Empire Furniture
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.
Early 1900s Uzbek Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Metal, Brass
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Leather
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
1920s Unknown Vintage Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century American Empire Furniture
Brass
1970s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Metal, Brass
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Metal, Tin
1960s Danish Vintage Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Paper
20th Century Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century Persian Empire Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Bronze, Brass
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Paper
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Paper
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Zinc
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century European Empire Furniture
Silver Leaf
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Silver
20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 19th Century British Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
1960s Danish Vintage Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Furniture
Hardwood, Upholstery, Paint
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Giltwood
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Ceramic
19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
1940s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal
Late 18th Century Dutch Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century American Empire Furniture
Brass, Copper
1840s Baltic Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Ebony, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Gold
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Metal, Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Lapis Lazuli, Belgian Black Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Spelter
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain





