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.
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Birch, Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Metal
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Malachite, Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
17th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Gesso, Mirror, Wood
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Malachite, Ormolu
1960s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Malachite, Ormolu
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Silver, Brass
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Pine
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1820s European Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century Empire Furniture
Crystal, Metal
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Brass, Iron
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Mid-20th Century European Empire Furniture
Silver Leaf
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Metal, Brass
1840s Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Silver, Enamel
1950s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Late 18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Giltwood, Paint
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Gesso, Mirror, Giltwood
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Mid-20th Century European Empire Furniture
Iron
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Mid-19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany, Giltwood
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
Early 20th Century Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Iron
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
17th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Iron
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1890s German Antique Empire Furniture
Silver Plate, Pewter
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Breccia Marble
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
1980s Philippine Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze, Wrought Iron
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Malachite, Ormolu
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century English Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Birch
1820s Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1930s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Sheet Metal
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Sterling Silver, Enamel





