Empire Furniture
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.
to
82
357
2,702
2,066
317
38
2
16,437
2,585
1,823
1,109
679
664
372
357
353
345
299
224
186
105
95
72
51
24
9
214
94
40
14
24
6
2
7
7
3
9
3
5
208
161
117
102
75
310
159
73
21
14
357
354
354
4
2
1
1
1
Item Ships From: Germany
Style: Empire
Pair of Tall Italian Torchères, Likely Naples, Early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
A refined pair of Italian torchères made from mahogany, dating to the early 19th century and likely originating from Naples. The torchères rest on tripod bases with elegantly curved ...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble
French Portico Clock Signed Cellier à Paris, 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Small portico clock made of gray marble with gilded applications. The cylindrical movement is enclosed between two columns, above which a figural top piece in the form of a seated Ch...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble, Bronze, Enamel
19th Century Empire Console Italy 1810 Marble Top Bronze Fittings
Located in Epfach, DE
19th Century Empire Console Tuscany Italy 1820 Marble Top Bronze Fittings
This extraordinary Empire console from Italy around 1820 combines elegance, master craftsmanship and histori...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Top cabinet secretary, Baden, around 1780/90 Walnut and walnut burl
Located in Münster, DE
Secretary à deux corps
Top cabinet Baden, around 1780/90
Walnut and walnut burl veneered and marquetry,
3-tier chest of drawers, cylinder lock with automatic pull-out mechanism, o...
Category
1780s German Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Wood, Nutwood
$14,969 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of Neoclassical Dining Room Chairs, Brass, Baltic States, Late 18th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Two classicistic mahogany armchairs with brass decoration and openwork backs. The chairs stand on square pointed legs with H-shaped bracing, which merge into elegantly curved, high-s...
Category
Late 18th Century Baltic Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Transforming Table by Martin-Guillaume Biennais, Consulat Period, France circa 1
Located in New York, NY
Transformation table, on high square pointed legs with brass sabots and curved table top including intermediate shelf with gilded gallery rail. The middle part of the table top can b...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
19th Century Lion Secretary Empire Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
Cuba mahogany on solid oak and softwood partly ebonized. High-rise, architecturally designed corpus. In the front three drawers of different sizes. Straight writing board, behind it ...
Category
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
$39,783 Sale Price
20% Off
Rare North German Altona Empire Secretary, circa 1810-1815
Located in Handewitt, DE
Beautiful and rare original North German "Altona" Secretary, circa 1810-1820. Fine cuba-mahogany, Birch and elmwood veneer. Inlays in different woods. Original fittings in bronze and...
Category
1810s German Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
$26,434 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Empire Period Sideboard or Buffet
Located in Stahnsdorf, DE
19th Century Empire Period Sideboard or Buffet
France, 1830
Cherrywood,
This early nineteenth century French Buffet is constructed of solid Cherrywood. Three drawers of dovetail con...
Category
1830s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Cherry
Vanity Table in Mahogany, Probably Denmark, circa 1830
Located in Greding, DE
Danish Biedermeier dressing table with adjustable mirror with an architectural layout and fire-gilded fittings. The dressing table is equipp...
Category
1830s Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Miniatur Mantel Clock, Gare La Bombe, Cupido, France, Gilded Bronze
Located in Greven, DE
Pendulette "Gare La Bombe"
France
gilded bronze
first half 19th century
Dimensions: H x W x D: 20 x 15 x 7 cm
Description:
Antique miniature mante...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Swedish Empire Ceiling Chandelier in antique Classicist Style brass polished
Located in Berlin, DE
Polished brass and facet-ground prism hangings.
Measures:
Diameter 76 cm
Height 120 cm.
Category
20th Century Swedish Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Large Pair of Spanish Empire Style 7-Light Crystal-Cut Chandeliers
Located in Berlin, DE
Large Pair of Spanish Empire Style 7-Light Crystal-Cut Chandeliers, in the Style of the Spanish Royal Factory of Glass and Crystal of La Granja
A large pair of Empire style 7-light ...
Category
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Metal
Empire Armchairs, Pierre-Benoît Marcion, France, circa 1810
Located in Greding, DE
Set of eight armchairs by the French ébéniste Pierre-Benoît Marcion, with carved lion's heads and paw feet. The frame is made of polished mahogany. The backrests and seats are newly ...
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Mahogany
Marble Vase, France, Second Half of the 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Large lidded vase with a gadrooned wall with acanthus leaves and pine node. Marbre griotte and gilt bronze.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Griotte Marble, Bronze
Neoclassical Gilt Empire Mirror, France
Located in Saarbruecken, DE
Giltwood. Empire mirror.
france 20th century
Patinated art glass.
brass ornaments.
compact messurements!
Category
1950s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Giltwood
Empire Wall Mirror, Baltic States, around 1810
Located in Greding, DE
Large wall mirror with brass profiles and mahogany veneered frame as well as a gable end rising in the middle. The mirror glass is frame-facetted.
Category
Early 19th Century Baltic Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Empire Gueridon, Early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Empire gueridon in walnut, standing on three tall columnar legs with a trefoil base and central plinth. The sides are adorned with star-shaped bronze mounts, while the circular top f...
Category
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Cabinet, Empire around 1800, solid mahogany, 2-door
Located in Münster, DE
Cabinet, Empire around 1800, solid mahogany, 2-door, can be dismantled, original fittings, head and base with surrounding dentil frieze, lisettes with carved capitals, shellac wax po...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Romantic Seascape With Figures Oil On Panel Supra Porte
Located in Munich, DE
This charming peaceful romantic scene shows a fine summer day in a hilly landscape near the sea.
The blue sea surrounds a peninsular with a fortress on a hill. There is an isolated ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Wood
Pair of Monumental Empire Style Crystal and Bronze Sconces, Austria, 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Pair of gilt bronze and crystal 1930s or older, waterfall sconces in empire style. Each fixture requires three European E14 candelabra bulbs, each bulb up to 40 watts. The wall light...
Category
1930s Austrian Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Bronze, Metal
20th Century Empire Style Lion Kanapee Sofa
Located in Berlin, DE
Imperial stylish lion Kanapee in Empire style.
Finely detailed carving work on solid ebonized beechwood. Gilded. Winged, protruding lions heads in bronze.
(B-Sam-60).
Category
20th Century Empire Furniture
Materials
Wood, Beech
20th Century Empire Style Basket Chandelier
Located in Berlin, DE
20th Century Empire style basket chandelier
Classicist basket chandelier in Empire style.
Finely cast, Bronze silvered. Adorned with engraved swans and pearl cords.
(F-Ra-20).
Category
20th Century Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Salon Sofa/Couch, Black
Located in Berlin, DE
20th century French Empire Salon Sofa/Couch, black
Very specific finely detailed carving work on solid ebonized beechwood. Partially gilded. Cum...
Category
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Beech
$3,125 Sale Price
51% Off
Late 19th Century Large Empire Style Painted Gilt Wood Wall Mirror
Located in Berlin, DE
Late 19th century large empire style painted gilt wood wall mirror or trumeau
Large rectangular mirror with architectural structure: the central field, consisting of a lower mirro...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mirror, Wood
Empire Mahogany Grandfather Clock, early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Large Empire grandfather clock with a mahogany-veneered case in the shape of a lyre. The grandfather clock stands on a chest with three drawers and diamond-shaped fillings. Above it ...
Category
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Enamel
Antique Empire Gilt Carved Painted Beech Wood Swedish Trumeau Wall Mirror
Located in Munich, DE
This beautiful beechwood trumeau features fine carvings of two columns and a basquet filled with fruit and flowers. The high relief woodwork is partially guilt and has retained it's ...
Category
1810s Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Beech
Wall-Mounted Flower Basket, 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
A vase-shaped, semi-circular flower basket from the 19th century. The wall is adorned with intricate leaf motifs and rosettes, defined by vertical struts. A narrow beaded brass band ...
Category
19th Century Scandinavian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Wood
$3,600 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique Empire Head of Hermes Carved Wood Messenger of Zeus God of Merchants
Located in Munich, DE
This beautiful head of Hermes wearing his winged helmet is carved out of boxwood and has preserved the original gilding. The head is mounted on a blacke...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Boxwood, Oak
1800 Empire Nast Porcelain Griffins Masks Roses Flowers Garlands France Vase
Located in Munich, DE
This very high quality French vase in caramel hue with guilding is most probably made by the Nast Porcelain Manufacture ( 1754 - 1817 ). It's handles ar...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
Empire Half-Portrait of a Boy, 19th Century, Linen and Hardwood
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
Empire half-portrait
During the Empire era, which unfolded in the early 19th century, child portraiture held a distinct place in the artistic landscape. The Empire style, characteriz...
Category
Early 1800s European Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Linen, Hardwood
Pair of Early 19th Century Prussian Cast Iron Vases Urns Fer De Berlin
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
A beautiful pair of cast iron vases (urns) on pedestal, attributed to the Royal Prussian Iron Foundries in Gleiwitz. This pair is modeled most likely aft...
Category
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Berlin Iron, Iron
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 Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Pair of Empire Sideboards, early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Pair of trumeau sideboards with flanking carved caryatids in the Retour d'Egypte style. The sideboards are fitted with two doors and a wide drawer. The carved figures are blackened a...
Category
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
$19,896 / set
Table Mirror, France Early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Table mirror in mahogany on oak with brass urn-shaped pinnacles and four drawers.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Antique Empire Style Secretary with Brass and Marble Top mahogany veneer
Located in Berlin, DE
Mahogany veneer on solid conifers. High-right corpus on chased bronze claw feet. Architecturally articulated front with library dummy and brass rim sockets. On both sides slightly co...
Category
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Empire Salon Suite, France 1810, Manner of Jacob Desmalter (1770-1841)
Located in Leimen, DE
Empire Salon Suite, France 1810
Step back in time to the opulent era of 19th-century France with the exquisite Elegant Empire Salon Suite, crafted i...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Pair of French Bronze and Iron Firedogs, Early 20th Century
Located in Barntrup, DE
A pair of antique firedogs made of bronze and iron, France, early 20th Century. These marvelous firedogs or andirons feature bronze construction in baluster form, raised on paw feet,...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Iron
Empire Wall Mirror, 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Rectangular wall mirror in a gold-patinated, profiled frame with decorative acanthus leaf and scroll motifs in the corners.
Category
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Giltwood
19th Century Empire Bronze Fire-Gilded Pendule
Located in Berlin, DE
Great bronze pendulum. Base and pedestal with lavish floral and figurative embellishments such as rocaille, acanthus leaves, cartouches, garlands, putti and central masks. Additional...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
$2,539 Sale Price
20% Off
Desk Set, Viennese Empire, c. 1815
Located in Greding, DE
Seven-piece desk set from Vienna in granite with polished steel mounts.
Category
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Granite, Steel
$9,664 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Early 19th Century Empire Mahogany Console Table with Marble Top
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
This finely crafted console table impresses with its strict architectural form and a striking, rare marble top. The frieze houses a large drawer (without lock), subtly integrated int...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble, Bronze
19th Century Unique Empire Armchair Around 1820, France, Mahogany
Located in Berlin, DE
19th century Unique Empire armchair around 1820, France, Mahogany
Solid mahogany wood, France around 1820/30.
Finely carved swan's heads on each armrest. Extremely high quality a...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Empire Demi Lune Chest of Drawers, Baltic States early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Demi Lune chest of drawers with three drawers, on low, curved pointed feet. The body is veneered in mahogany and decorated with profiled bra...
Category
Early 19th Century Baltic Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
French Empire Ormolu Mantel Clock by Deverberie a Paris, Fire-Gilded
Located in Berlin, DE
French Empire mantel clock from DeVerberie a Paris.
Fire-gilded.
Age-related condition.
Category
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
$6,158 Sale Price
20% Off
Empire Column with fire-gilt Appliqués, 2nd Half 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Fluted column in mahogany veneer, with a white marble top and fire-gilt appliqués in the fluting. The chest of drawers stands on a round, multi-profiled base over gilded paw feet. Th...
Category
Mid-19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble
20th Century Empire Style Bronze Silvered Three Claw-Feet French Candelabra
Located in Berlin, DE
Bronze, finely engraved, silvered. On three claw-feet, several times structured, fluted column-shaft.
Category
20th Century Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
$1,108 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Chandelier Sweden or Baltic States Cut Glas Gilded
Located in Epfach, DE
The chandelier is probably made circa 1810 in Sweden or the Baltic States. It is made out of cut glass and flashed glass the three double arms and the mascarons are gilded.
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Empire Torchères, Vienna, circa 1800
Located in Greding, DE
Pair of large Empire torches or candelabra on a three-pass base tapering to the top and inlaid with brass inlays in the form of acanthus leaves and floral motifs. Rising above three ...
Category
Early 1800s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
$63,953 / set
Italian metal folding side table Empire style, yellow and black, Mid century
Located in Hamburg, DE
Transport your living space back to the opulent Empire era with this Italian folding table crafted from metal, dating back to around 1970. The Em...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Metal
$615 Sale Price
20% Off
Empire Frame, Italy, Early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Wood stuccoed and gilded.
Rectangular frame with cymatium frieze and pearl strip, alternating shell and dolphin decorations in relief.
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Wood
Meißen Manufactory, Espresso Set with Silhouette Portrait Richard Wagner
Located in Epfach, DE
Richard Wagner lived in 1872 at the Hotel Fantaisie in Bayreuth for half a year until he was able to move into his later domicile with his family. As interior designer, Brigitte Mart...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
Early 19th Century Pair of Empire Gilt Bronze Female Caryatids Candlesticks
By Claude Galle
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of Early 19th Century French Empire Ormolu Gilt Bronze Female Busts Candlesticks, circa 1820
A beautiful pair of Empire gilt-bronze ormolu c...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Empire Armchairs, France ca. 1810
Located in Leimen, DE
Pair of Antique Empire Armchairs from France, Circa 1810
Discover this exquisite pair of Empire armchairs, crafted in France around 1810. These elegant chairs feature rich mahogany ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
$3,789 Sale Price / set
20% Off
19th Century Empire France Lyra-Shaped Curly-Legs Side Tables, circa 1815
Located in Berlin, DE
Mahogany on solid wood and partly boned. Round leaf with black-and-white interspersed marble, over simple frame and lyra-shaped curly legs on three-sided retracted base plate and dis...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble
Pair of French Empire Bergère Armchairs, 19th century
Located in Leimen, DE
Discover an exquisite pair of Empire-style armchairs from the 19th century, crafted from luxurious mahogany. These elegant chairs embody timeless sophistication, featuring high backs...
Category
1830s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century French Playing Card Box Rosewood
Located in Münster, DE
Large casket, rosewood solid and veneered, France circa 1860/70, brass handle embedded in the lid, brass inlays, nice division inside (originally for tokens and cards), restored cond...
Category
1860s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Early 19th Century North Italy Neoclassical Walnut Giltwood Overmantel Mirror
Located in Berlin, DE
Early 19th Century North Italy Neoclassical Empire period Walnut and Giltwood Overmantel Mirror
A very rare and elegant North-Italian walnut veneered and giltwood overmantel mirror...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Giltwood, Walnut
Royal Empire column with malachite and gilt bronze
Located in Berlin, DE
Royal Empire column with malachite and gilt bronze
Impressive and regal wooden column with bronze mounts in Empire style. Solid wood coated with malachite painting technique. Such a...
Category
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Malachite, Brass, Bronze
$4,090 / item
20th Century Empire Style Courtly Lion Secretaire
Located in Berlin, DE
Bird’s eye maple on solid pinewood, partially ebonized. Finely engraved Empire bronze fixtures.
(L-Sam-301).
Category
20th Century Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Empire furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Empire furniture 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 furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include lighting, decorative objects, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire furniture 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 furniture, popular names associated with this style include Modenese Gastone, Europa Antiques, Baker Furniture Company, and Gherardo Degli Albizzi. 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 furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $56 and tops out at $955,603 while the average work can sell for $4,296.
More Ways To Browse
Burled Walnut Desk
Burnished Bamboo
Butter Table
Cabinet Dowel
Cabinets With Metal Inlay
Cameo Glass Bowl
Campaign Chest 1970
Campaign Chest Camphor
Canopic Jars
Canton Chinese Bowl
Cardinal Sculpture
Carrera Marble Dining Table
Carved Boar
Cast Grape Vine
Ceramic Cheetah
Ceramic Giraffe
Ceramic Pagoda
Ceramic Spanish Jug