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Lot Essay
Linke produced three different variations of this model régulateur de parquet, all based on the celebrated 18th century model now in the Frick Collection, New York, the case made by Balthazar Liétaud (d. 1780), with bronzes signed by Philippe Caffièri (d. 1774) and dated 1767: One version is a more faithful interpretation of the Frick model, featuring a surmount depicting Apollo in his horse-drawn chariot, and three bas-relief plaques emblematic of the Seasons to the plinth base. An example of the 'Apollo' version featured on Linke's stand at the 1905 Salon du Mobilier in Paris (see Payne, op. cit., p. 187, pl. 203), and another example (or possibly the same) remained in the Linke family until 1997 (illustrated Payne, op. cit., p. 185, pl. 201); a second version replaced the Apollo surmount with Léon Messagé's celebrated enfant guerrier cresting, retaining the same bas-relief plaque to the front of the plinth base, but substituting the two side plaques with parquetry panels. An example was shown on Linke's stand at the Salon des Industries du Mobilier in Paris in 1902 (see Payne, op. cit., p. 170, pl. 184); Index number 768 in Linke's daybook, the third version, of which the present clock is a fine example, again featured the enfant guerrier cresting and the parquetry sides to the plinth, but incorporated a bas-relief plaque to the front of entirely different design. The present example, and another (possibly the same) featuring in two photographs of Linke's Place Vendôme showroom taken after 1903 (see Payne, op. cit, pp. 160-1, pl. 171-2), prove the inaccuracy of Payne's assumption that a workshop watercolour showing this alternative plaque (see Payne, op. cit., p. 184, pl. 200) was artistic licence.
An example of the second version of this model clock, was sold Sotheby's New York, 'The Marshall B. Coyne Collection', 6 June 2001, lot 273 ($137,750).
Please see lot 499 for a further note on Linke.
Clock-maker Etienne Maxant is listed as working on Rue de Saintonge in Paris between 1880 and 1905 (H. Lengellé dit Tardy, Dictionnaire des horlogers français, Paris, 1971 p.451).
An example of the second version of this model clock, was sold Sotheby's New York, 'The Marshall B. Coyne Collection', 6 June 2001, lot 273 ($137,750).
Please see lot 499 for a further note on Linke.
Clock-maker Etienne Maxant is listed as working on Rue de Saintonge in Paris between 1880 and 1905 (H. Lengellé dit Tardy, Dictionnaire des horlogers français, Paris, 1971 p.451).