Empire Furniture
EMPIRE STYLE
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.
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Style: Empire
Pair of Fine Bronze Mounted Empire Beds
Located in Bridgeport, CT
An outstanding pair of period Empire bronze-mounted beds in overall very good condition. The figural end column forms feature well cast busts and feet, and there are wreaths, Angels,...
Category
Early 19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Style Glass and Bronze Two-Light Pendant Chandelier, 1950s
Located in Barntrup, DE
French Empire-style glass and bronze two-light Pendant Chandelier, circa the 1950s.
This absolutely adorable Empire-style chandelier features a bronze frame with two arrows and two b...
Category
1950s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Empire Chandelier Made Around 1810
Located in Stockholm, SE
Gilt bronze chandelier with eight candleholders. Great design with be winged putts holding the urns that in turn holds the candles. Good quality and condition.
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Matched Pair of Empire Mahogany Pedestal Cupboards with Green Marble Tops
Located in London, GB
A matched pair of Empire mahogany pedestal cupboards of cylindrical form, both with green marble tops, and two shelves to the interior. One wi...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble
19th Century Italian-Lombardy Empire Walnut Golden Bronzes Chest of Drawers
Located in IT
Three drawers, golden bronze handles, walnut wood, elegant shapes and line make this chest of drawers an interesting piece able to be used in different kind of interior decoration pr...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Antique Fireplace Mantel Gray Marble Carved with Lion's Paws, Empire Style, 1800
Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)
Antique fireplace mantel in gray marble hand carved by an Italian artist, with lion's feet and wavy columns, Empire style, early 1800s, from an Italian noble home. Thanks to its refined color and its gentle shape, it lends itself to all those classy, elegant and suitable to be inserted even in a very modern context.
Empire lion paw fireplace...
Category
1810s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble
Set of 6 French Empire Marquetry Chairs
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting an exceptional set of 6 French Empire Marquetry chairs.
Made in France circa 1815-20.
Set consists of 2 Captains/Carvers and 4 side c...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Boxwood, Kingwood, Rosewood, Satinwood
Set of 10 French Empire Mahogany Dining Chairs
Located in New York, NY
Set of 10 French Victorian (late 19th century) mahogany side / dining chairs with shaped open backs, leather seats, and fluted front legs.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Mahogany Pair of Library Armchairs
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A very fine quality pair of 19th century mahogany
French Empire library armchairs having well figured
Top rails over enclosed swept arms with car...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Early French Empire Style Bronze & Crystal Chandelier, 3 Lights
Located in Miami, FL
Empire Style early round Bronze and Crystal Chandelier with 3 Light-sockets in the center.
Wired for the US and takes 3 candelabra light bulbs max. 60 watts.
In original vintage c...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Gilt Bronze Mounted Empire Work Table in Mahogany
Located in BARSAC, FR
Empire period work table in flamed mahogany and gilt bronze mounted.
Magnificent table forming writing desk and work table. The drop-leaf top features a recessed mirror, storage com...
Category
Early 18th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
19th Century French Mahogany Vanity Table with Swan's Heads in Empire Style
Located in Sofia, BG
French hand carved mahogany vanity table with black marble top. There is an original crystal oval mirror on the top part surrounded by two asymme...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble
19th Century Italian Empire Beaded Crystal Chandelier Six Light
Located in Milan, IT
A stunning Empire Crystal chandelier of Italian origin, coming from a Tuscan private palazzo in Florence dating back to the early 19th century.
Repoussé brass, iron and crystal are...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Iron, Brass
French Fireplace Mantel Fender
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
M/940 - This mantel fender is very useful and elegant: it's not too large, but perfect. It's from the Empire French period.
I think it may be a good buy.
Category
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass, Steel
Mirror, Hand Polished Mahogany, Denmark, 1890s
Located in Lejre, DK
The Mirror of hand-polished mahogany is a beautifully crafted piece of art from the late Empire period. It is made in Denmark, dating back to the 1890s. The mahogany wood is carefull...
Category
1890s Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Antique French Empire Mahogany & Gilt Metal Mounted Cabinet on Chest circa 1800
Located in Suffolk, GB
This antique French Empire mahogany and gilt metal mounted antique cabinet on chest has an upper tier with two doors fitted boasting attractive gilt metal mounts. The bottom chest ha...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Palatial French Empire Doré Bronze and Patinated Neoclassical Chandelier Fixture
Located in Roslyn, NY
Palatial elegant French empire patinated green tone and doré bronze fifteen-light neoclassical chandelier.
Measures: 32" H x 32" W.
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Caryatids Gilded Bronze Cut Glass 4-Light Lantern Chandelier, Pair
Located in Coimbra, PT
Beautiful pair of antique large French Empire caryatids cast bronze lanterns. Fire gilded solid heavy bronze and cut glass shade with four-light.
Measures:
Diameter 12 in/ 30 cm
H...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Fabulous Antique French Empire Twelve-Arm Chandelier
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Elegant fancy French mpire chandelier dripping with crystals and having 12 arms, 40 watt each.
Category
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Continental Marble and Gilt Eagle Console Table
Located in New York, NY
Italian Empire late 18th Century / early 19th Century console table with a variegated marble slab and gilt caved acanthus leaves wooden top supported on a gilt carved base depicting ...
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble, Gold Leaf
Large Reclaimed ‘King’ Wall Hanging Sign
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A large reclaimed ‘King’ wall hanging sign dating to the early 20th century. Bold and stylish cast bronze letters are mounted onto a smooth mahogany boa...
Category
Early 20th Century English Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Elegant Large Empire Style Classical Silver Chandelier Eight-Light Pendant, 1920
Located in Nierstein am Rhein, DE
Elegant and fine classical Empire-style eight-light chandelier with original shades, France, circa 1920. The beautiful large chandelier with foliage motif on the arms and all-over lo...
Category
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
19th Century Swedish Empire Marble Topped Drawer Chest Commode
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A Swedish Empire three-drawer commode chest veneered in burled bird's-eye elm emblematic of Baltic furniture in the 18th-19th centuries, the rectangular side columns mounted with brass Egyptian...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Elm
Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Bouzzeb À Paris
Located in Warsaw, PL
The mantel clock, made of ormol (gilded bronze), shows the beautiful figure of Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, accompanied by various emblems. Diana is sitting on the circular ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Empire Ormolu and Green Marble Four Glass Clock, Eagle Antique French
By Charles Hour
Located in Belper, Derbyshire
A stunning original antique French clock by the illustrious maker Charles Hour, circa 1890. It is of the beautifully restrained Empire design in a sumptuous green variegated specimen...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble, Bronze
French Basket Shaped Crystal Chandelier with Accents of Amethyst Color Crystals
Located in Atlanta, GA
This petite French crystal chandelier from the mid 20th century features a lovely basket shape. Reminiscent of the Empire taste, the c...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Metal
Mahogany Architects Table by Jean-Joseph Chapuis, 1810
Located in Hellouw, NL
Beautiful Empire mahogany architects table by Jean-Joseph Chapuis (1765-1864).
Jean-Joseph Chapuis (born in Brussels) was a famous furniture maker. He obtained a master craftsman ti...
Category
Early 1800s Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
NYC Waldorf Astoria Hotel Chandelier Empire 6 Arm Brass Gold Finish
Located in New York, NY
20th Century corridor chandeliers from the Towers of the NYC Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Park Ave. 6 arms branching out from the central dish light. Brass details. Waldorf Astoria auth...
Category
20th Century Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
French Empire Giltwood Bed Corona
Located in Essex, MA
With acorn and oak leaf crest and scrolled swans. Probably used over a bed.
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Other
Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Cérés À Paris
Located in Warsaw, PL
Empire clock signed à Paris
The mantel clock is in gilded bronze representing Ceres as a goddess of fertility, agriculture, grain crops and motherly relationships. In ancient Rom...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Empire Period French Gilt Bronze Six Light Chandelier
Located in London, GB
Empire period French gilt bronze six light chandelier
French, c. 1810
Height 80cm, diameter 45cm
Made in France around 1810, at the time when the Empire style was in vogue, the chan...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
20th Century Empire Neoclassical Mahogany Wood Pedestal Plant Stands, a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Late 20th century French Empire neoclassical style mahogany wood pedestal plant stands - a pair. Item features solid wood construction, beaut...
Category
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
NYC Waldorf Astoria Hotel Empire Style 8 Arm Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
20th Century Empire style eight-arm chandelier with crest fleur-de-lis design. Cleaned and rewired. This chandelier and it's sisters hung in the corridors of the NYC Waldorf Astoria ...
Category
20th Century American Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Empire Period Mahogany Mirror, Type "Psychee"
Located in Sofia, BG
Empire period mahogany mirror. The triangle topped frame holding the mirror supported on two columns with two removable bronze candleholders. Standing on four carved griffon legs, th...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Large Prussian Chandelier After a Design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Berlin
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
This large and spectacular German eight-light chandelier is made after the design by the famous architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781-1841) in the manufactory of Schwitzky & Mencke...
Category
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Metal
Classic Swan French Empire Gilt Bronze Chandelier
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Classic model for this French Empire chandelier, perfect in any particular: gilt bronze, classic swan, green nail, 6 lights.
Perfect over Your table or sleeping room...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Elegant Italian Empire Consoles Tables with White Marble Top, 1815
Located in Rome, IT
Empire mahogany and finely carved gilt-wood consoles tables with the rectangular Carrara white marble top.
Timeless elegance for your interior.
Measures: Height cm 102 width cm 124...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century French Empire Style Chandelier
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality 19th century bronze and gilded ormolu French Empire influenced chandelier. Having a classical ceiling rose with three foliate linked chains...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
French 19th Century Empire Style Gueridon
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality 19th Century French mahogany marble topped Gueridon, having three circular tapering column supports, each with gilded ormolu capitals and classical ormolu motifs to th...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble
Empire Gilt Bronze and Cut Crystal Chandelier, circa 1815
Located in Rome, IT
Finely chiseled gilt bronze and cut crystal Empire elegant chandelier with six arms.
Six E 14 light bulbs.
Category
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French Early 20th Century Gilt Bronze and Crystal Chandelier
Located in Fairfax, VA
This magnificent crystal and bronze doré chandelier with four swans holding double candle light and graduate hand polished crystal chain.
Minimum height fully installed 42".
Category
1910s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French Restauration Period Ormolu Lyre Mantel Clock with Apollo Mask
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
An unusual French Restauration period ormolu mantel clock. The elaborately pierced gilt bronze case in the form of a lyre, with an Apollo mask cresting, on a white marble stepped bas...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble, Bronze
French Empire Style Mantel Clock, circa 1820
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very impressive and stylish early 19th Century gilded ormolu and green marble mantle clock, having two classical maidens either side feeding Rams, an Eagle above the circular white...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
French Bronze and Crystal Empire Style Pendant Chandelier
Located in San Francisco, CA
A large and impressive Empire style bronze and crystal pendant chandelier with graduated square crystals beads and gilt bronze hardware. Newly rewired. France, early 20th century.
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Empire Style Parcel Gilt Overmantel Mirror by ‘Alix A Paris’, circa 1880
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
An Empire style mahogany and Parcel gilt overmantel Mirror by ‘Alix A Paris’.
French, circa 1880.
Stamped 'ALIX A PARIS'.
The mirror has an arched bevelled plate within a moulded and ribbon-tied, berried laurel surround, it is surmounted by a military trophy cresting.
'Georges-François Alix...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Wood
Pair of Italian Pietra Doré Specimen Marble Plaques/Tops with Porphyry, Jasper
Located in New York, NY
An early antique pair of Italian pietra doré specimen marble plaques or table tops, Italian Grand Tour, each plaques of exquisite quality with rare types of marbles such as purple an...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Marble
Empire Gilt-Bronze Clock Depicting Diana the Huntress. French, c 1820
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A fine Empire Period gilt bronze clock depicting Diana the huntress.
The dial signed 'Thomas a Paris'.
The white enamel dial with Roman numerals and Breguet hands, the case sur...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Empire Eighteen-Light Bronze and Ormolu Chandelier
Located in Montreal, QC
Spectacular French early 19th century bronze and ormolu chandelier, the 12 scrolling arms molded with leaves and interspersed with six ad...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Early 20th Century French Bronze Candle Sconces
Located in Chicago, IL
These early 20th-century French candle sconces are a stunning example of timeless elegance and craftsmanship. Featuring beautiful gold twelve-point star backplates and patinated bron...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Dresser "Semainier" or High Boy Dresser, 1810
Located in Belmont, MA
Introducing a stunning French Empire Dresser from 1810, featuring a classic semainier design with five drawers adorned in elegant mahogany veneer. This exquisite piece boasts a stric...
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Empire round French Table
Located in Austin, TX
Library table in the French Empire style. This piece is made of solid ash and burled ash. Four curved legs are connected with an x-stretcher. Each leg boasts a bronze lion's paw foot...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Elegant pair of Empire Candlesticks in gilt and dark patinated bronze. 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Elegant pair of Empire Candlesticks in gilt and dark patinated bronze. Made in France during the 1820s. Very period design. Cool and unusual composition between gilded and dark patin...
Category
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Style 19th Century Walnut Chest with Drop Front Desk, Two Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Empire style walnut chest from the 19th century with drop front desk and two additional drawers. This elegant French Empire style walnut chest from the 19th century exudes c...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Fench 1920's Bronze Empire Wall Sconces, 3 Available
Located in Fairfax, VA
Three arm bronze and black lacquer on bronze wall sconces.
Professionally rewired and ready for installation.
Price per item 3 available.
Category
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Empire Period Armchairs and Bergere by P.BELLANGÉ
Located in Paris, FR
EXCEPTIONAL seats by Pierre Bellangé
PAIR OF ARMCHAIRS, circa 1805
Mahogany with mahogany veneer. Powerful tapered front legs with three scalloped rings, and sabre back legs.
Slight...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Guéridon Centre Table
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
An Extremely Good Quality Early 19th Century, French Empire Period, Mahogany Guéridon Centre Table, Having Original Dish Moulded Circular Marble Top, Over Elegant Comcave Triangulate...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Exquisite Pair of French Empire Design Figured Walnut Three Drawer Nightstands
Located in High Wycombe, GB
A Pair of French Empire Design Figured Walnut Three Drawer Nightstand Chests With Mounted Gilt
Provenance: From an Establishment on Belgrave Square London see images7
Known to be ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Elegant Daybed Beautifully Carved and Covered With Versace Fabric, Versace Italy
Located in Brussels, BE
Elegant Empire revival daybed beautifully hand carved with gold leaf swans
heads, brass details and covered with a Gianni Versace silk.
Part of G.Versace furniture collection...
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Materials
Brass
Empire furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Empire furniture for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include lighting, decorative objects, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Modenese Gastone, Europa Antiques, Baker Furniture Company, and Gherardo Degli Albizzi. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $56 and tops out at $955,603 while the average work can sell for $4,296.
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