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Lot Essay
This wall-mounted cartel is a rare and unusual example of the Linke oeuvre and appears to be the only example recorded. As a furniture maker Linke's extensive records are unsurpassed, arguably unique in the world. Unfortunately his record keeping for clocks and sculpture are scant by comparison. This is certainly because such a large and complex casting would have been cast by one of the better Paris foundries - Linke is recorded as using Colin, for example. We know that many of the smaller bronze castings were indeed worked on, fettled, chased and fitted in house by Linke's bronziers, but a cartel such as the Cornwall example would have been too large to cast in house, but the fettling, or at least the chasing and finishing work have been completed in the worshop.
Linke lists twenty-two clocks in his inventory and none are identifiable by foundry and the entries are simple descriptions rarely identifiable. It is interesting to note the MB casting mark on the reverse of the present lot, which almost certainly explains this dilemma. Records show that Linke bought models from the celebrated Denière foundry in 1903 and in 1905 he bought from Blaise Millet the case for the copy of the celebrated Caffieri orrery clock presented to Louis XV in October 1753. Although there is not clear evidence in the Linke Archive it would appear that Linke also bought the master model from the vente Millet in 1905 which would explain the 'MB' casting initials. This is a rare example, as in most instances the only clear identification we have is the Linke signature on the enamel dial, a facsimile of his well-known hand-written signature. In the accompanying reproduction, the Millet example of the present lot can clearly be seen on the wall of the Maison Millet stand at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair.
Footnote courtesy of Christopher Payne.
The present lot is an adaptation of the Louis XV rococo style, modified to suit the trend for the art nouveau of the 1890 to 1910 period at the height of Millet's and Linke's activity. This innovative adaptation anticipates the collaboration between François Linke and his sculptor Léon Messagé when the latter modernised the rococo style for Linke's stand at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1900. The asymmetry of the present lot loosely follows the wide ranging principles of the rococo era but the accentuation of the case and the cartouche containing the thermometer are more typical of the art nouveau of 1900. Messagé died in 1901 and Linke adapted many of the sculptor's models for new designs of furniture and the present lot would hve been a perfect compliment to Linke's oeuvre. Similarities can be found in a series of engravings of Messagé designs in his Cahier des dessins et croquis style Louis XV of 1890.
Linke lists twenty-two clocks in his inventory and none are identifiable by foundry and the entries are simple descriptions rarely identifiable. It is interesting to note the MB casting mark on the reverse of the present lot, which almost certainly explains this dilemma. Records show that Linke bought models from the celebrated Denière foundry in 1903 and in 1905 he bought from Blaise Millet the case for the copy of the celebrated Caffieri orrery clock presented to Louis XV in October 1753. Although there is not clear evidence in the Linke Archive it would appear that Linke also bought the master model from the vente Millet in 1905 which would explain the 'MB' casting initials. This is a rare example, as in most instances the only clear identification we have is the Linke signature on the enamel dial, a facsimile of his well-known hand-written signature. In the accompanying reproduction, the Millet example of the present lot can clearly be seen on the wall of the Maison Millet stand at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair.
Footnote courtesy of Christopher Payne.
The present lot is an adaptation of the Louis XV rococo style, modified to suit the trend for the art nouveau of the 1890 to 1910 period at the height of Millet's and Linke's activity. This innovative adaptation anticipates the collaboration between François Linke and his sculptor Léon Messagé when the latter modernised the rococo style for Linke's stand at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1900. The asymmetry of the present lot loosely follows the wide ranging principles of the rococo era but the accentuation of the case and the cartouche containing the thermometer are more typical of the art nouveau of 1900. Messagé died in 1901 and Linke adapted many of the sculptor's models for new designs of furniture and the present lot would hve been a perfect compliment to Linke's oeuvre. Similarities can be found in a series of engravings of Messagé designs in his Cahier des dessins et croquis style Louis XV of 1890.