A French gilt-bronze-mounted mahogany and bois satiné parquetry cylinder desk by François Linke, Paris circa 1910

in the Louis XV manner, the top with a three-quarter gallery and three drawers above a cylinder centred by a parquetry cartouche enclosing a fitted interior including a leather-lined slide, two drawers, two pull-out slides and three pigeon holes above four frieze drawers, the right-hand drawer fitted with a lockable coffre-fort, the sides with cube parquetry, the whole applied with elaborate gilt-bronze acanthus cast mounts, the mounts stamped on the reverse FL with a serial number

Sold in these Rooms 19th & 20th Century Furniture and Decorations Belle Epoque Series 3rd March 1995, lot 124 to the present owner.

In overall very good conserved condition.The quality of the gilt-bronzes is very good as is the choice of woods and inlay. There is on the right side when facing a slight gap and some very minor losses to the veneer along the edge where there has been shrinkage but this can easily be filled. There is also on the vertical join on the same side two very minor areas of infil to the veneer which are hardly noticeable. Old very minor marks, chips and scratches commensurate with age and usage. On the left side when facing at the top there are a couple of very minor hairline cracks which have been restored and the polish on the rear stile on the same side is slightly worn but this can easily be repolished accorduing to taste.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Comparative Literature:
Christopher Payne, Linke 1855-1946, The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, London, 2003, p.174  and 422.

There is a cylinder desk no. 242, which is in Louis XV style but is of 19th century conception by Linke, illustrated by Payne op. cit., p. 174. The cartouche on the cylinder and the Messagé-designed handles are according to the author instantly recognisable from the Linke stable and that one version had two candlearms but in the days of electric light it was more often made without as shown in the drawing  Plate 188. Exhibited for the first time in 1902, the original desk was begun in 1897. In mahogany it cost 5,400 francs, with another 600 for candle-arms; 6,500 francs were charged for the version in bois de violette with satiné parquetry. Also see Payne, op. cit.,p. 422, plate 489, for a photograph ofthe Linke showroom at Faubourg Saint-Antoine where the desk no. 242 is shown in situ. 

François Linke was perhaps the most important Parisian ébéniste operating in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century. Trained as a cabinet maker in his native Bohemia, he moved to Paris in 1875. He opened his workshops in 1881 at 170, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine and continued until the German occupation of Paris in 1940 at his final base, 26, Place du Vendôme. Linke's business thrived and his workshops produced furniture of the very highest quality and utilised the very best of materials. He combined refined classic 18th century designs with the flamboyance of the new Art Nouveau movement. His work was in demand by a wealthy client base from around the world - this fame coming, in part, through his very successful representation at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris. In 1906, in recognition of his great success and talent in design, he was awarded the highest distinction of France, the Croix de la Legion d' Honneur.