Antique Louis XVI style beechwood armchair by Linke

The armchair stands on four, 18^th Century style turned and fluted legs, with peg joints enclosing rosette carvings. The front and side seat rails have been intricately carved with egg-and-dart patterns and fluting. Delicate foliate carvings decorate the chair’s arm supports, arms and back wooden frame. The chair’s seat, its arm rests, and back are covered with a cream-coloured silk, decorated with a repeated pattern of green and blue swags, and secured by green buttons.

‘F. Linke A Paris’ is inscribed into the wooden back of the chair. The craftsman, François Linke, was a famous ébéniste (cabinetmaker), working in Paris in the late 19^th Century. Linke was widely praised for his ability to creatively revive 18^th Century furniture styles, recombining and applying these motifs in modern ways. Linke was not only a celebrated designer, but also an exceptionally skilled craftsman, who consistently produced high-quality, expertly-constructed furniture.