Christopher Payne is an independent furniture historian, author and broadcaster. Formerly a director of Sotheby’s and with regular appearances on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, he has advised private clients around the world. In 2003 he published his ground-breaking study, François Linke, 1855–1946: The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, and remains curator of the extensive Linke archives. His books include works

on European and French nineteenth-century furniture which have been translated into several languages, including French, Spanish, Hungarian and Chinese. He is a visiting professor at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Art (SIVA). His most recent book, Paris Furniture: The Luxury Market of the 19th Century, was published in French and English in 2018.