Grand Regulator World's Fair Clock
François Linke
Circa 1900

Widely regarded as the greatest sculptural clock ever created, this monumental régulateur by François Linke was conceived as a statement for the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition, a moment when the world’s finest artisans competed on an international stage. Linke, the most celebrated ébéniste of the Belle Époque, was awarded the prestigious gold medal for his display, which critics described as “the biggest event in the history of furnishing art in the year 1900.” Designed in collaboration with the sculptor Léon Messagé, the clock exemplifies Linke’s ambition to elevate furniture and timepieces to the realm of fine art.

The clock represents over a decade of design and craftsmanship. Only six examples of this model were ever completed due to the extraordinary labor and cost involved. Building just one had a production cost of 22,966 francs, the equivalent of approximately eight years' wages for the average French worker in 1900. The clock is illustrated on the spine of Christopher Payne’s definitive monograph on Linke. Mahdi Al-Tajir, one of the world’s most important collectors, later acquired the present model. Another is located at Whitehall, the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach. It was acquired by Rockefeller’s partner, Henry Flagler. Payne himself identified our clock as one of Linke's earliest models because of its vert de mer marble plinth.

Standing over 10 feet tall, the case is constructed from inlaid tulipwood and fruitwood and adorned with masterfully cast ormolu. A celestial globe dial sits at the center, surmounted by Chronos, the Greek god of time, wielding his scythe. Naturalistic ornament, such as cascading water, oak branches, apple blossoms and bulrushes, echoes the dynamic forms of Art Nouveau while grounding the piece in the symbolism of time’s passage. Even the hidden mounts and bell are cast to the highest standards, each stamped with Linke’s name.

Signed "F. Linke"

123" high x 38 3/4" wide x 22" deep

Literature:
Payne, Christopher, François Linke, 1855-1946: The Belle Époque of French Furniture, Woodbridge: Antique Collectors’ Club, 2003, pp. 121, 130-132