Lapis Lazuli Empire Table

Find many varieties of an authentic lapis lazuli empire table available at 1stDibs. A lapis lazuli empire table — often made from stone, metal and bronze — can elevate any home. There are 8 variations of the antique or vintage lapis lazuli empire table you’re looking for, while we also have 2 modern editions of this piece to choose from as well. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect lapis lazuli empire table — we have versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. Each lapis lazuli empire table bearing Empire hallmarks is very popular. Many designers have produced at least one well-made lapis lazuli empire table over the years, but those crafted by Castelli, Franco Salimbeni and Gherardo Degli Albizzi are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

Prices for a lapis lazuli empire table start at $1,850 and top out at $65,000 with the average selling for $17,250.

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.