A Superb Late 19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Louis XVI Style Bureau à Cylindre Possibly François Linke for Maison Krieger

$44,000 In the manner of Adam Weisweiler, Possibly by François Linke for Maison Krieger Cajou, platane trellis-parquetry, ébène and buis stringings, the rounded corner marble top above three small drawers, the cylinder front opening to a gilt-tooled leather lined writing slide and five small drawers, the frieze fitted with three drawers, the central drawer, with spring-loaded secret release, is decorated with an ormolu relief plaque which depicts a group of putti at play, the two side drawers with hidden key holes beneath the handles. The sides and back completely finished with similar parquetry and an ormolu relief plaque, supported by four female caryatid figures, each supporting a flower-filled basket and with a foliate and tassel lower terminal, joined by a shaped stretcher on four spirally fluted toupie feet. Signed “Alfred Schmidt Paris” to the locks. Two different photographic versions of this desk are in the Linke Archive, neither with a Linke index number, suggesting that they were models bought from one of the fin de siecle auctions. Maison Krieger is recorded as being a very active client of François Linke and occasionally the firms label can be found on Linke pieces. Details : Height – 44 inches / 112cm Width – 37 inches / 94cm Depth – 22 inches / 56cm