François Linke Attr, Louis Xv, Rare Desk, Brown Marquetry, Bronze, Sothebys Nyc Prov.

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A fine and rare Louis XVI style table de salon, attributed to Francois Linke. A fine quality table with exquisite … Read more A fine and rare Louis XVI style table de salon, attributed to Francois Linke. A fine quality table with exquisite bronze mounts along with detailed marquetry inlay, featuring one single push button spring released drawer, signed F. Linke.

Prov
Sothebys NY 10-26-2006 Sale 8264 Lot 201 Hammer Price $39,000 Plus Premium

Literature:
P. Arrizoli-Clementel, Versailles Furnitures of the Royal Palace, 17th and 18th Centuries, ed. Faton, Dijon, 2002, Vol II, pp. 91-96 for the original by Riesener

Pierre Lecoules, Art Mobilier Parisien 1850-1900, p. 37 for the illustration of an identical model by Beurdeley.
C. Payne, Francois Linke, p. 490 for the illustration of the present model in a black and white cliche in the Linke Archive. Although made by several of the more important Paris firms of the period circa 1870-1900, this one by Francois Linke is likely one of the finest made. The style of marquetry is very similar to an unfinished table top fitted into a cabinet by Jean Bieder, Linke's foreman, in his house bear Basel. This model is one of the few examples where Linke has written 'mol' in the margin showing that he worked himself on some aspect of the table. Under the index number 251, the first example by Linke is in Blue Daybook 1-390 dating to circa 1894. The table was available in its most complex form as a direct copy of the original royal example, or with a marble top. Another 'simple' form is unexplained but the cabinetwork took 83 1/2 hours whereas in original form, the time was between 110 and 137 hours for what must have been the prototype made by Alfred Backman, with 18 hours contributed by Schmidt.

This celebrated model with an elaborate marquetry top representing mythological figures of Urania and Calliope with respective implements of astronomy and poetry is a copy of the table supplied in 1771 for Louis XVI's Garde-Meuble by Jean-Henri Riesener, received master in 1768. The original is now in the permanent collection of the Museum de Versailles on display at the Petit Trianon. See less