Empire Shelves
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.
Mid-19th Century German Antique Empire Shelves
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Shelves
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Marble
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Shelves
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Iron
19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Bronze
Early 20th Century English Empire Shelves
Wood
20th Century English Empire Shelves
Bamboo, Pine
1960s French Vintage Empire Shelves
Elm
2010s Italian Empire Shelves
Wood, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Shelves
Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Empire Shelves
Beech
Late 20th Century American Empire Shelves
Leather
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Ormolu
20th Century American Empire Shelves
Glass, Oak
1870s Swedish Antique Empire Shelves
Pine
1980s Belgian Vintage Empire Shelves
Wood, Plywood, Burl, Lacquer
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Metal, Enamel
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Shelves
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Shelves
Brass
1970s European Vintage Empire Shelves
Brass
20th Century British Empire Shelves
Walnut
20th Century French Empire Shelves
1970s American Vintage Empire Shelves
Brass, Chrome
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Shelves
Pine, Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Shelves
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Shelves
Glass, Mirror, Wood