François Linke 1855 - 1946 A large gilt-bronze mounted mahogany cylinder desk Paris, late 19th century, index number 1204, after index number 242

one lock has been removed to reveal the stamp CT. LINKE / SERRURERIE / PARIS and the number 1204, one bronze mount has been removed to reveal the FL mark

Sotheby's New York, A Private Collection, Volume II, April 19, 2007, lot 139

Christopher Payne, François Linke 1855-1946 The Belle Époque of French Furniture, Antique Collector's Club Ltd., Woodbridge, 2003, p. 422, for a black and white cliché of a slight variation of the present model.

Overall in good condition and presentation with the usual minor hairline scratches and minute nicks to veneers and carcass consistent with age and use. Tarnishing to gilt-bronze in places also consistent with age and atmospheric conditions through the years.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Linke title: Bureau cylindre Louis XV acajou et bronzes

It is not clear why Linke renumbered this desk 1204, as the registre for this page is blank. The model desk first appears in the Blue Book 1-390 as index number 242. A later, more complex version with cube parquetry, appears in 1900-1901, in what appears to be a one-off commission. Cabinetmakers' chits show that, of the two versions of the present lot, the first took Albert 476 1/2 hours for the woodwork alone, but by the second he had pared the time down to 428 hours. Although only two examples of the present lot were made, three further more elaborate versions were made between 1901-1911, each with candlearms to light the writing surface.