn the profile of the marble in the registre.  The first two carcasses, traditionally cut at the same time, were made by Eckhart in 415 hours, at an hourly rate of 80 centimes.

Footnote courtesy of Christopher Payne.