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 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Ultrasuede, Wicker, Mahogany
Early 20th Century British Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze, Ormolu
20th Century Mexican Empire Furniture
Wood
1980s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Metal
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Bronze
1960s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wood, Beech
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Alabaster, Brass
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Bronze
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1990s Empire Furniture
Silver
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1960s Belgian Vintage Empire Furniture
Resin
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Mirror, Wood, Giltwood
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal
1970s Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Marble
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1960s Belgian Vintage Empire Furniture
Resin
Early 20th Century Danish Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Finnish Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Silver, Enamel
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wood
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Mirror
1960s Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze, Tôle
20th Century British Empire Furniture
Brass
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Russian Empire Furniture
Alabaster
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble, Metal
20th Century Empire Furniture
Brass
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Brass, Steel
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble
20th Century Danish Empire Furniture
Late 20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Sterling Silver
20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Early 20th Century Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Malachite, Bronze, Ormolu
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
1920s Vintage Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Mahogany
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Sapele Wood
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century Empire Furniture
Mahogany





