François Linke, Signed Marquetry Flat Desk, Louis XV Style, (1855 - 1946)

François Linke, Signed Louis XV Style Marquetry Flat Desk (1855-1946) Exceptional double-sided Louis XV style flat desk, inlaid with rosewood and violet wood, resting on cabriole legs ending in gilt bronze sabots. This richly shaped double desk features three drawers in the frieze and three simulated drawers on the visitor's side. It is covered with a Havana leather top tooled in gold, its central motif decorated with fleurons, scrolls, volutes, and foliage. The top is encircled by a gilt bronze molding with Rococo decoration. This desk is lavishly adorned with superb gilt and chased bronze mounts such as the molding, corner mounts, sabots, drawer pulls, keyhole escutcheons, and applied bronze mounts. These bronze mounts are screwed in place according to the traditional methods of Parisian haute cabinetmaking. This desk is signed F. LINKE, on his ingot maker's mark, one of the greatest Parisian cabinetmakers of the Belle Époque. A piece of furniture of exceptional quality, with refined and elegant lines, signed by the celebrated and renowned Parisian master cabinetmaker, François LINKE (1855-1946). This desk combines practical utility with its attractive storage spaces and large writing surface, while also offering superb visual appeal with its harmonious and delicate curves. It will easily adapt to your interior. You can also place this desk in the center of a room to fully appreciate its beautiful ornamentation. This exceptional piece, with its meticulous craftsmanship worthy of the master, embodies the refinement of 19th-century French furniture. It will bring charm and prestige to your home. A Louis XV style work from the late 19th century. François Linke was a French cabinetmaker of Austrian origin (born in 1855 in Pankraz, Bohemia, and died in Paris in 1946). François Linke was undoubtedly the greatest Parisian cabinetmaker of his time. Having served as an apprentice in his native town of Pankraz, Bohemia, Linke settled in Paris in 1875 and established his own workshops at 170, rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine in 1881. There, he produced furniture inspired by the various styles of the Ancien Régime. By 1900, his reputation as one of the great masters of high-quality furniture was established. However, it was his participation in the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition that marked the pinnacle of his career. In a setting of furnished rooms, Linke exhibited a collection of extraordinary pieces, including a Grand Bureau which earned him a gold medal. Dimensions: Height: 87 cm Width: 114 cm Depth: 56.5 cm In good condition, with minor scratches to the leather.