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
741
2,719
2,017
4,715
106
94
198,621
115,246
44,115
33,263
16,609
12,244
10,863
10,847
9,986
8,903
7,353
6,665
6,480
6,391
6,249
6,143
4,915
3,746
245
3,049
1,421
200
489
353
221
106
15
84
50
46
48
78
53
53
23
2,687
2,011
1,469
1,003
822
4,023
2,753
410
283
242
4,915
4,871
4,893
45
33
19
18
13
Style: Empire
American Classical Empire Style Over Mantel Mahogany Trident Pediment Mirror 49"
Located in Dayton, OH
American Classical Empire style Pediment Mirror, circa last quarter 20th century. Features a mahogany frame with an arched pediment over acanthus carved spandrels set around a triden...
Category
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Materials
Mirror, Mahogany
$822 Sale Price
30% Off
French Empire Walnut Sideboard
Located in Westwood, NJ
The classic form features book-matched panels framed by gold trim, while square tapered legs with brass sabots ground the piece in Empire period authenticity. Each door front showcas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Empire Furniture
Materials
Metal
$8,715 / item
19th Century French Empire Period Daybed
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Elegant 19th Century French mahogany Period Empire meridienne or day bed of lovely proportions. With bronze escutcheons and floral roundels to both sides. Two bolster cushions. A bea...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Upholstery, Mahogany
Art Deco Style Crystal Chandelier Empire Sac a Pearl Palace Lamp Chrome
Located in Berlin, DE
Introducing a new Art Deco crystal style chandelier that captures the grandeur of the Empire era while offering modern sophistication. Crafted with exquisite lead crystal, this chand...
Category
2010s German Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal
An empire mantel clock "AU PORTEFAIX" after Jean andre reiche
Located in Harrington Park, NJ
MANTEL CLOCK "Au bon sauvage" or "PORTEFAIX",
late Empire, after a design by J.A. REICHE (Jean-Andre Reiche, 1752-1817), Paris, 19th century. Gilt ...
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
$9,000 Sale Price
40% Off
Piatto in Porcellana di Meissen Dipinta a Mano Anni 60
Located in Milano, MI
Piatto in Porcellana di Meissen dipinta a mano, realizzata negli anni '60
Ø cm 21
La porcellana di Meissen è considerata uno dei primi e più pregiati esempi di porcellana europea. ...
Category
1960s German Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze and Enamel Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
French Empire style gilt bronze and enamel chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi has got twelve lights.
This chandelier is charact...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Enamel
19th Century Russian Pair of Antique Beechwood, Brass Wall Mirrors and Consoles
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An antique Russian pair of wall mirrors and console tables, nightstands made of hand crafted Karelian Beechwood in good condition. The floor mirrors are supported by two arched legs ...
Category
Mid-19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
French Empire Style Mahogany Headboard with Silk Embroidery
Located in Atlanta, GA
French Empire Style Mahogany Headboard with Silk Embroidery
Category
1890s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Silk, Mahogany
Perfume Holder Handbag Silver Sterling with stripes two-tone Enamel Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Cylindrical handbag perfume holder in 925/1000 sterling silver gold-plated with screw cap and stripes with translucent two-tone fired enamels on guilloché and hand-engraved motifs in...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 19th Century French Empire Mantel Clock, Portal Pendule, Paris circa 1820
By Duval
Located in Greven, DE
Antique French round arch portal clock
France (Paris)
Bronze, enamel
Empire circa 1820
Dimensions: H x W x D: 47 x 26 x 12 cm
Description:
Very beautiful, strictly architecturally...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Enamel
1810s Bergere Armchair
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A very fine 'Bergère' armchair in solid mahogany, dating from the First Empire period (early 19th century) and generously upholstered throughout in alternating stripes of deep pink a...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Walnut
$1,660
Candelabras 5 Arms French Silver Plate 19th Century France
Located in New York, NY
Candelabras 5 Arms French Silver Plate 19th Century France . A pair of French silver plated candelabras. Decorated with leaves and flowers.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
$3,000 Sale Price / set
51% Off
Small Empire Chest of Drawers in Mahogany with Marble Columns, Sweden, c. 1790
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A beautiful Empire commode in Cuban mahogany with marble columns flanking two drawers and resting on tapered square feet. Brass key plates and pulls were added in the late 1800s. Fre...
Category
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
French Empire Bronze Doré and Patinated Clock Depicting Atlas-Early 19th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Period French Empire Bronze Doré and Patinated Clock Depicting Atlas with original gilt edged and velvet lined case. Atlas son of Titan, from Greek mythology is holding the clock on ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Steel
$16,000 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Watch Winding Display Cabinet
Located in New Orleans, LA
This incredible, one-of-a-kind watch display cabinet brings together the beauty of an antique with the functionality of modern technology. Crafted of mahogany, this 19th century jewelry display cabinet...
Category
19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
French Bronze of Napoleon Marching in Waterloo After Marius-Jean-Antonin Mercié
By Marius Jean Antonin Mercié
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Fine and Large French Early 20th Century Bronze of Napoleon Marching in Waterloo Cast after a model by Marius-Jean-Antonin Mercié (French, 1845-1916). The impressive bronze sculptu...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Empire Solid Mahogany Desk Chair, Early 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
Empire mahogany desk chair or fauteuil de bureau.
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
$7,200 Sale Price
28% Off
Antique Flame Mahogany Empire Tea Caddy Wooden Casket Box 19th century
Located in Sweden, SE
Rectangular shape mahogany veneered casket made in first half of 19th century presumably in Europe. High quality work of applied arts in Neoclassical (Biedermeier) style. The fork of...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
19thc British Empire Bronze with Cut Crystal Lantern style Pendant/ Chandelier
Located in Opa Locka, FL
c1890 British Empire Bronze with Cut Crystal Bag and Tent style Chandelier/ Pendant Ceiling Fixture. I purchased this fixture along with some other beautiful British fixtures from a ...
Category
1890s English Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal
$1,828 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of Antique French Empire Style Figural Patinated and Gilt Bronze Candelabra
Located in New York, NY
A pair of spectacular and prominent antique French Empire-style figural patinated and gilt bronze candelabra. Each candelabrum takes the form of a fully modeled winged female figure,...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Griotte Marble, Bronze
Antique French Empire Gold Gilt Overmantel Mirror
Located in London, GB
A good sized Gilt Empire antique mirror with applied decorative motif gilt work on a rectangular frame, lambs tongue design inner slip. Mirror in good condition. Original boarded bac...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mirror
Pair of Empire Style Black Stone and Ormolu Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Each candleholder of columnar form surmounted with ormolu stiff-leaf capitals and with acanthus-wrapped base, on pedestal bases with outswept scrolling feet. Fitted with two brass bulb sockets. Adjustable. Later mounded as a lamps. With duck blue...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Stone, Brass, Ormolu
Early 20th century burr yew desktop box with clock
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Early 20th century burr yew desktop box with clock circa 1920.
Empire revival burr yew cigar box with clock. Strung and inlaid to outer edges, decorated with an ormolu mount to the...
Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Art Deco Style Crystal Chandelier Empire Sac a Pearl Palace Lamp Chrome
Located in Berlin, DE
Art Deco Crystal Chandelier - Empire Elegance in Customizable Sizes
Introducing a new Art Deco crystal style chandelier that captures the grandeur of the Empire era while offering m...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Wire
$7,077 Sale Price
30% Off
French 19th Century Brass Empire Sconce
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A single petite Empire brass sconce of classic French design. Perfect for a small space that needs some extra light and still looks sophisticated w...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
Vintage French Empire Brass
Crystal Glass Column "Oil Lamp" Table Lamps, Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Empire Style Brass & Crystal Glass Column "Oil Lamp Style" Table Lamps by Wilmar - a Pair. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: 36" H (to finial) x 30" H (to light so...
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Pair of Empire Gilt Chinoiserie Vases
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Empire gilt chinoiserie vases. Pair hand-painted and gilt French vases of the Empire period with mask handles and gilt surrounds centering on ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
$3,600 / set
Pair of French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Two-Light Sconces, Early 20th Century
Located in Barntrup, DE
A pair of French Empire-style gilt bronze sconces. These beautiful wall lights are richly decorated with bronze details like flowers, leaves, swans, and griffin heads.
Each sconce ha...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Art Deco Crystal Chandelier Empire Sac a Pearl Palace Lamp Chrome
Located in Berlin, DE
New Art Deco Crystal Style Chandelier: Custom Empire Elegance
Introducing our latest addition, the Art Deco crystal style chandelier, a captivating fusion of Empire opulence and the...
Category
2010s German Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal
$4,259 Sale Price / item
20% Off
French, Empire Provencal Armchair
Located in Montreal, Quebec
A rare, beautiful, early-19th century Napoleon I, First Empire provencal armchair, a period piece, newly upholstered in the traditional laurel-leaf ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Wood
A Pair Of Very Large Gilt French Torchiere Hand Wall Lights
Located in London, GB
A pair of huge Giltwood carved torchiere wall lights with opaque glass flame shades. Converted for electric, finished very well with bronze mounted shade holders. The large torchiere...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Giltwood
Stunning Gueridon Table, hand carved Dolphin, second Empire, ~1900, Italy
Located in Wien, AT
Stunning rare side table, so called Gueridon, from the second Empire, made around 1900 in Italy.
This elaborate structure of the table is composed of a round base with small extens...
Category
1890s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany, Spruce
French Antique Bronze Chandelier
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique bronze chandelier, from 1950's with non-electrified with 24 candle holder chandelier was in
Ex-Vice-president Dan Quayle office in ...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
$46,400 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of Early 19th Century French Empire Period Candelabras
Located in Forney, TX
A stunning pair of period Empire gilt patinated brass and bronze candelabras.
Born in France in the early 19th century, fine quality and detailing, elaborately decorated, unique d...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass, Bronze, Ormolu
French Empire Green and Gilt Montieth Jardiniere Cachepot
Located in New York, NY
French Empire green and gilt montieth jardiniere cachepot. Neoclassical period gilt rimmed Empire montieth/ verriere in mottled green painted tole with scalloped edge and handles. Be...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Metal
Nast Manufacture : set of 12 Empire Paris porcelain egg cups - circa 1805
By Nast
Located in GRENOBLE, FR
A fine set of Empire egg cups and their tray, Paris porcelain, trays are signed Nast underneath (Nast Manufacture, Parisian porcelain manufacture active between 1784 and 1830). Beaut...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
18th Century French Oil Painting Portrait of a Woman and Child Holding a Torch
Located in Queens, NY
French (18th-19th century) large oil painting portrait of a woman holding flowers and a child bearing a torch in an ornate carved rectangular gilt...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Giltwood, Paint
Vintage Colorful Floral Tapestry 5.0X5.05
Located in Los Angeles, US
A wall hanging tapestry, simply put, is a textile specifically designed and woven to portray an artistic scene with the intent of hanging it on a wall. Antique tapestries, those that...
Category
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Materials
Wool, Cotton
French Empire Brass Art Deco Shell Desk Table Lamp
Located in Amsterdam, NL
1920s Empire French brass table desk lamp
Nickel Art Deco shell shade with heavy brass base
Brass base. Black cotton wire and plug.
Also, available with US/UK plug
Weight: 1.00 kg...
Category
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass, Nickel
A.Carrier French bronze 19th Neapolitan musician playing a tambourine.
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible A.CARRIER bronze 19th Neapolitan musician playing a tambourine.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Antique 19th C Empire Star
Shield Coat of Arms Dining Chair
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Antique 19th C Empire star & shield coat of arms dining chairs
Priced each.
Additional information:
Materials: Mahogany
Color: Olive
Period: 19th Century
Styles: Empire
Numb...
Category
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
French Turn of the Century Empire St. Flamed Mahogany and Ormolu Dining Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking and very elegant French turn of the century Empire st. flamed Mahogany and ormolu dining table. The table is raised by six elegant and impressive lightly tapered circular ...
Category
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Vintage Tapestry Depicting Angels and Royal Figures 8.2X7.0
Located in Los Angeles, US
A wall hanging tapestry, simply put, is a textile specifically designed and woven to portray an artistic scene with the intent of hanging it on a wall. Antique tapestries, those that...
Category
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Materials
Wool, Cotton
Four Italian Dining Chairs Empire Style Red Gold Upholstery 20th Century
Located in Milano, MI
A set of four solid walnut chairs in the fabulous Empire style with ormolu decorations, made in Italy in the 20th century, in good condition.
The walnut frame is beautiful in color ...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
$1,914 Sale Price / set
50% Off
French Porcelain and Brass Table Lamp with Gold Lion Horse Design, Small
By Luc Lanel
Located in New York, NY
A small French porcelain table lamp with brass base, in the Empire style, circa early-20th century, France. This small French porcelain lamp, ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Gold, Brass
Louis Vuitton Trunks Suitcases Monogram Art Print Framed
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Louis Vuitton Print from Paris, France framed in a vintage wooden Gold Leaf frame. The artwork features the iconic Louis Vuitton suitcases artistically stacked. Similar piece can be ...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paper, Paint
Pair 19th Century French Empire Style Gilt Bronze 2-Light Sconces / Wall Lights
Located in New York, NY
Pair antique (19th century) sconces in the French Empire style with gilt bronze arms decorated with masks and mahogany backplates decorated with various neoclassical motifs.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Petite Empire Console with Marble Top, France 19th century
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Empire Period mahogany console table of small size. The rectangular top inset with a white and green variegated marble top and the frieze inset with a drawer and flanked by paint...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Swedish Empire Pedestal Table with Drawer
Original Paint
Located in Boden, SE
19th century Swedish Empire pedestal table with original paint.
A very charming table with a drawer.
Scraped by hand to its original color.
Turned base supported by beautifully ca...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Pine
Box handpainted miniature on guilloche and musical movement by Reuge S.A. inside
Located in Firenze, FI
Octagonal box in 925/1000 sterling silver, gold plated with translucent fired enamels and featuring a handpainted monochrome miniature on guilloche of a sailing ship on the lid, depi...
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Gold, Sterling Silver, Enamel
12 Limoges Raised Gilt Enameled Napoleonic Plates, circa 1900
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
12 Limoges raised gilt enameled Napoleonic plates, circa 1900, each one decorated with gilt laurel surround, filled with golden bees, the center with Napoleonic crest of laurel wreath and monogrammed 'N'.
The porcelain is made by Charles Ahrenfeldt Limoges...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
$2,360 Sale Price / set
20% Off
19th Century French Pair of Bronze Girandoles Attributed to Friedrich Bergenfeld
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A gold-black, antique French pair of girandoles made of hand crafted gilded bronze attributed to Friedrich Bergenfeldt, in good condition. Eac...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass, Bronze
Beautiful tablelamp originally a Empire Candlestick i bronze. From 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Beautiful Table Lamp, originally a Empire Candlestick i Bronze from France during the 1820s.
Newly rewired electricity
New lampshades in black lacquer with gilding on the inside t...
Category
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Baltic Mahogany Long Bench - Antique Empire Silk Sofa, Canapé
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A dark-brown, antique Baltic long bench with two pillows made of hand carved Mahogany, in good condition. The three seater sofa, settee is stand...
Category
Mid-19th Century Baltic Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Silk, Upholstery, Mahogany
Hand-Painted Miniature House from Mallorca - Plaster Figurine - 2Y19
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Add a charming touch to your decor with this hand-painted miniature house from Mallorca. Crafted from plaster, this colorful figurine captures the essence of traditional architecture...
Category
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Plaster
$90 Sale Price
89% Off
Empire Chest of Drawers with White Marble Top, France Early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
French Empire chest of drawers veneered in mahogany, with four drawers and white marble top. The corpus is flanked by columns with fire-gilded bases and capitals, which merge into th...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble
Jules Verne Book - First Part, 7th Edition, Ed. Hetzel - 2Y80
Located in Bordeaux, FR
A classic Jules Verne book titled "Un Capitaine de Quinze Ans" (A Captain at Fifteen), first part, 7th edition published by Ed. Hetzel. This vintage b...
Category
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Paper
$161 Sale Price
75% Off
French Empire Burlwood Chair
Located in Houston, TX
A 19th Century French Empire burl wood chair featuring stylized ormolu to include swans, lyre, acanthus and ribbons with lion's paw sabots. Seat newly...
Category
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Antique Empire Style Console Table
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Antique Empire style mahogany console table with a marble top, circa 1900. With a rectangular grey and white marble top with slightly rounded front corners, a frieze drawer with a we...
Category
Early 1900s European Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble, Brass
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.
Still Thinking About These?
All Recently ViewedMore 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