Cabinet - Display Case - Napoleon III's Happiness Of The Day
Located in Beaune, FR
Napoleon III period marquetry and gilt bronze display cabinet. The upper part is composed of two shelves with mirrored backs. The lower part opens with two oval glass doors with 2 sh...
Bronze
Napoleon III Period Collector's Display Cabinet
Located in Brussels, Brussels
A unique 19th-century Napoleon III period collector's or jeweler's display cabinet. Superb craftsmanship in blackened and gilded wood, composed of two glass doors and two drawers. A...
Wood
$4,490Sale Price|20% Off
H 78.35 in W 57.68 in D 20.28 in
Macassar Art Deco Amsterdamse School Display Cabinet by Napoleon Le Grand, 1920s
By Napoleon le Grand, 't Modelhuis N. Legrand 1
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Magnificent and rare Art Deco Amsterdamse School display cabinet or vitrine. Design by Napoleon Le Grand for 't Modelhuis N. Legrand Amsterdam. Solid macassar ebony base with two ori...
Glass, Macassar
$8,881
H 45.08 in W 56.5 in D 31.89 in
Art Deco Amsterdamse School Vitrine or display cabinet by Napoleon Le Grand
By Napoleon le Grand, 't Modelhuis N. Legrand 1
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Magnificent and ultra rare Art Deco Amsterdamse School vitrine or display cabinet. Design by Napoleon Le Grand for 't Modelhuis N. Legrand Amsterdam. Striking Dutch design from the 1...
Macassar
Fine Antique Napoleon III Boulle Style Display Cabinet
Located in BŘECLAV, CZ
This elegant antique display cabinet is crafted in the Napoleon III style and dates to the late 19th century, richly decorated with Boulle style marquetry inspired by the work of And...
Brass, Bronze
Napoleon III Black Lacquer and Brass Display Cabinet
Located in Chicago, IL
A fine example of French craftsmanship from the Napoleon III era, this black lacquer and brass display cabinet, circa 1870, exudes elegance and sophistication. The vitrine features t...
Brass
Napoleon III Rosewood Display Cabinet, France, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
This display cabinet was produced in France during the Napoleon III era, circa 1850, and reflects the refined decorative approach characteristic of mid-19th-century French furniture....
Bronze
$6,120
H 59.8 in W 36.6 in D 13.8 in
Antique Napoleon III Boulle Style Ebonized Two-Door Display Cabinet
Located in BŘECLAV, CZ
This striking antique cabinet is crafted in the Napoleon III style and dates to the late 19th century, featuring richly decorative Boulle style marquetry inspired by the work of Andr...
Brass
$2,144Sale Price|20% Off
H 45.48 in W 28.94 in D 20.67 in
Ebonized Corner Display Cabinet with Marble Top, Napoleon III Period
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
This exquisite ebonized corner cabinet, known as an “encoignure” in French, dates back to the elegant Napoléon III period of the late 19th century. Beautifully crafted, it features a...
Marble
Vintage Napoleon III Style Boulle Display Vitrine Cabinet
Located in Worcester, GB
Vintage Napoleon III Style Boulle Display Vitrine Cabinet 20th century A decorative and impressive Boulle-style display vitrine, dating from the mid-to-late 20th century and inspir...
Wood
$3,500
H 75.5 in W 30 in D 20 in
Antique French Napoleon III Gold Bronze & Inlaid Wood Display Cabinet Circa 1890
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique French Napoleon III Inlaid Kingwood Display Cabinet with Gold Bronze Mounts, Circa 1890's.
Bronze
$7,709
H 72.05 in W 33.08 in D 21.26 in
French Louis XV Display Cabinet with Gilt Bronze, Napoleon III, Paris
Located in Berlin, DE
French Louis XV Display Cabinet with Gilt Bronze, Napoleon III, Paris Solid wood with fine veneer. Fire-gilt bronze decorative fittings with finely chiseled detail. Three-sided glaz...
Bronze
$44,511 / set
H 53.25 in W 26 in D 14.5 in
A pair of small Napoleon III kingwood display cabinets on stands
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A pair of small Napoleon III kingwood display cabinets on stands, each of rectangular form with a single glazed cupboard set on a base with two disguised frieze drawers flanking a la...
Kingwood
$5,636
H 45.28 in W 33.47 in D 17.72 in
Antique Louis XV display cabinet Napoleon III, Paris, around 1880
Located in Berlin, DE
Antique Louis XV display cabinet Napoleon III, Paris, around 1880 Fine veneer on solid oak, veneered and paneled with ebony inlays. Arched, single-door body (solid oak) with red-bei...
Marble, Bronze
French Display Cabinet, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
French rosewood cabinet vitrine with one drawer, glass door for display circa 1880, five shelves, antique key included. Minor wood loss.
Rosewood
Dutch Two-Part Display Cabinet, Walnut Marquetry, 19th Century
Located in PARIS, FR
A refined example of Second Empire elegance, this exquisite Dutch two-part display cabinet celebrates the revival of marquetry during the reign of Napoleon III. Crafted with meticulo...
Walnut
Antique French Ebonized and Brass Display Cabinet / Vitrine
Located in New York, NY
Large French curio cabinet or vitrine designed to display jewelry and objets d'art, in the Napoleon III period style, with ebonized and parcel gilt fluted wooden legs, and lower bras...
Brass
$3,552
H 40.16 in W 31.89 in D 15.75 in
19th Century Inlaid Wood Antique English Display Cabinet, 1880s
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
English display cabinet from the second half of the 19th century. A single-door Victorian-style cabinet from the Napoleon III era. The display cabinet is inlaid with high-quality ebo...
Wood
Second Empire Period Gilt Bronze and Kingwood Display Cabinet
Located in London, GB
Second Empire period gilt bronze and kingwood display cabinet French, c. 1860 Height 218cm, width 128cm, depth 42cm This fine display cabinet, dating from the Napoleon III period, i...
Ormolu
$157,221 / set
H 71 in W 45.5 in D 14 in
Pair of 19th Century Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Display Cabinets by Henri Picard
By Henri Picard
Located in London, GB
A remarkable pair of display cabinets By Henri Picard of Paris Constructed in mahogany, with extensive and superlative ormolu decoration. The cabinets of rectangular form, rising...
Ormolu, Bronze
$130,109
H 106.7 in W 92.52 in D 20.48 in
Large Second Empire Gilt Bronze and Marquetry Display Cabinet
Located in London, GB
Large second Empire gilt bronze and marquetry display cabinet French, late 19th Century Measures: Height 271cm, width 235cm, depth 52cm This magnificent display cabinet exemplif...
Ormolu
Long Antique Napoleon 111 Display Cabinet, Credenza
By Henry Dasson
Located in Antrim, GB
A magnificent long Napoleon 111 plum pudding mahogany display cabinet,Credenza ,the breakfront with four glazed doors enclosing a mirrored interior applied with ormolu garlands and m...
Mahogany
Unavailable
H 50.79 in W 21.26 in D 14.18 in
Napoleon III Window Display in Bois de Rose and Light Maple, France, 1880
Located in Bari, IT
Napoleon III cabinet in French walnut of 1880. It has a small central drawer and lower and upper door. The original key is present but the block does not work properly. All the bronz...
Walnut
Unavailable
H 79.53 in W 30.71 in D 21.66 in
French Napoleon III Giltwood Corner Display Cabinet with Interior Corbels, 19th
Located in Porto, PT
A French, mid 19th century, Rococo revival corner vitrine, richly carved wood with floral and rocaille elements with applied gold leaf, glass door, carved interior with flowery branc...
Giltwood
French 1930s Ebonised Oak Glazed Display Cabinet
Located in London, GB
An ebonised oak cabinet with three glazed doors and brass detail Moveable interior shelves Items shown in the cabinet are on sold separately. Measures: Height 68 ½ in / 174 cm ...
Brass
Unavailable
H 89.38 in W 19.3 in D 114.57 in
Bookcase (8- door display)dating from the 19 th century Louis Philippe style
Located in Somme-Leuze, BE
magnificent showcase library opening with 8 doors and 4 pulls dating from the 19th century very pretty two-color patina, very pleasant colors, height-adjustable boards beautiful mold...
Paint
Sold
H 64.97 in W 26.38 in D 14.18 in
French wooden display case in the shape of a semicircle , Napoleon III
By Napoléon III
Located in Valladolid, ES
Stunning semicircular wooden display case in the Napoleon III style, inspired by Vernis Martin, with three glass panels and three interior registers.
Crystal
Sold
H 63.78 in W 35.44 in D 12.6 in
Napoleon III Display Cabinet in Black Lacquered Wood with Floral Painted Decorat
By Napoléon III
Located in PARIS, FR
Elegant display cabinet from the Napoleon III period, crafted in black lacquered wood and richly adorned with hand-painted floral decorations and finely executed gilt motifs. The fr...
Stained Glass, Wood
Sold
H 64.57 in W 36.23 in D 17.33 in
Napoleon III display case Vitrine , floral carved and gilded wood, France
Located in Valladolid, ES
Amazing late-period Napoleon III style display cabinet made of carved and gilded wood. It features an elegant and symmetrical structure, framed by slender fluted columns on its side...
Crystal
Sold
H 22.05 in W 20.87 in D 13.78 in
Gilt Bronze and Glass Napoleon III Display Case in Neoclassical Taste
Located in Paris, FR
Gilt bronze and glass Napoleon III display case in neoclassical taste. It is decorated with friezes of laurel leaves, small flowers, and angels holding garlands.
Bronze
Boulle Display Case, France, 1870, Restored
Located in Chorzów, PL
Boulle style Napoleon III original display case from France from circa 1870.
Brass
Napoleon III French Store Vitrine Display Showcase
Located in palm beach, FL
Large mahogany shop window in Louis XVI style, Napoleon III period, six glass and bronze equary shelves. Two sliding glass panels for opening, four closet doors underneath. Showcase ...
Wood
Unique Display Cabinet, Napoleon III, circa 1870
Located in Chorzów, PL
Unique display cabinet, Napoleon III, circa 1870. Very good condition. Origin: France. Wood: walnut Dimensions: height 163 cm, width 79 cm, depth 39 cm.
Walnut
Napoleon III Kingwood Marble Topped Breakfront Display/Side Cabinet
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A fine quality Napoleon III kingwood marble topped breakfront display/ side cabinet with good quality gilt bronze mounts. The interior with a mirror back and single glass shelf. All ...
Marble
Napoleon III Kingwood Breakfront Display Cabinet
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A Napoleon III kingwood breakfront display cabinet with a central glazed door and mirrored interior, decorated with ornate ormolu mounts including a frieze of rams, putti, cornucopia...
Napoleon III Period Inlaid Display Buffet
Located in Dallas, TX
Such examples in this condition are getting extremely rare of late, so imagine our pleasure when we discovered it waiting to join our other acquisitions! Crafted from a French walnut...
Giltwood free standing Napoleon lll square display cabinet
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A rare giltwood free standing Napoleon lll square display cabinet, glazed throughout within a giltwood ribbon and reed frame, carved with rosebuds and raised on cabriole legs.
Sold
H 57 in W 27 in D 15 in
19th Century French Napoleon III Rosewood Ebonized Vitrine, Display Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
Designed to display a collection, family photos, as well as store fine clothing, such 19th century French Napoleon III Period rosewood ebonized vitrine - Curio cabinets as this examp...
Rosewood
Sold
H 56.5 in W 30.12 in D 14.77 in
Antique French Napoleon III Brass & Ebonised Pier Display Cabinet With A Gallery
Located in King's Lynn, GB
A 19th Century French Napoleon III Brass & Ebonised Pier Cabinet With an Incredible Brass Gallery. A unique piece heavily decorated in brass which would be an eye catcher in any se...
Brass
Sold
H 53.5 in W 35 in D 14 in
French Napoleon III Style Ebonized Ormolu Bookcase Display Cabinet, 20th Century
Located in Shippensburg, PA
The heavy door opens to give access to the two shelves that would house books or display a collection. The craftsmanship is above reproach, hints of the machined dovetailing visible ...
Brass, Bronze
Sold
H 87.41 in W 42.52 in D 17.33 in
20th Century Inlaid Wood French Boulle Napoleon III Style Display Cabinet, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
20th century French double body cupboard. Napoleon III Boulle style double-body cabinet, beautifully designed and pleasantly decorated. Cupboard richly adorned with gilded and chisel...
Brass, Bronze
Sold
H 8.67 in W 3.75 in D 2.96 in
Miniature Metal and Glass Display Case, 19th Century, Napoleon III Period.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Miniature metal and glass display case, 19th century, Napoleon III period.
Metal
Coffee Table, Flat Display Case, Early 20th Century, Napoleon III Style.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Coffee table, flat display case, early 20th century, Napoleon III style.
Bronze
Boulle display cabinet, France, circa 1880.
Located in Chorzów, PL
Boulle display cabinet, France, circa 1880. Very good condition. dimensions: 116.5 cm width 85.5 cm depth 32 cm
Walnut
19th Century Louis XVI Display Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century Louis XVI display cabinet features a pierced brass fence on top, foliates down each corner post, and two upper panels with marvellous classical bas relief carvings overl...
Brass
Sold
H 78.75 in W 51.19 in D 15.75 in
Vitrine Bookcase Napoleon III Boulle 19th Century Black Glass Gilt Bronze
By André-Charles Boulle
Located in Paris, FR
Very elegant Large Boulle Showcase Or Library 2 Doors Napoleon III Period bookcase or display case with marquetry of brass nets, and including beautiful ornamentation of gilded bronz...
Bronze, Brass
Sold
H 45.28 in W 36.62 in D 16.54 in
Vitrine Bookcase Napoleon III Boulle 19th Century Black Glass Gilt Bronze
By André-Charles Boulle
Located in Paris, FR
Very elegant Display Cabinet Or Bookcase 2 Doors in Boulle Marquetry style Napoleon III Rare two-door display case in brass threads, very refined model with rich ornamentation of g...
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Sold
H 44.49 in W 44.1 in D 16.54 in
20th Century Wood with Marble Top French Boulle Style Display Cabinet, 1920
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
French showcase from the early 20th century. Boulle style furniture inlaid in brass and colored elements in mahogany, walnut, oak, ebonized wood and fruitwood. Sideboard with one doo...
Marble
Napoleon III Period Desk, 19th century.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Napoleon III period desk, 19th century. Desk, 19th century display case, Napoleon III period, circa 1880, missing shelf boards.
Wood
Sold
H 22.05 in W 20.87 in D 13.78 in
Gilt Bronze and Glass Napoleon III Display Case in Neoclassical Taste
Located in Paris, FR
Gilt bronze and glass Napoleon III display case in neoclassical taste. It is decorated with friezes of laurel leaves, small flowers, and angels holding garlands.
Bronze
French Vitrine Napoleon III Display Cabinet Satinwood 1880
Located in Potters Bar, GB
Elegant Napoleon III display cabinet - or vitrine - in satinwood Circa 1880 on this work of art Satinwood complemented by intricate gilt fixtures including cherub corner mounts Insid...
Satinwood
19th Century Napoleon Trois Vitrine Display Cabinet
Located in San Francisco, CA
An especially attractive Napoleon III period display cabinet. Ebonized wood with brass trim and the fluted legs with brass fillet detail.
Brass
19th Century Napoleon III Black Lacquer and Brass Display Cabinet
Located in Chicago, IL
A fine example of French craftsmanship from the Napoleon III era, this black lacquer and brass display cabinet, circa 1870, exudes elegance and sophistication. The upper cabinet feat...
Brass
Sold
H 41 in W 53.5 in D 21 in
Pair of 19th Century French Napoleon III Hand-Carved & Painted Display Buffets
Located in Dallas, TX
Exceedingly rare to find, this pair of 19th century French Napoleon III painted display buffets feature oval glazing on each of the four doors allowing one to both conceal or display...
Walnut
Important 17th Century Display/ Vitrine
Located in Madrid, ES
Important 17th century display. This is a display made for exotic items in the 17th century which were brought from the new world - cabinet of curiosity - the shelves are shaped in a...
Wood
French Black Lacquer and Brass Glazed Display Cabinet
Located in London, GB
A Napoleon III black lacquer and brass vitrine, French, circa 1870. With three internal adjustable shelves. Glazed front and sides, front opening door with key.
Brass
Sold
H 94 in W 51 in D 24 in
19th Century French Carved Oak Eight-Gun Display Cabinet with Hunt Motifs
Located in Dallas, TX
Store your rifle collection inside this beautifully carved, antique gun display cabinet. Created in France, circa 1870, the two-piece buffet for eight guns, features a pair of glass ...
Glass, Oak
Sold
H 95.25 in W 56.75 in D 23.5 in
19th Century French Carved Oak Nine-Gun Display Buffet Cabinet with Hunt Motifs
Located in Dallas, TX
Store your rifle collection inside this beautifully carved, antique gun display cabinet. Created in France circa 1880, the two-piece buffet will hold up to nine guns. The cabinet has...
Glass, Oak
Antique French Display Cabinet Napoleon III, 19th Century, circa 1850
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Antique French display cabinet Napoleon III, 19th century, circa 1850 Monumental 19th century Napoleon III solid oak display cabinet France circa 1850, the ornately carved tripl...
Glass, Oak
Antique French Display Cabinet Napoleon III 19th Century, circa 1850
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Antique French display cabinet Napoleon III 19th century, circa 1850 Monumental 19th century Napoleon III solid oak display cabinet France circa 1850, the ornately carved triple s...
Glass, Oak
Sold
H 42.13 in W 40.16 in D 17.33 in
Antique French Display Cabinet Napoleon III Marquetry Boulle, 19th Century
Located in Grenoble, FR
Splendid display cabinet with two doors. Oak veneer ebony, Boulle style marquetry in brass doubled all surfaces except the door perimeter. Beautiful gilded bronze on the whole cabi...
Bronze
Large Glass Display - Napoleon III (1860-1880)
Located in San Francisco, CA
Napoleon III (1860-1880) large glass display case.
Pine
Antique Cherry Stain Grand Scale Display Cabinet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning antique Napoleon III cabinet in a cherry stain with contrasting accents and bold blue interior. From France, circa 1880, this is truly a piece of history. The scale and aura...
Continental Amboyna Inlaid Display Cabinet
Located in Salisbury, Wiltshire
Continental amboyna inlaid display cabinet This Continental amboyna and inlaid display cabinet was made, circa 1880. Made in the exotic timber of amboyna and then extensively inlai...
Amboyna
Sold
H 43.31 in W 89.38 in D 23.63 in
Important Display Sideboard Credenza, NIII Period, Louis XVI Style
Located in Biarritz, FR
This sideboard vitrine has an important giltwood and painted decor with Carrara marble top. The credenza has two rounded sides, glass doors, four drawers with gilt bronze handles (o...
$4,900 / item
H 34 in W 86 in D 42 in
Custom Made Modern English Arm Sofa in Performance Linen Velvet - 86"
By Bloom Home Inc
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
This beautiful english arm sofa has a modern twist, with its single bench cushion, and beautiful curved apron sides. It’s upholstered in a Linen Velvet Performance fabric. Shown in...
Linen, Velvet
Concorde Model Supersonic Aircraft
Located in Paris, FR
Model supersonic concorde aircraft with structure and base in polished aluminum.
Aluminum
Forsyth Mushroom Pouf Ottoman in Zebra
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
This Forsyth mushroom pouf ottoman was created and designed by the Forsyth design team. Each ottoman is handcrafted in Saint Louis. A cute decorative piece for any room adding textur...
Zebra Hide
$4,727 / set
H 29.93 in W 20.08 in D 20.48 in
Set of 12 Lucite Pink and Chrome Plia Chairs, Piretti for Castelli, Italy 1970s
By Anonima Castelli, Giancarlo Piretti
Located in Roma, IT
Set of 12 original and signed "Plia" pink lucite folding chairs. NOS (new old Stock) This fantastic set was designed by Giancarlo Piretti for Castelli in 1967. PLIA, the symbol of a...
Steel, Chrome
Glossy Cream Ceramic Chandelier in Antique Brass 5-Arm 42.5" DIA
By Lostine
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Five antique brass patina arms curve up from a ceramic cluster dish to five tall stoneware ceramic shades in a glossy glaze with a subtle off-white hue. With a fixed black walnut orb...
Brass
$3,355
H 51.97 in W 44.89 in D 13.78 in
Art Deco Stylish Display Vitrine Cabinet in Walnut, English, 1930s
Located in Devon, England
Beautiful and original 1930s Art Deco English walnut display cabinet. A lovely piece of furniture that's veneered in figured mid tone walnut. Still retains its original silk interior...
Glass, Walnut
$5,081
H 20.48 in W 43.31 in D 15.75 in
Austrian Mastercraft Lowboy Art Deco 1930 / Original, Restored
By Woka Lamps
Located in Vienna, AT
Delicate and elegant sideboard, veneered with a wonderful textured walnut.
Nutwood
Bird Cage Jugendstil, Art Nouveau, Liberty, Year: 1900, France
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Bird Cage, Art Nouveau Year: 1900 Country: French Material: Iron It is an elegant and sophisticated bird cage. We have specialized in the sale of Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles s...
Iron
Art Deco Palisander Sofa Of Scroll Shape
Located in Altrincham, GB
Art Deco Palisander Sofa Of Scroll Shape Form with Leather and Suede Upholstery on Bun Feet - 65"w x 25"d x 28"h (21" to the seat)
Leather, Suede, Palisander
Teak Display Counter
Located in Topanga, CA
A teak shop display counter cabinet featuring a glass top and glass panels on three sides, along with a pair of sliding door panels below. The counter also includes two drawers at th...
Teak
$3,355
H 49.61 in W 41.74 in D 14.18 in
Art Deco Spectacular Display Cabinet Vitrine, English, circa 1930
Located in Devon, England
Impressively wacky shaped and genuinely rare design is this superb 1930's English Art Deco Display cabinet. This beautiful cabinet is veneered in a lightly figured walnut veneer whic...
Glass, Walnut, Plywood, Bentwood
20th Century Mahogany Display Cabinet, c. 1920
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique early-20th Century mahogany and glass display cabinet. The cabinet features double doors with two glass shelves inside, it has been later modified to accomodate electric ligh...
Glass, Pine
French Art Deco Birds Eye Maple Double Wardrobe, C1930
Located in Barnstaple, GB
Art Deco modernist two door wardrobe, in a highly desirable true pale blonde birds eye maple veneers. Original highly polished chrome handles and chrome hanging rails, catches and hi...
Birdseye Maple
$187,500
H 102 in W 84.5 in D 22.5 in
Exceptional 19th Century English Chinoiserie Pagoda Display Cabinet
Located in Houston, TX
Large-scale 19th century English display cabinet executed in the Chinoiserie tradition. Constructed in carved mahogany and conceived as a tripartite architectural façade, each glazed...
Glass, Mahogany
Vintage Dutch Oak / Mahogany Haberdashery Shop Cabinet, 1930s
Located in Nijmegen, NL
This haberdashery cabinet was produced during the 1930s in the Netherlands. This piece features 24 paper covered drawers in mahogany with mostly original glass fronts, mahogany handl...
Mahogany
Baker Burl Wood & Glass Vitrine, Collectors Edition
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This Baker Burl Wood & Glass Vitrine—Collectors Edition is a beautifully made display cabinet, perfect for showcasing fine collectibles, art, books, and heirloom pieces. Standing...
Brass
Under Napoleon III’s rule, Paris underwent a great rebuilding overseen by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, which created grand avenues and lavish landmarks like the Paris Opera. Antique Napoleon III–style furniture was flamboyant and eclectic. It was also known as Second Empire style since it followed and referenced the Empire style of his uncle Napoleon I.
Developing from 1852–70, Napoleon III furniture was plush and ornate, matching the fashion for masked balls and socializing in salons. It borrowed freely from earlier French styles including Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI as well as aesthetics from around the world, from antiquity to Asian art. As writer Gustave Claudin remarked in 1867, the country’s architects worked in “a style which one would be tempted to call neo-Greco-Gothico-Pompadour-Pompeian.”
Napoleon III chairs were completely covered with velvet and lined with tassels; pouf footstools invited people to put up their feet. Sofas were upholstered with tapestries, and beds were adorned with gilt bronze and theatrical canopies. The addition of conservatories to homes led to new indoor-outdoor furniture, while the spirit of hygiene promoted by Baron Haussmann inspired bright, floral motifs.
Although the most ostentatious designs were for the elite, as seen in the Napoleon III apartments preserved in the Louvre, where red velvet, gilding and chandeliers create a cacophony of luxury, these trends influenced homes across classes as manufacturing made design increasingly accessible. Papier-mâché furniture allowed for elaborate shapes that would have been difficult to carve in wood. The malleable material was painted with chinoiserie patterns and decorative designs. It was mass-produced by factories such as Jennens and Bettridge with varnishing and mother-of-pearl inlays creating an effect reminiscent of Asian lacquer. (Surfaces that had been “japanned” — a specialty of Jennens and Bettridge — were intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia.)
Find a collection of antique Napoleon III decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Of all the vintage storage cabinets and antique case pieces that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items.
In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior.
Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time.
Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room.
In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.
A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Alternatively, apothecary cabinets are charming case goods similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers.
Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard that features colored glass and metal details, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.