Empire More Clocks
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
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 More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
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 More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Leroy à Paris
Located in Warsaw, PL
Mantel clock 19th Century Empire
Le Roy et fils (French, founded 1785)
Le Roy et fils was a prestigious French clock making firm. The company was fou...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Antique Mid 19th Century Marble Empire Chime Mantel Clock
Located in Charlotte, NC
An antique Empire style marble chime mantel clock, unbranded. White marble encasing the clock works. Round decorative brass encased glass covered clock face has Roman numbers marking...
Category
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Marble, Brass, Metal
Mantel Clock 19th Century Empire
Located in Warsaw, PL
Figural mantel clock signed “Al. dre Destape Palais Royal”
The bronze figural mantel clock depicting one of the mythical heroes - Orpheus originates from the Empire period. The cloc...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Hartmann À Paris
Located in Warsaw, PL
The clock is in excellent and perfect working condition. In addition, it was recently cleaned and serviced by a professional clockmaker who specializes in maintaining museums.
The e...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Austrian Clock Holder, Granite and Steel with Picture St Stephans Dome
Located in Stockholm, SE
A beautiful and exclusive clock stand made of steel and granite. Holding a picture of the Stephans-dome. The most famous church in Wienna, Austria.
High quality craftsmanship on all...
Category
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Granite, Steel
Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire
Located in Warsaw, PL
This ormolu clock from the 19th century has a rectangular base with four feet carved with small patterns. The figure on top represents a lady playing on the spinet and on sides of th...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Isaac Pearson Reading PA Walnut Tall Clock with Rare Jacob Kunsman Case, C 1845
Located in Milford, NH
A splendid Empire walnut veneered tall clock with swan’s neck split pediment crest with bullseye rosettes and three wooden ball & spire finials surmounting an arched front glass door...
Category
1840s American Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Metal
Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Drouot Place Moubert
Located in Warsaw, PL
The clock is in excellent and perfect working condition. In addition, it was recently cleaned and serviced by a professional clockmaker who specializes in maintaining museums.The eig...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Chaussee D'aulin À Paris
Located in Warsaw, PL
Very beautiful Empire clock on the theme of music. rare model, signed “Caillouet in Paris” Watchmaker referenced in the Tardy at the date of 1810. Scene decorated with a musician sit...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Bras En L'air French Mantel Clock
Located in New Orleans, LA
This bras en l'air, or "arms in the air," French mantel clock demonstrates the neoclassical luxury of the Second Empire style. The focal point of the clock is a large doré bronze mai...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Carrara Marble, Bronze
Empire Period Gilt Bronze Lyre-Clock with a Bust of Homer
Located in Paris, FR
Important clock-regulator entirely realized in gilded bronze of the Empire period. It has a lyre shape with seven strings and a bust of Homer crowned ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Petit Pizze À Dijon
Located in Warsaw, PL
Early 19th century Empire clock crafted of gilt bronze, or ormolu, featuring an allegorical scene with a woman sitting at her work table play...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Lefevre De Belle
Located in Warsaw, PL
The clock is in a excellent and perfect working condition. Also it has recently been cleaned and serviced by a professional clock maker.
The eight-days going movement has a wire su...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire
Located in Warsaw, PL
Empire style figural mantle clock from the beginning of the 19th century. This mantel clock is known also as the “Allegory of love”, as the woman featured in this clock is holding on...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Cupid and Psyche Clock after Claude Michallon
Located in Paris, FR
Clock representing the Coronation of Love or Love and Psyche after Claude Michallon. Psyche, dressed in a wet drapery held by a belt, leans over the central pillar in griotte marble to crown Amour, recognizable by his wings and his quiver at his waist. The gilded bronze dial with Roman numerals is set in the pillar decorated with a lyre surrounded by oak leaves. The rectangular base is decorated with leaves, crowns, garlands, trophies of arms and rosettes motifs. The ensemble is supported by four small winged claw feet in gilded bronze.
This figure created by Michallon (1751-1799) during the Directoire period, after an antique marble from the Capitol in Rome, was a great success due to its elegance and the popularity of the subject of Love and Psyche in the 19th century. It was declined many times notably by Feuchère and Thomire. Some examples are kept in renowned museums such as the Château de Fontainebleau, the Musée Marmottan-Monet, the Hôtel de la Marine...
Category
1810s French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Set Vase Clock 19th Century Style Empire
Located in Warsaw, PL
This Etruscan vase-shaped mantel clock cast from bronze with gilded elements and brown patina originated from the first half of the nineteenth century. The Empire style was based on ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Vase Clock 19th Century Style Empire by Blanc Fils Palais Roya
Located in Warsaw, PL
This finely chiseled vase clock was cast from bronze with gilded elements originated from the first half of the nineteenth century. The Empire style was based on elements of the Roma...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Gilt Bronze Clock
Located in London, GB
French Empire gilt bronze clock
French, early 19th century
Measures: Height 38cm, width 27cm, depth 10cm
This fine gilt bronze man...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Empire Clock, Western Europe, circa 1860
Located in Chorzów, PL
Antique Empire clock, Western Europe, circa 1860.
Dimensions: height 224 cm / width 54 cm / depth. 29 cm.
Category
1860s Belgian Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Walnut
19th Century French Clock in Finely Chiseled and Gilded Bronze
Located in PALERMO, IT
Elegant and important table clock in finely chiseled and gilded bronze. Finely chiseled bronze plate, depicting a winged lady and chariot, adorn the front part of the base, in the up...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Empire Period Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock by Galle
By Claude Galle
Located in London, GB
This beautiful gilt bronze (ormolu) mantel clock was crafted in France during the period when Napoleon I was Emperor (1804-1814, 15). It was designed by the famous bronze caster and ...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu
Gilt Bronze and Lapis French Empire Period Mantel Clock
Located in London, GB
This exquisite early 19th century mantel clock is mounted with gilt bronze and has benefited from the addition of a later lapis lazuli veneer. The clock is formed of a cylindrical clock...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Lapis Lazuli, Bronze, Ormolu
Empire Ormolu Mantel Clock 'Pendule au char'
Located in Kittery Point, ME
The rectangular base decorated with a wheat and foliate frieze and raised on four ball feet, the goddess of agriculture Ceres standing while leaning against a Roman chariot with harv...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Empire Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock by Michel-François Piolaine
Located in London, GB
This large and impressive gilt bronze mantel clock is by the French Michel-François Piolaine. The clock body is raised by an architecturally formed, plinth-shaped base, set to the fr...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
A French Antique Empire Gilt Bronze Silk Thread Mantel Clock, Circa 1820
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A French Antique Empire Gilt Bronze Silk Thread Mantel Clock
The neoclassical theme with a lady and a mandolin.The clock retains its original blued steel Breguet style hands. The ...
Category
1820s French Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Monumental French Gilt and Patinated Bronze Malachite Clock
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very large and impressive 19th century Empire style gilt and patinated bronze malachite mantel clock depicting 'Psyche Crowning Cupid.'
Psyche crown...
Category
19th Century European Antique Empire More Clocks
Materials
Malachite, Bronze
Beautiful Empire Style Gilt Wall Pendulum
Located in New York, NY
An Empire style Rydberg wall pendulum from the 20th century.
Gilded & bronzed, with carved decorations of sphinxes.
Item has not been function tested, no key.
Category
20th Century Swedish Empire More Clocks
Materials
Giltwood
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Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire
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This ormolu clock from the 19th century has a rectangular base with four feet carved with small patterns. The figure on top represents a lady playing on the spinet and on sides of th...
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Mantle Mantel Table Chiming Clock Caryatides Empire Austria, Vienna
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Date of manufacture: circa 1810-1820
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Located in Brighton, Sussex
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19th Century French Empire Clock
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th Century finely chased and cast dore bronze mantle clock. Porcelain dial in excellent condition. Signed "Millet." Original pendulum. Don't have original key, but can have one made.
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Additional information:
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Color: Bronze
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Mantel Clock 19th Century, Styl Empire
Located in Warsaw, PL
"Mantel clock 19th Century Empire Skeleton Clock From The End Of The Eighteenth Century."
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Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Verdiere À Paris
Located in Warsaw, PL
Profiled and finely chiselled disc feet with a tapered attachment. Rectangular green marble base with a palmette profile on top and a finely gilded, shiny base zone, with Diana walki...
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Late 18th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
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Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Colin 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...
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Mantel Clock 19th Century Styl Empire by Armingaud À Paris
Located in Warsaw, PL
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Located in Warsaw, PL
French Empire style mantel clock signed ‘Lepaute à Paris’
This refined mantel clock crafted in transitional Directoire - Empire style from ormolu bronze is signed on the dial “Lepaute à Paris”. The Empire and the Directoire style were based on elements of the ancient Roman Empire and its many objects recovered from excavations at Pompeii, which had been rediscovered starting in the eighteenth century. Directoire style aimed at a simpler, but still elegant evocation of the virtues of the ancient Roman empire. However and the Empire style brought a full return to ostentatious richness. The use of gilt-bronze has reached its peak at the beginning of the 19th century in France, as it was cheaper than gold or silver. For this reason, it became the favourite material for clock cases, ornamental elements, candelabra and furniture ornaments. Bronze was the main material used in Empire style timepieces and both the patina and ormolu techniques were vastly used for ornamentation during this period. However, thanks to the skill of remarkable bronze casters and chasers these objects were not merely timekeepers but became objets d'art.
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Mantel Clock 19th Century Style Empire
Located in Warsaw, PL
"Fabulous Chariot Pendulum From The 2nd Empire "To The Chariot Of Love"."
Rare chariot clock called "Au char de l'Amour", on the model of André-Antoine Ravrio (1759-1814). This char...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire More Clocks
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19th-Century Antique Portico Clock, the Eternal Wait of a Girl
Located in Warsaw, PL
"Antique French skeleton clock is crafted in Empire style during the reign of Napoleon in the 19th century. The Empire style gives the antique clock symmetry on either side. When observed closely, the two sides of the pedestal are printed with symmetrical gothic motifs.
Typical motifs such as berries garland are bordered by mercury gilt bronze cascading down both sides. In addition, gilt bronze leaf frieze and berries garland leaf are also dotted from the top to the bottom of the clock.
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Empire Mantel Clock in Gilt Bronze Depicting "Allegory of Astronomy"
Located in Warsaw, PL
"The gilt bronze mantel clock is an extraordinary piece of art from Chopin è Paris, originally made in France from the early 19th (approximately 1815). Combining the luxury style of Empire states and Egypt inspiration, the mantel clock successfully depicted “Allegory of Astronomy""
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Early 19th Century Swedish Clock
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
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Empire Style Black and Golden Bronze Table Clock, France, 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
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H 16.54 in W 8.67 in D 4.73 in
Empire more clocks for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Empire more clocks for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage more clocks created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire more clocks made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Austria pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original more clocks, popular names associated with this style include Claude Galle, and Michel-François Piolaine. 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 more clocks differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,335 and tops out at $44,500 while the average work can sell for $4,339.
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