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Empire Wine Coolers

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 “Old Paris” Porcelain Coolers, Yellow Bands, Floral Wreaths
Located in New York, NY
Darte Frères, Paris, made, circa 1820. Porcelain, partially painted and gilded. Measures: 14 1/4 in. high, 10 3/8 in. wide (through the handles), 7 3/4 in. deep. Signed (with stencil, in black, on the bottom of each): Darte. f. Recorded: cf. Régine de Plinval de Guillebon, Porcelain of Paris, 1770–1850 (New York: Walker and Company, 1972), p. 333 no. 79 illustrates the mark on these coolers. Some of the most beautiful porcelain produced in Paris during the Empire/Restauration periods was made or sold by the firm of Darte Frères. Although the Darte family, which came from Namur, then in The Netherlands, had set themselves up in the business of the manufacture of porcelain as early as 1794–95, by 1803 the three Darte brothers had decided, as Régine de Plinval de Guillebon notes (ibid., p. 231), that “each should have his own establishment,” and, indeed, by 1804 their prior business partnership had been “annulled,” and from that point forward there were two businesses using the name Darte. The Darte brothers, Louis Joseph and Jean François, began independent operation in 1804 at the Hôtel Montalembert, at 90, rue de la Roquette. Their business arrangements were only formalized in 1808, at which time they began to use the name “Darte Frères.” They remained in the business until 1825, when their partnership was dissolved. Darte Frères produced a large variety of porcelain, including vast dinner and...
Category

19th Century Antique Empire Wine Coolers

Materials

Porcelain

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PAIR OF HERMES PARIS KELLY WICKER & BROWN LEATHER PICNIC WiNE COOLERS PART SUITE
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Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this once in a lifetime opportunity to own this custom made pair of Wine Coolers which are part of a suite of Hermes Paris “Farming” Kelly picnic equipment, Barenia Edition, custom made to order for Lady Victoria De Rothschild in 2015. This sale is for the pair of Wine coolers only, the pair of Pitcher jugs and pair of Champagne buckets are listed under my other items and not include in this sale Please note the delivery fee listed is just a guide, it covers within the M25 only for the UK and local Europe only for international, if you would like an accurate quote please send me your postcode and I’ll provide you with the exact price These are the only examples in the world of this particular picnic set, they were made to order from Lady Victoria de Rothschild in 2015, purchased by myself at the estate sale after her passing. Each piece is expertly crafted to the finest standard by the genius’s that are Hermes Paris, the wicker has been finely woven and houses perfectly polished chrome cases, the handles are hand stitched and signed Hermes Paris in leather. The wine coolers come complete with four cooler bottles which can be frozen Each piece of chrome has been professionally restored and polished to the highest standards by Penhaligan Silverwear LTD London in cooperation with Strong and Woodhatch. Dimensions Height:- 19.5cm Width and depth@- 13.8cm Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point. Victoria, Lady de Rothschild (1949-2021 Victoria was born and spent her formative years in the sunshine of Florida; the warm rays and the life-style of Palm Beach brought her a freedom of spirit that remained with her throughout her life and informed and shaped her taste. Later the family moved to Manhattan; her mother, Marcia Lou Whitney Schott, was a woman of great poise and style and remained a huge and lasting inspiration to her daughter. After coming to London, as a young adult, to dip her toe into British culture, she went back to the US and gained a degree in economics at Trinity College Hartford. Three years later, through mutual friends she met and married Sir Evelyn de Rothschild. They returned to the UK and made their homes in London and in the Rothschild family house in Buckinghamshire; Victoria bringing to the formal landscape of these two houses a transatlantic chic and her own particular quiet exoticism. The history of collecting in the Rothschild family is meticulously documented and was well known to Victoria, it was music to her ears. She continued the tradition and over a period of 40 years gathered together a remarkable and eclectic collection of furniture, glass, china, silver and jewellery. She bought instinctively and decisively; in later years the collection was curated by her great friend, decorator and dress designer, Tomasz Starzewski. There was nothing that Victoria enjoyed more than entertaining her friends and giving them exquisitely wrapped presents. In her last flat, she had a room entirely set aside for present wrapping. It was here that she kept exotic Japanese tissue papers in graded shades, antique rolls of striped ribbons and haute couture silk ones, ready for when a friend had a birthday. Entertaining remained one of her greatest pleasures, and she did this on two levels: the very large dinners for 200 or 250 people, to the more intimate events for family, friends, children and grandchildren. Whatever the circumstances, like an impresario rising to the challenge, she would set to work, with an awesome attention to detail that seemed effortless; she was brimming full of ideas. I remember in particular one birthday dinner when the ceiling of the dining room was covered with hovering aubergine coloured balloons, echoing the violet napkins below. Her large-scale entertainments were memorable; there was an anniversary dinner at Lords Cricket Ground, where the tablecloths were made of white cricket flannel and boiled brisket was served, so simple, witty, understated, whilst Rory Bremner provided the cabaret. On the occasion of her daughter’s 21st birthday, she transformed the Royal College of Art into a replica of the 20th century nightclub ‘El Morocco’ in New York for the evening, with Manhattan taxis waiting outside to take the guests home. Victoria’s greatest talent however was in creating tablescapes. This was almost like choreography, and there was always an element of the unexpected. 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Previously Available Items
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Painted Tinplate Wine Cooler, 19th Century
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H 19.3 in W 12.21 in D 12.21 in
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Empire Occasional Commode
Empire Occasional Commode
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Marble

Antique French Empire Wine Rack
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique French Empire Cabinet converted into a wine rack Circa 1880s
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Mahogany

Antique French Empire Wine Rack
Antique French Empire Wine Rack
H 69 in W 38 in D 15.5 in

Empire wine coolers for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Empire wine coolers for sale on 1stDibs. 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.

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