Empire Scientific Instruments
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 1800s French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Paper, Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Opaline Glass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Giltwood
Late 18th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Giltwood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Lacquer
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Bronze
20th Century European Empire Scientific Instruments
Blown Glass, Cut Glass
Early 20th Century Spanish Empire Scientific Instruments
Brass
Late 18th Century Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Other
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Scientific Instruments
Paper
20th Century American Empire Scientific Instruments
Chrome
Late 18th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Iron
18th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Metal, Gold Leaf
1880s French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Brass
19th Century English Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Walnut
19th Century English Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Hardwood
18th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Glass, Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Bronze
1810s German Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Wood
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Brass
1820s English Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Maple, Giltwood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Brass
1810s French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Scientific Instruments
Giltwood