Lot 133
  • 133

françois linke A Régence style bureau plat Paris, circa 1895, in the manner of Charles Cressent

Estimate
70,000 - 100,000 USD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • François Linke
  • height 32 1/4 in.; width 6 ft. 7 in.; depth 40 in.
  • 82 cm; 200.6 cm; 101.6 cm
kingwood and quarter veneer satiné, the top with a gilt tooled brown leather writing surface, one frieze drawers flanked by two deep drawers, signed F.Linke to the front right hand side gilt bronze molded edge, one lock has been removed to reveal the Duvivier/Paris/77 Fb. St. ANTOINE stamp, some gilt bronze mounts have been removed to reveal the stamp L.C followed by four digit numbers from the bronze master models.   

Catalogue Note

The bronze mounts on the present bureau plat derive from 18th century prototypes by the great French marchand-ébéniste and sculpteur Charles Cressent (1685-1768), ébéniste of the regent of France, Philippe d'Orleans. 

The presence of the mark 'CL' on the present lot presents a mystery. This suggests an inventory or numbering system. The only recorded person to do this was François Linke. It has to be assumed that it is purely coincidental that Linke's brother has the initials 'CL'. However these marks will remain a mystery until possibly chance research discovers who 'CL' was. Clément Linke and later his son, also Clément, worked independently from François, supplying locks and hinges to the wholesale market. Is it possible that they also supplied small mounts cast in their own workshops?

Locks by Duvivier have been seen on early Linke and Krieger furniture, a locksmith on the same street as Linke's and Zwiener's workshops in the Faubourg St. Antoine.

The same model desk, signed Zwiener was sold, Sotheby's, London, Luton Hoo sale, May 24 and 25, 1995, lot 65, £ 95,000.

For a footnote on François Linke, please see lot 141 in the present sale.