Francois Linke, Master Cabinetmaker of the Belle Epoque Era
After the fall and exile of Emperor Napoleon III in 1875, there continued to be a fine appreciation of the decorative arts of 18th century France. Into this period the twenty year old Francois Linke (1855 to 1946) literally walked, having trudged on foot from Budapest to Paris for greater opportunities. After such an inauspicious beginning, Linke became arguably the greatest exponent of the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles of furniture during his lifetime.
Christopher Payne, in his biography, Francois Linke.1855-1946: the Belle Epoque of French Furniture, attributes the cabinetmaker’s success to an enormous capacity for hard work and his ability to draw professionally. Linke left behind in the care of his last foreman, Jean Bieder, and his descendants a treasure trove of casts, sketches, watercolors, glass slides and day books from about 1881. Christopher Payne was fortunate to have access to them, allowing his readers to get a picture of Linke as a hard driving generous man and to understand the day-to-day activities of his company.
Linke was born in Pankraz, Northern Bohemia. He served his apprenticeship nearby, and plied his trade in Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Linke was lucky in marriage when, in 1881, he married the daughter of the hostelry where he lived. As the story goes, his father-in-law loaned him the funds to set a workshop. Inspired by the cabinetmaker, Emmanuel Zwiener, the sculptor, Leon Message and other Parisian artisans, Linke’s pieces were a blend of the masterworks of the French 18th century and the Art Nouveau. The young cabinetmaker would make detailed studies of 18th century examples and then would create them for his clients, who included Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and the Bolivian tin tycoon, Simon Patino.
The 1900 Exposition Universelle exposed Linke’s abilities to a world-wide clientele. After being inspired by Linke’s display, the Kings of Belgium and Portugal, along with the Shah of Iran, became his customers. Later expositions brought him to the attention of such far-flung figures as Arabella Huntington of New York and King Fuad of Egypt. The latter’s orders to furnish several palaces carried the firm through the troubled economic times that came after the end of the ‘War to End All Wars’. There was little demand for lavish high-end Louis XV-XVI furniture of the Belle Epoque in the years following the World War I. Linke kept the business going through World War II, but in the months before his death he transferred ownership to Jean Bieder, his former foreman. That firm, known as Etablissements Linke & Cie, finally liquidated in 1959.
The finish and workmanship in Linke furniture is exquisite, as are the bronze mounts which Linke designed and had cast in his workshop. His furniture was not inexpensive originally, and fine examples in excellent condition with the original finish can bring premium prices at auction. A marvelous Louis XVI style display cabinet sold in 2007 at Neal Auction Company in New Orleans for over $54,000. Look for the stamped or engraved ‘Linke’ marks on the bronze mounts and lock plates. Most of all a potential buyer should observe the form, the proportions and overall quality of the piece.
References: Christopher Payne, Francois Linke. 1855-1946: the Belle Epoque of French Furniture.
James York, Review of Francois Linke, 1855-1946: the Belle Epoque of French Furniture, Apollo magazine, April 2004.
Reference note by Robert H. Goldberg, p4A editor and an Accredited Senior Member of the American Society of Appraisers from New Orleans, specializing in the appraisal of antiques and residential contents. January, 2009.