Francoise Linke Side Cabinet

FINE LOUIS XV STYLE ORMOLU MOUNTED MARBLE-TOP FRUITWOOD MARQUETRY TULIPWOOD SIDE CABINET,
FRANCOISE LINKE circa 1900 the breche d'alep serpentine fronted marble top above a single cupboard door with a large spray of marquetry flowers and a border of applied ormolu scrolls, opening to two adjustable shelves, flanked by four small drawers on each side, also with inlaid flowers and ormolu scrolls, the corners headed by large ormolu espagnolette chutes, the sides also with marquetry within ormolu scrolls, on elegantly shaped outward curving legs, with leaf-scrolled ormolu, some locks stamped CT LINKE, Paris within an oval, two lock plates missing from small drawers.

Height 43 1/2 in., Width 4 ft. 11 in., Depth 19 3/4 in.cf.
It is interesting to note that the locks are stamped Ct. Linke/Paris within an oval. Clement Linke the brother of Francois Linke came to Paris circa 1896 to assist with Linke's rapidly expanding business. At this time, few of Linke's pieces were signed. Clement Linke started to make locks for the firm and upon doing so he began to number each lock in accordance with Linke's sequential sytem. These markings on the locks were normally placed within a rectangle with chamfered corners. Interestingly, the markings on the lock on the offered Linke cabinet are within an oval and has no number.