A French gilt-bronze mounted mahogany and burr cabinet, late 19th century, attributed to François Linke

As the Parisian cabinetmaker François Linke became more established in the 1890s, he worked with at least two of his relatives. The first was his brother Clément Linke, who made most of the locks, keys, hinges and small items of metalware for the workshops. When Clément passed away, his business was taken over by his own son, another Clément who also provided metalware for his uncle. The Clément Linkes appear to have run their own business as well, and a lock with the ‘Ct. Linke’ stamp does not guarantee that the carcass was made in the François Linke workshops.

However, the aesthetics and quality of craftsmanship of the present cabinet, with the plaque depicting putti, the contrast between the veneers and the mounts, the overall shape, are consistent with the production of François Linke. The scrolling and foliate corner mounts can be seen on a few furniture pieces stamped by François Linke and ‘Ct. Linke’, see for example an armoire sold at Christie’s, New York, 10^th October 2001, lot 229.