Empire Lighting
EMPIRE STYLE
From 1804–15, Napoléon I reigned as the emperor of France, bringing the country into a new era of opulence after the fall of the monarchy and the tumultuous years of the French Revolution. He declared, “We must have very solid things, made to last 100 years.” Empire-style furniture followed suit, with imposing pieces constructed from mahogany and adorned with gilded ornaments. Expanding on the neoclassicism popularized in the previous century — such as in Louis XVI style — Empire style borrowed from the great civilizations of antiquity, from Egypt to Greece and Rome, to connect this nascent empire to the power of the past.
Napoléon I believed the production of fine furniture would reflect the stature of the republic, with his official architects Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine leading the way with their work on his residences.
Luxurious materials, symmetrical shapes and bold colors characterize antique Empire-style bedroom furniture, armchairs, cabinets and other structures, with frequent motifs including mythological creatures, geometric designs, acanthus leaves, eagles, bees (the imperial emblem) and swans, a favorite of Empress Joséphine.
Flat surfaces, like marble tabletops, were accented with decadent details, such as the bronze furniture mounts made by sculptor Pierre-Philippe Thomire for the French palaces. Martin-Guillaume Biennais, who worked as the imperial goldsmith, crafted intricate luxury objects that mixed wood, fine metal, mother-of-pearl and ivory. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
The style became popular abroad, influencing the American Empire style. Stately pieces carved with sprigs of olives by cabinetmaker Pierre-Antoine Bellange were acquired by American President James Monroe for the White House in 1817.
Find a collection of antique Empire tables, lighting, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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Style: Empire
Gilt Bronze
Crystal Empire Style Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Superb gilt bronze & crystal Empire style Chandelier. Top ring featuring anthemia. Main ring with winged deity carrying gilt torcheres. The bottom part consists of seven concentric...
Category
1910s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Fine French Empire Style Cut-Crystal Tent and Bag Chandelier
Located in Berlin, DE
A fine gilt-bronze cut-crystal tent and bag chandelier with a corona in the form of a crown made of small facetted pearls above a fine bronze b...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Burgundy and Grey Marble Pillar Form Table Lamp Wood Base
Located in Toledo, OH
A beautiful marble table lamp. It features a lovely burgundy and grey marble in a pillar form with bronze scroll details and a wood base. Very good condition. The dimensions are 30.2...
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Marble
Couple of Candlesticks Style Empire
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Couple of Candlesticks Style Empire
Empire style
Marble and golden bronze
Origin France circa 1900
Very good condition. Natural wear.
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Marble, Bronze
$320 Sale Price
20% Off
French Empire Style Triple Tiered Crystal and Bronze Chandelier
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
An empire style chandelier in gilded bronze and cut crystal. The large central ring is embellished with palmettes and wreaths and supports beaded chains and long crystal French drops...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Set of Four Empire Style Three-Light Wall Sconces, Gilt and Patinated
Located in Montreal, QC
Set of four French Empire style cast bronze three-arm wall sconces. The
oval cast gilt bronze back plate, with stylized acanthus leaf design, supporting a gilt banded dark patinated...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Empire Style Four Light Green Painted
Gilt Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
Empire style, green paint decorated four-light colza form chandelier, having gilt bronze foliate accents, with torch-form arms. France, circa 1900. 4 lights.
Dimensions: Height 26",...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Empire Figural Parcel Gilt Bronze Three Light Candelabrum
Located in Montreal, QC
Crisply modelled as a standing godess, supporting ebonised and gilt arms, her slender body clad in a clinging toga with gilt tassels , arm bands, and sandals. She stands on an elabo...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Style Chandelier with Frosted Glass Flame
Located in Pembroke, MA
French Empire style chandelier with gilt bronze arms, neoclassical mounts, ornate chain and canopy. The central body is dark green painted wood, surmounted with a frosted glass flame...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
$5,200 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique Empire Revival Black Bronze Figural Candelabra Table Lamps - Pair
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique Empire Revival Tall Black and Bronze Figural Candelabra Table Lamps - Pair
This stunning pair of tall candelabra desk lamps is decorated...
Category
Early 20th Century American Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Empire Gilt Bronze and Crystal Basket Chandelier
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A period French Empire basket style crystal and gilt bronze chandelier with nine candle nozzles. The chandelier has a top section decorated with crystal swags and large gilded palmettes with the body suspended with strings of graduated crystal almond shaped crystals. The gilded nozzles are on top of decorative elements attached to the central gilded corona...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal
$9,600 Sale Price
36% Off
Antique French Empire Style Brown Painted Metal and Gilt Bronze Chandelier
Located in London, GB
Antique French Empire style brown painted metal and gilt bronze chandelier.
French, late 19th century
Dimensions: Height 60cm, diameter 67cm
This unusual chandelier is crafted f...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal, Ormolu
empire brass column lamp
Located in Brooklyn, NY
empire lamp stem in solid brass with contemporary lampshade from the 1950's
base is 44 centimetres high ( 17 1/3")
Category
1970s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass, Steel
Pair French Two-Arm Empire-Style Bronze Sconces with Urn and Swag Detail
Located in Houston, TX
Beautiful pair of Empire-style bronze sconces from France, circa 1910. Features an urn with swag motif with a beautiful patina and excellent detailed casting. Newly wired in the US ...
Category
1910s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French Bronze Bouillotte Lamp with Eagle Motif. Tole Metal Shade
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Unique piece purchased in France.
Gorgeous lamp, see detailed photos.
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Pair of Important First Empire Period Ormolu Sconces
By Percier
Fontaine
Located in Essex, MA
Period ormolu sconces in First Empire, imperial Russian, realistic lion mask form
--Percier and fontaine designed lion mask being impaled by th...
Category
Early 1800s Russian Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th Century Empire St. Patinated Bronze, Ormolu And Crystal Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exquisite and extremely decorative French 19th century Empire st. patinated bronze, ormolu and crystal chandelier. The six arm twenty two light chandelier is centered by an elegan...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze, Ormolu
A very fine Gilt
Enameled Bronze Empire style Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine Empire style chandelier. Gilt and enameled bronze.
France, circa 1910. 4-light
Dimensions: Height 34", diameter 18".
CW3...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Serves Bronze-Mounted Lamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Finely painted scenes of countryside and Napoleon. Signed by the artist. Beautiful jade green color with nicely detailed bronze mounts. Small dent on on...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Gilded Bronze Crystal 12-Arm Chandelier Light Fixture
Located in Toledo, OH
A gorgeous large scale French Empire crystal chandelier. The body of this chandelier is done in gilded bronze and has two layers of ar...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Pair of French Empire Brass Sconces, Early 19th Century
Located in San Francisco, CA
A pair of French Empire three-light brass sconces with lion faces, converted to electric.
Recently restored, having wax candle sleeves and holding chandelier size light bulbs.
Fran...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
Very Fine Empire Style Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine gilt and painted bronze chandelier in the Empire style featuring 8 swans carrying stylized candle cups. All original.
Measures: Height 37", width 26", 8-light
CW4449.
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Alabaster Pendant
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine gilt bronze and hand carved Alabaster pendant. 4 lights.
Dimensions: Height 39" diameter 29 1/2" France, circa 1930.
CW3174.
Category
1930s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Alabaster
$7,650
French 19th Century Empire St. Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A lovely French 19th century Empire st. verdigris patinated bronze and ormolu chandelier. The patinated bronze base is decorated with an ormolu inverted finial and acanthus leaves an...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Pair Antique French Empire Bronze D
Ore and Crystal Wall Sconces, Circa 1890.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Pair antique French Empire bronze d' ore and crystal wall sconces, circa 1890.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Large Empire Style Lamp in Cut Crystal and Gilt Bronze, 1940s
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Large Empire style lamp in cut crystal and chiselled and gilt bronze mount. Circular gilt bronze base adorned with a Walter leaves frieze, gadroons and beads topped by a cut crystal ...
Category
1940s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
20th Century Empire Style Wall Light Lamp
Located in Berlin, DE
Decorative wall light in Empire style.
Finely engraved and cast bronze. Three stylized, full horn-formed, sweeping light arms.
(F-Sam-1).
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
20th Century Empire Style Basket Chandelier
Located in Berlin, DE
Classicist basket chandelier in Empire style.
Finely engraved Bronze. Adorned with engraved swans and pearl cords.
(F-Ra-19).
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
20th Century Empire Style Horn-Formed Rolling Candlesticks French Candelabra
Located in Berlin, DE
Bronze, finely engraved and casted, partially silvered. Three stylized, horn-formed rolling candle sticks.
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$1,065 Sale Price
20% Off
Empire Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Very Fine Gilt Bronze Chandelier in the Empire taste, featuring gilt bronze swans issuing lights. An exquisite eight wreath top canopy. 8 lights.
France, circa 1900.
Dimensions:...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$4,650
Lamp Table 19th Century Gilt bronze Metal Shade Neoclassical France
Located in New York, NY
Lamp 19th Century Gilt bronze Metal Shade Neoclassical France . A French Bouillotte lamp made in gilt bronze and a painted metal shade. 3 electrified candle arms.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
$3,000 Sale Price
28% Off
French 19th Century Period First Empire Patinated Bronze and Bronze Sconces
Located in New Orleans, LA
Magnificent pair of French 19th century Period First Empire round patinated bronze and bronze three light sconces with bronze candle cups of acanthus leaves, adorned with feathers, b...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt and Burnished Bronze Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire style gilt and burnished bronze victory wall Sconce is an elegant example of figural wall light that shows a winged Victory, mounted ...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Silvered Bronze French Empire style Bouillotte Lamp
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A fine example of a French Empire bouillotte lamp made of silvered bronze. The circular base supports four decorative candle arms with nozzles; ...
Category
Early 20th Century English Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
pair of French 19th century Empire st. Glass and Ormolu lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant and wonderfully detailed pair of French 19th century Empire st. Glass and Ormolu lamps. Each lamp is raised by a square lattice cut column with an Ormolu plinth and capita...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
Russian Empire Style Gilt Bronze Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This Russian Empire style gilt bronze chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features thirty-six lights and a crown decorated with 12 leaves and a pine-cone, from which large chains are leaving downwards. Both rings are decorated with double-armed Athena's heads crowned...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Empire Period 5 light Figural Bronze Candelabra
Located in Montreal, QC
A pair of early 19th century French gilt bronze and patinated bronze figural empire period five lights candelabra. Each candelabrum is formed as a ormolu cornucopia of scrolled branc...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Large French Empire Gilt Bronze and Crystal Sconce Attributed to Thomire
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A highly unusual large scale single French Empire wall sconce, the bronze having the finest chasing and gilding ever produced. A winged cupi...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Gilt Bronze Sconces Empire Style
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of gilt bronze sconces Empire style.
Swans and fantastic animals design.
Category
1950s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$2,852 / set
19t Century Pair French Empire Lamps Paris Porcelain (Rust) Ormolu Mounts
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
19th Century Scottish Etched Glass Compote. Beautiful pair purchased in France. Age appropriate wear, see detailed photos or message us with questions.
Category
19th Century European Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Empire Style Pendant
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very elegant and restrained gilt bronze & painted bronze empire style pendant. France, circa 1920. 4 Lights.
Measures: height 38", diameter 25"...
Category
1920s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$2,650
Wall Sconces Pair Empire Style
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
A PAIR OF VINTAGE, EMPIRE STYLE, GILDED & BLACK METAL WALL SCONCES, WITH TWO ARMS
- Striking, simple form accentuated by the contrast betwe...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal
$2,740 / set
Two Empire wall sconces. Bronze, Glass, France, circa 1900
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of appliques. Bronze, glass. Empire style, France, circa 1900.
Both are practically the same, each wall light has three points of light and a decoration and lines that respond...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Other
Bouillotte French Lamp Gild Bronze 4 lights Flora Motive Empire Style
Located in Sweden, SE
Stylish antique Bouillotte lamp. Square foot with a four candleholders in flora motive candleholders and adjustable fabric shade with fixation bolt in form of an arrow feather. The ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Empire Style Seven-Light Candelabra, Gilt Bronze
Marble, Circa 1870
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Pair of Empire Style Gilt and Patinated Bronze and Rouge Griotte Marble Seven-Light Candelabra.
These palatial sized candelabra date to the First Empire period. As becoming of ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Griotte Marble, Bronze
Black Lacquered Wood Empire Style Table Lamp
Located in Montreal, QC
Black lacquered wood empire style table lamp stencil with gilded motifs
Category
1950s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Wood
French Empire Style Gilded Bronze Bouillotte Lamp
Located in Montreal, QC
French Empire style gilded bronze bouillotte lamp with 4 arms and a black tole lampe shade.
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
20th Century, French Gilt Bronze Buillotte Lamp
Located in IT
20th Century, French Gilt Bronze Buillotte Lamp
This elegant table lamp model buillotte was made in France towards the beginning of the twentieth century, of classic taste with deco...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Century, Pair of French Gitl Bronze Appliques
Located in IT
19th Century, Pair of French Gitl Bronze Appliques
This particular pair of appliques, in chiseled and gilded bronze, dates back to the first half of the nineteenth century. Made ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Pair of French Empire Bronze Wall Sconces
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of French Empire-style (19th century) bronze wall sconces with 5 arms, swan tops and a double ball design (Priced as pair).
Category
19th Century Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Fine Pair of French Empire Style Black Porcelain
Bronze Mounted Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful and fine pair of French Empire style Art Deco period black porcelain and bronze mounted table lamps. This beautiful pair of bl...
Category
1920s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of E 20th C Empire Gilt Bronze Large Sconces, Removed from Paris Theatre
Located in Dallas, TX
A large pair of French gilt bronze large Empire style three light sconces. Removed from a Paris theatre in the 1920's.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Early 19th Century French Empire Neoclassical Bronze Urns Wired as Lamps
Located in Long Island City, NY
Pair of Early 19th Century French Empire Neoclassical Bronze Urns, Wired as Lamps. Featuring ornate swag garlands and rams heads, with a frieze of dancing putti.
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Glass and Black Metal Imperial Chandelier with Bronze Eagle Finial, 1930s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1930s imperial style chandelier with clear glass rod and black metal arms and bronze eagle finial with six wax candle-like lights.
Category
1930s American Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features the best quality hand-chiselled details.
The backplate of this sconce features a central round pla...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of French Empire Style Ebonized and Gilt Four-Arm Wall Sconces
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of French Empire style ebonized and gilt four-arm wall sconces with flame top (20th century).
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Giltwood
19th Century French Marble and Gilt Bronze Fine Floor Lamp
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French gilt bronze and marble floor lamp . Fine quality gilt bronze detail.
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Marble
Russian 19th Century Empire St. Patinated Bronze, Crystal, and Ormolu Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A sensational and extremely decorative Russian 19th century Empire st. patinated bronze, crystal, and ormolu chandelier. The twelve arm chandelier is centered by a Fine solid crystal...
Category
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Ormolu, Bronze
Pair of French Louis Philippe Siena Marble and Gilt Bronze Table Lamps
Located in Dallas, TX
a pair of fine lamps of Siena marble with gold and silver gilt bronze mounts and supports, France, circa 1830
37" H x 8" diameter base
PRICED WITHOUT SHADES
(SHADES AVAILABLE SE...
Category
1830s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Siena Marble, Silver, Bronze
French Empire Period Egyptian Style Porcelain Candelabra
Located in London, GB
French Empire period Egyptian style porcelain candelabra
French, c. 1815
Height 81cm, width 27cm, depth 27cm
These extremely fine candelabra date from the early 19th Century, during the period of Napoleonic dominance in Europe. It was during this period that interest in the ancient civilisation of Egypt started to become fashionable, in large part due to Napoleon's conquest of the region at the turn of the 19th Century. Each candelabrum is modelled as a standing cross...
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
Empire lighting for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Empire lighting for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage lighting created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include lighting, decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire lighting made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original lighting, popular names associated with this style include Gherardo Degli Albizzi, Edward F. Caldwell
Co., Alexandre Vossion, and Maison Baguès. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for lighting differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $194 and tops out at $220,000 while the average work can sell for $4,434.
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