IMPORTANT AND MAGNIFICENT LOUIS XV STYLE FLAT DESK by Franço - Lot 254

IMPORTANT AND MAGNIFICENT LOUIS XV STYLE FLAT DESK by François LINKE (1855-1946) Four-sided flat desk. Comprising : On the top, a double decoration of marquetry wood domes and bronze frames, dominated by decorations of armorial helmets. The whole is richly decorated in bronze with foliage, flowers and framing underlining all the shapes of the desk. On the front, topped by a pair of angels, and on the reverse of the desk is a huge oval plaque representing Agriculture and Commerce, framed by a reclining female figure symbolizing Abundance. The set rests on four curved legs, supported by bronze crowbars. An armchair in the Louis XV style, curved on four sides, with a cottoir decorated with a dolphin. The violin backrest is topped with a woman's mask. Richly decorated in gilt bronze. 20th century Dim : 159 x 198 x 110 approx desk, Chair : 105 x 64 x 59 cm Condition of use and maintenance François LINKE (1855-1946) was undoubtedly the most important Parisian cabinetmaker of his time. Initially apprenticed in his native Pankraz in Bohemia, Linke arrived in Paris in 1875 and founded his own workshop in 1881 at 170 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine. By 1900, he was running a full-fledged business with ninety workers. In the early days, François Linke had a private clientele (Mr. Worms, Mr. Rolin) and sometimes even renowned customers such as Mr. Anatole Beaumetz, brother-in-law of the Minister of Arts, but for many years he had to work in the shadow of reputed cabinetmakers. For this reason, most of his "early" works are not only unsigned, so as not to reveal the origin of the furniture to the customers of these houses, but may also bear stamps other than that of F. Linke. By 1900, his reputation as one of the great masters of high-quality furniture had been established. However, it was his participation in the 1900 Paris World's Fair that marked the pinnacle of his career. In a setting of furnished rooms, Linke exhibited a series of extraordinary pieces, including a Grand Bureau which won him the gold medal. Like his contemporaries Beurdeley and Dasson, his production included copies and pastiches inspired by successive 18th-century styles or the most famous royal furniture. Linke reproduced some of them faithfully, while for others he adopted more sinuous forms with a surplus of bronzes, but also distinguished himself in the design of exuberant works, mixing the Louis XV style (Rococo) with Art Nouveau, giving them great originality. In this, Linke owes much to his fruitful collaboration with the famous sculptor Léon Messagé. In 1904, he became an Officier de l'Instruction Publique, and took part in the Saint-Louis Exhibition in the United States. In 1905, he was appointed juror at the Liège Exhibition and, on October 11, 1906, was awarded the Légion d'Honneur. He thus became a supplier to the world's leading families. Linke furnished the residences of sovereigns such as King Fouad I of Egypt (according to his records, François Linke made over 1,200 pieces of furniture and objets d'art for the King of Egypt), billionaires such as Raphael de Lamar in New York, the Bolivian pewter king Simon Patino and Count Devoto, and enjoyed growing success right up to the Second World War.