Empire Decorative Bowls
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.
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Porcelain
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze
Early 19th Century Belgian Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Sterling Silver
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Ormolu
20th Century French Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze
1810s German Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze
1890s French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Tin
2010s Italian Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze, Gold Leaf
2010s Italian Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze, Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Malachite
1830s Russian Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze
1990s Italian Empire Decorative Bowls
Sterling Silver
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze
Late 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Enamel
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze
1890s French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Porcelain
19th Century Irish Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal
1920s English Vintage Empire Decorative Bowls
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Porcelain
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze
1950s French Vintage Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal
Coffee pot - W - 8"; H - 10"
Te...
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Porcelain
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze, Gold Plate
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Bowls
Murano Glass
Late 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze
1860s French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century Spanish Empire Decorative Bowls
Silver
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Decorative Bowls
Porcelain
1990s American Empire Decorative Bowls
Crystal
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Bronze
18th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Bowls
Marble