Restored Empire Sofa, Walnut, Spruce, Revived Polish, Austria, 1810s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This Empire-style sofa from the early 19th ceThis Empire-style sofa from the early 19th century was crafted in Austria and represents an exceptional example of furniture craftsmanshi...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Walnut, Spruce
Meditation French Empire Mantel Clock by Claude Galle
By Claude Galle
Located in New Orleans, LA
Empire Mantel Clock Claude Galle Circa 1810 This Empire period mantel clock by Galle exemplifies the sophisticated allegorical artistry of early 19th-century French horology.
Marble, Bronze, Enamel
French Empire Mantle Clock
By Negrier a Gueret
Located in Norwich, GB
French Empire mantle clock, elegant patinated bronze vase shaped case standing on a stepped ormolu base with turned feet, four pineapple finials surmounted by an ormolu armillary sph...
Bronze
French Empire Mahogany Drop Front Secretary "Secrétaire à Abattant"
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Early 19th century French mahogany wood Empire style drop front secretary with a removable black marble top. The secretary features two front side columns with bronze mounts detail w...
Brass
Six Early 19th Century Venetian Chairs, Walnut, Empire Style, wax polished
By Bassano's Ebanisteria
Located in Vigonza, Padua
6 early 19th century Venetian chairs in carved walnut, original upholstered spring seats in pink velvet, still usable. Clean and sanitized upholstery, structure polished with transpa...
Walnut
French Empire Period Egyptian Style Porcelain Candelabra
Located in London, GB
French Empire period Egyptian style porcelain candelabra French, c. 1815 Height 81cm, width 27cm, depth 27cm These extremely fine candelabra date from the early 19th Century, du...
Ormolu
Rare French Empire Ormolu Clock of Astronomy Lesson Signed Lafollie a Paris
Located in London, GB
A very rare French Empire ormolu mantel clock of an Astronomy Lesson. I have never seen this model before and it is larger than the other models by Jean Andre Reich. The clock has it...
Ormolu
Clock Pendulum Empire France
Located in New York, NY
Table pendulum clock made in France during the empire period, 1790-1810. Made from gilt bronze. Depicting a man holding a cornucopia.
Bronze
Rare Fine French Empire Mahogany Bed by Jacob-Desmalter ca. 1805-15
By Jacob-Desmalter
Located in Shippensburg, PA
EMPIRE MAHOGANY AND GILT BRONZE MOUNTED BED BY FRANÇOIS HONORÉ GEORGES JACOB DESMALTER Paris, France circa 1805 to 1817 62" H x 58 1/2" D x approximately 81" W 74 1/8" L x 52" W ap...
Bronze
Russian Empire Dressing Table with Mahogany Carvings and Gilt Bronzes
By Andrey Voronikhin
Located in Vienna, AT
As Chenevière observes such combinations had a «Curiosity value - tapestry panels, for example, which came into fashion in about 1805, or indigenous woods such as stained birch»1 Thi...
Bronze
Pair Antique French Paris Porcelain Hand-painted Dog Vases by Darte Frères 1810
By Darte Frères
Located in Portland, OR
A large & wonderful pair of antique French Porcelain de Paris Darte Frères hand-painted & gilded portrait vases, with scenes of dogs, and painted in the manner of Fragonard, circa 18...
Porcelain
A mahogany Empire commode à l'anglaise, Attributed to Jacob Frères
By Jacob Frères
Located in Wijnegem, BE
Attributed to Jacob Frères, (1803-1813) Period Empire. France c.1810. Museum piece. Dimensions: H99 x W154 x D69cm.
Marble
Empire Biedermeier Chandelier Attributed to the Circle of Josef Danhauser
Located in ALHAURÍN EL GRANDE, Malaga
Austria, circa 1810 An elegant Empire Biedermeier chandelier, attributed to the circle of Josef Danhauser, one of the most influential Viennese cabinetmakers and designers of the ea...
Metal
Pair of Paris porcelain standing baskets, Empire-period
Located in Paris, FR
Important pair of openwork baskets in white hard porcelain with gold decoration. The body, of flared circular shape, features a regular openwork design with ogive motifs, enhanced by...
Porcelain
Early 19th Century Empire Greek Vanity or Ladies' Desk
Located in Berlin, DE
An early 19th century gilt bronze and walnut veneer ladies desk or dressing table or vanity, with a rectangular grey fossil marble top above two mirror paneled doors and two drawers,...
Bronze
An Empire Period Gilt-Bronze Three-Piece Surtout de Table, Attributed to Denière
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
It is raised on leaf cast block feet will palm fronds. France, Circa 1810. Readily associated with the production of Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843), the most celebrated bronz...
Bronze
French Empire ormolu clock of Cupid carrying time by Le Roy Hr du Roi
Located in London, GB
A Fine Ormolu mantle Clock after a Design by Thomire. This theme is constantly repeated during the Directoire & Empire period. Thomire is known to have used this model. The quality ...
Ormolu
$9,562Sale Price / set|20% Off
Antique Viennese Empire Desk Set, Granite & Polished Steel, Circa 1815
Located in Greding, DE
Seven-piece desk set from Vienna in granite with polished steel mounts.
Granite, Steel
$5,920Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Early 19th Century Empire Trajan's Column Ormolu Candlesticks
By Pierre-Philippe Thomire
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of early 19th century Empire Trajan's column ormolu candlesticks in the manner of P.-P. Thomire (1751-1843): Pair of large Empire ormolu candlesticks, the stem ressembling th...
Ormolu
Empire Giltwood Candleholders with Stylized Palms, Early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Executed as stylized palms on rectangular landscape bases. The girandoles, each with four nozzles, are crafted in gilt-patinated wood with stucco elements. In unrestored original con...
Wood, Giltwood
19th Century French Empire Walnut Lectern with Carved Eagle and Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
This striking antique lectern was crafted in France circa 1810 during the Empire period and combines a dramatic sculptural eagle with an architectural walnut cabinet base.
Wrought Iron
Elegant French Empire Table Plateau in Bronze with nice patina from the 1810s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Elegant French Empire Table Plateau in Bronze with a lovely patina. Worn in the original mirror glass. (see pictures). Made in France during the 1810s Wear consistent with age and ...
Bronze
Gilt Bronze and Griotte Red marble inkwell, Empire Period, early 19th century
Located in Paris, FR
Elegant Empire-period inkwell featuring a rectangular base in griotte red marble, embellished with gilded bronzes. The main decoration, of great finesse, represents a winged figure i...
Griotte Marble, Bronze
French Empire Pair of Ormolu Candlesticks with Original Handcut Threads
Located in London, GB
Fine antique French Empire pair of ormolu candlesticks with original handcut threads. A very elegant pair of candlesticks with original ormolu. On a circular base decorated around th...
Ormolu
Empire Chest of Drawers, Polished Walnut, Cherry, Brass, Austria circa 1815
Located in Regensburg, DE
Extraordinary, Empire / early Biedermeier Chest, Commode or Half-cabinet from Austria around 1815. Beautiful book-matched dark walnut veneer on softwood. Two doors at the bottom, cou...
Gold Plate, Brass
$1,520Sale Price|20% Off
Mirror, Frame, wonderful swan decor, Empire, 1815, Vienna Austria
Located in Wien, AT
Wonderful wall mirror from the Empire period, around 1820, made in Vienna, Austria, Europe. The mirror is in impressive good condition, only the mirror plate has been renewed to en...
Spruce
Rare Pair French Empire Rhyton-Form Cornucopia Biscuit and Gilt Porcelain Vases
Located in New York, NY
A Pair of Early Empire period French Rhyton-Form Cornucopia Biscuit and Gilt Porcelain Vases with Boar’s heads. These vases are modeled in the form of rhyton-style cornucopias, featu...
Porcelain
French Empire Miniature Ormolu Clock of Cupid Signed by Ledure and Thomas
Located in London, GB
French Empire miniature ormolu clock of Cupid signed by Ledure and Thomas. A small French Empire clock only 10 inches (25 cms high) but of outstanding quality. A figure of Cupid stan...
Ormolu
Empire Marquetry Sofa in Mahogany with Satinwood Inlays, circa 1820
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A lovely and well-proportioned marquetry sofa with arched back, scroll arms and short Grecian curved legs in mahogany embellished with inlays of festoons, bows, tulips and foliage. N...
Satinwood, Upholstery, Mahogany, Tulipwood
Empire German Ormolu Mntd Mahogany Turtle Feet Jardiniere, Klinkerfuss & Münch
By Johannes Klinkerfuss
Located in New York, NY
A Fantastic and Very Important Empire Period German Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Jardiniere Mounted on Dore Bronze Turtle Feet, In The Manner Of Johannes Klinkerfuss And Casimir Münch. Th...
Bronze
$6,800 / set
First Empire Bronze Dore Lamps
Located in Dallas, TX
Circa 1804-1815 first empire bronze dore lamps with curved handles and lion heads. Attributed to Claude Galle a French Bronzier. The urn itself is sixteen inches tall.
Bronze
Important Empire Period Paris Porcelain & Ormolu-Mounted Casket/Box/Jewelry Box
By Jean-Pierre Feuillet
Located in New York, NY
An Important and very rare Empire period Paris porcelain ormolu-mounted Empire rectangular shaped two-handled casket decorated and assembled by Feuillet or Sèvres Porcelain manufactu...
Bronze
Early 19th Century Biedermeier or Empire Demi Lune Console with Mirror
Located in Greven, DE
Antique demi-lune console with pillar mirror North Germany Mahogany Biedermeier/Empire around 1820 Dimensions: H x W x D: 234 x 88 x 51 cm single height console: 78 cm, sing...
Bronze
Pair of Early 19 Century French Empire Gilt Bronze Neoclassical Candlesticks
Located in Berlin, DE
Excellent pair of early 19 century French empire gilt bronze neoclassical candlesticks. A tapering stem with rich and finely chased relief decoration depicting stylised flowers an...
Bronze
Empire Period Mantle Clock by Leroy a Paris, Bronze & Ormolu, 1815
Located in Montreal, QC
This mantle clock is by a well-respected Paris maker in a fashionable style. The oval base supports a vase shaped clock case in turn supported by winged dolphin heads and flanked by ...
Bronze, Ormolu
Pair of French Empire Tôle Peinte Lamps, Red and Gilt, circa 1815
Located in Lyndhurst, NJ
A pair of French Empire tôle peinte bough pots, circa 1815, each of square tapering form in a deep burgundy-red ground, decorated in gilt with a classical dancing figure holding a th...
Metal
French Empire Period Carved Giltwood Mirror, Formerly a Barometer, 19th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
In the shape of a lyre, the dial face replaced by a mirrorplate, in near perfect restored condition, the carving featuring grapes and vines, rosettes, acanthus leaves, and a star, fi...
Pair of French Empire Ormolu and Patinated Bronze Two Branch Candelabra
Located in London, GB
A fine pair of French Empire patinated bronze and ormolu figural two branch candelabra. Set on square ormolu socle with cylinder ormolu stem with applied and paired ormolu mounts of ...
Bronze, Ormolu
French Empire Mantel Clock in Ormolu, Patinated Bronze and Marble, Signed Picnot
By Picnot
Located in London, GB
French Empire clock of stunning quality constructed of rouge marble, original fire gilt ormolu and patinated bronze. Set upon four ormolu paw feet to the rouge marble base, rising to...
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Empire Erato Mantel Clock by Thomire & Cie
By Louis Moinet, Thomire & Cie.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Empire Mercury-Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock Pierre-Philippe Thomire and Louis Moinet Circa 1810 This exceptional Empire gilt-bronze French mantel clock, signed on the dial by bronzier P...
Bronze
$22,400Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of French Empire Gilt Bronze Three Light Dragon Form Wall Sconces
Located in New York, NY
Pair of French Empire Gilt Bronze Three Light Dragon Form Wall Sconces with Medusa Masks The sconces are cast in gilt bronze and formed with tapering shield shaped backplates suppor...
Ormolu
Pair of Empire Candlesticks in gilt bronze with dark patinated Lion paws. 1810s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Beautiful pair of Empire Candlesticks in gilt bronze with dark patinated Lion paws. Made in France during the 1810s. Very period design. Wear consistent with age and use
Bronze
Cross "The Сrucifixion" with two-color enamel, Russian Empire, 19th century
Located in Rīga, LV
A Russian Orthodox cross “The Crucifixion”, made in the Russian Empire in the first half of the 19th century. The cross is cast from copper alloy and decorated with two-color enamel...
Copper, Enamel
Pair of Early 19th Century French Empire Gilt Bronze Candlesticks after C. Galle
By Claude Galle
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of excellent early 19th century French empire gilt bronze candlesticks in the style of Claude Galle (1758-1815): A tapering stem with rich trelliswork relief divided into thr...
Bronze
$380Sale Price|50% Off
19th Century Engraving Ottoman Empire Janizary of Arabia, 1818
Located in Langweer, NL
PETREA, which is the smallest of the three Arabias, is barren. Deserta, obtains its name from the poverty of its soil, excepting the vicinity of the Euphrates, the country being a sa...
Paper
French Empire Pair of ormolu figural two branch candelabra
Located in London, GB
An impressive pair of early 19th century French Empire ormolu candelabra, in the form of winged figures of standing ladies, holding aloft flowerhead decorated nozzles, linked by flor...
Ormolu
Unusual Pair Of Russian Empire Figural Bronze Candelabras
Located in New York, NY
Russian empire, circa 1810-1820.
Bronze
C19th pair of Swedish Empire flower sketches with giltwood frames
Located in London, GB
A delightful pair of Swedish flower sketches in pencil by fifteen year old Margaret Throne dated 1819. In classic gilt wood frames they are beautifully drawn and observed for someone...
Paper
French Empire antique Apollo clock by Lepine and Rabiat.
Located in London, GB
A fine, large and important French Empire clock of Apollo playing his lyre in patinated bronze, ormolu and antique vert marble. The dial is signed for the important maker Lepine and ...
Griotte Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
$92Sale Price|20% Off
Empire of the Parthians: Historical Cartographic Masterpiece by d'Anville, 1819
Located in Langweer, NL
Description: Ancient map of the Parthian Empire (19th century), original engraving extracted from the atlas of the history of the emperors from 1819, based on the history of the Rom...
Paper
Copernican Delamarche Planetary With Hand Mechanism
Located in Firenze, IT
Copernican-type planetary globe in cardboard and engraved paper mounted on a blackened wooden stand. France, circa 1810. H. 54 cm Diam. 36 cm Antique armillary spheres and planetaria...
Pair of Late Empire Ormolu and Patented Bronze Figural Candelabra Lamps, C. 1815
By Louis Isidore Choiselat 1
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of period Empire figural candelabrum. Each modeled as a winged figure of Victory, of patented bronze, with both arms supporting a floral wreath, and three horns-of-plenty, of or...
Bronze, Ormolu
French Mantel Clock of Empire Period of "Borne" Form
Located in London, GB
Attractive french Empire clock in patinated bronze and ormolu of milestone or "borne" form. Having very fine applied ormolu mounts to the front and side of the case with also a fine ...
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Hair Pin Head Ornament Gilt Silver Red Glass Heart Oak Leaves
Located in Munich, Bavaria
This hair ornament was handcrafted in the 1sthalf of the 19thcentury, most likely around 1830. It is made out of gilt silver and set in open claw settings withtwisted gold wiire deco...
Silver
Napoleon III Table Clock by Claude Galle, France, Circa 1810
By Claude Galle
Located in Phoenix, AZ
19th Century French Bronze and Ormolu Clock. circa 1810 clock Napoleonic Empire Bronze Dore. La Liseuse" clock after Reiche, by Claude Galle & Grand Girad.
Bronze
Pair of Late Regency Rosewood Side Cabinets, in the French Empire Style
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
Pair of late Regency rosewood side cabinets, in the French Empire style, each of rectangular form with a disguised frieze drawer and brass gallery above cupboard doors between two ta...
Rosewood
Pair of French Empire Period Egyptian Revival Style Locre Porcelain Vases
By Locre
Located in New York, NY
A Pair of French Empire Period Egyptian Revival Style Locre Porcelain Vases. Each vase reflects the influence of the Egyptian Revival style that gained prominence after Napoleon's c...
Porcelain
$8,500 / item
19th Century French Mahogany Backgammon Games Table
Located in Essex, MA
Period Early 19th Century French Empire Mahogany Tric Trac or Backgammon Table. Ebony and bone backgammon well with boxwood draught pieces. Two drawers. Top with leather on one si...
Mahogany
Pair (2) Empire bronze Table lamps around 1805, Paris, fire gilded.
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair (2) Empire bronze table candlesticks around 1805, Paris, fire gilded. Pair (2) Empire bronze table candlesticks around 1805, Paris, fire gilded. Very highly finished and chase...
Bronze
Rare French Empire ormolu and patinated bronze portefaix clock signed Alibert
Located in London, GB
Extremely rare antique French Empire ormolu and patinated bronze portefaix mantel clock signed in the bronze Alibert with two tune musical base also signed Alibert. This model is bas...
Bronze, Ormolu
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.