Empire Bowls and Baskets
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
Antique French Empire Ormolu and Bronze Nubian with Basket
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Antique French Empire Ormolu and Bronze Blackmoor with Basket. beautiful shape. Hard to find!
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Bronze
Empire Cut Crystal Bread Basket With Sterling Silver Handle Voneche Baccarat
Located in Wommelgem, VAN
ntique large crystal bread basket with silver handle
Made of Regency cut crystal
The handle is made & marked jean Francois Warnots
Origin Flanders 1832 - 1838
Condition good
...
Category
Early 19th Century Belgian Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Malachite Green and Gold Porcelain Jewelry Vide-Poche Dish Empire Style
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful and well-made hand painted porcelain jewelry dish in the Empire style, circa mid to late-20th century, Hungary. This octagonal dish vide-poche catchall has a beautiful ha...
Category
Mid-20th Century Hungarian Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Porcelain
French White Pierced Porcelain Compote Basket Centerpiece Bowl
Located in New York, NY
A French round pierced white Paris Porcelain compote basket tazza bowl in the Empire style, circa late 19th century, France. Great as a stand...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Silver Plated Boxes in Empire Style
Located in Knivsta, SE
A pair of silver plated boxes in Empire style, probably made in the late 19th century och early 20th century. Perfect for cufflinks or jewellery. Nice quality.
Wear consistent wit...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Silver Plate
Blue Marbleized Empire Wastebasket
Located in New York, NY
Blue marbleized empire wastebasket. Faux marble painted empire style wastebasket on gilt paw feet. France, 20th century
Dimensions: 9" L x 9" W x 9.88" H.
Category
20th Century French Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Metal
Empire German Ormolu Mntd Mahogany Turtle Feet Jardiniere, Klinkerfuss & Münch
By Johannes Klinkerfuss
Located in New York, NY
A Fantastic and Very Important Empire Period German Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Jardiniere Mounted on Dore Bronze Turtle Feet, In The Manner Of Johannes Klinkerfuss And Casimir Münch. Th...
Category
1810s German Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Bronze
Empire Bowl w Winged Lady's and Dolphins Base Gold Finish
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A rare find of this centerpiece bowl in a golden Dore' finish. With two winged nude Angles for handles. All supported by four Dolphins in a bronze patina finish. Still has the Origin...
Category
1890s French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Gilt Bronze Empire Period 'Dolphin' Centrepieces attributed to Thomire
By Thomire & Cie.
Located in London, GB
A Pair of Late Empire Ormolu Centrepieces "aux dauphins"
Each constructed from gilt bronze, with burnished highlights, the oval plinth bases supported on lion paw feet and with ornaments derived from Pergolesi, two addorsed mythical dolphins supporting a pierced foliate basket with accompanying cut-glass dish.
French, circa 1815
An important suite of four centrepieces signed "Thomire à Paris...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Ormolu
Fine 19th C Empire Style Gilt Bronze and Crystal Presentation Centerpiece
Located in Dallas, TX
A fine 19th century large bronze dore and brilliant cut glass presentation centerpiece. Eagles on a tripod design with a center column ending in pawed winged feet.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Rock Crystal and 24 K Gold Plated Bronze Support Spheres Holdlers
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Pair of rock crystal and 24 k gold plated support rock crystal spheres (48 mm)
Unique.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Rock Crystal, Lapis Lazuli, Gold Plate, Bronze
French White and Gold Pierced Porcelain Compote Basket Tazza
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful French oval white and gold pierced Paris Porcelain compote basket tazza bowl in the Empire style, circa late 19th century, France...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Porcelain
Set of Eight Empire Gilt Porcelain Hunting Plates
Located in New York, NY
Set of eight Empire gilt porcelain hunting lates. Set of four pair complementary gilt Paris Porcelain serving dishes with hunt paintings attributed to Jacques François Joseph Swebach...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Porcelain
Amber Amphora in Bronze and Crystal by Modenese Gastone Luxury Interiors
Located in PADOVA, Italy
Splendid amber amphora by Modenese Luxury Interiors. Let your house shine with the bright glares coming from this precious item, which is delicately hand blown by skillful artisans c...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Crystal, Bronze, Gold Leaf
Pair of French Tole Verrieres
Located in Essex, MA
Each painted green with gilt rinceaux decoration. Oval form with loop handles.
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Tin
Transparent Amphora in Bronze and Crystal by Modenese Luxury Interiors
Located in PADOVA, Italy
Splendid transparent amphora by Modenese Luxury Interiors. Let your house shine with the bright glares coming from this precious item, which ...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Crystal, Bronze, Gold Leaf
Late 18th Century Dagoty French Porcelain Plate Cobalt Blue Children Playing
By Dagoty
Located in Katonah, NY
We are pleased to offer this extraordinary Dagoty porcelain plate showing children playing.
The happy children are joined by their dog in a scene painted in grisaille.
On this plate, the border of deep cobalt blue is lavishly gilded in a dramatic geometric pattern.
As we see here, burnished gilt was another hallmark of Dagoty porcelains.
The formal border juxtaposes the informal scene of the children at play with the geometric design.
This type of contrast is typically French, and only the French made porcelains with this particular type of sophisticated contrast.
Romanticism had a strong influence on the Dagoty porcelains of the last decade of the 18th century. Anecdotal scenes, indoor scenes, and scenes showing children's games replaced neoclassical subjects.
The new themes were more human and had a much less rigid atmosphere.
Condition: Excellent
Diameter: 8 inches
Price: $420
Background:
The Paris retail shop was on the Boulevard Montmartre.
The Dagoty factory made hard paste porcelain. The factory was in the Rue de Chevreuse, Paris, leased for nine years in 1800 by brothers Pierre-Louis (1771-1840) and Etienne-Jean-Baptiste Dagoty (1772-1800). Pierre-Louis became sole owner in 1804, and in 1807 the lease was renewed for a further nine years. The factory was under the protection of the Empress Josephine and supplied porcelain for Versailles. In 1816, Dagoty went into partnership with Edouard Honoré...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Porcelain
Wonderful French Empire Gilt Doré Bronze & Cut Crystal Round Centerpiece Bowl
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful French empire gilt doré bronze & cut crystal round centerpiece bowl raised on paw feet
Category
20th Century French Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French Empire Style 19th Century Dore' Bronze Mounted Center Bowl
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Fine quality and detail. The bronze is designed with swans posed with wings spread.
The cut glass is of the finest quality. The center bowl is beautifully and generously scaled.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Bronze
19th Century French Empire Malachite and Gilt Bronze Centerpiece
Located in Dallas, TX
Fine 19th century French Empire malachite and gilt bronze centerpiece. Cut crystal top bowl .Fine mercury gilt bronze sphinx's.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Malachite
20th Century Sterling Silver Empire Style Centerpiece, Italy, 1990
Located in Cagliari, IT
Wonderful oval Empire style centerpiece with foot made in sterling silver by Ilario Pradella for Bellezza Cagliari. New, never used
Pradella Iario, founded in 1920, was the greatest Italian silversmith of the second half of the 20th century, famous for his collaboration with Buccellati. We have had the honor and privilege of collaborating with them for over fifty years until its closure.
With silversmith marks for Pradella Ilario...
Category
1990s Italian Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Sterling Silver
Beautiful Pair of Russian Imperial Glass and Ormolu Mounted Tazza Centerpieces
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful pair of Russian Empire Imperial Glass Manufactury and ormolu mounted white opalescent tazza centrepieces, each white opaline bowl beautifully hand cut and hand polished in flutted design with ribbed border; the Ormolu very finely hand chisseled and finished in two tome dore bronze gold...
Category
1830s Russian Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Style Bronze Dore Egyptian Compote
Located in New York, NY
French Empire-style (19th Century) bronze dore compote with 3 Egyptian ebonized figures and crystal bowl.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French Empire Period Wastepaper Basket
Located in Stockbridge, GA
French Empire period wastepaper basket.
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Brass
Tripod Cachepot Brass Bowl
Located in Sheffield, MA
Charmingly elegant antique Empire style brass bowl centerpiece on tripod hoofed feet and decorative handles in an 'abstract' animal form. Lovely aged brass patina all-over, can easil...
Category
19th Century European Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Brass
19th Century French Gilt Bronze Empire Figural Basket
Located in Atlanta, GA
First quarter 19th century, in the manner of Pierre-Philippe Thomire (French, 1751–1843), gilt bronze and marble, figural basket, possibly Nike, holding aloft a flared, reticulated b...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Centerpiece Perfume Burner in Gilt Bronze and Marble
Located in Paris, FR
Ormolu perfume burner or potpourri holder that serves as a striking table centerpiece. The openwork lid is adorned with palmettes, foliage, small flower...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Large Russian Empire Porcelain Gold-Ground and White Bisque Figural Centrepiece
Located in New York, NY
A magnificent and large Russian Empire porcelain gold ground and white bisque figural reticulated centrepiece. A large filigree basket supported by three a...
Category
1820s Russian Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Gold
19th Century Enameled Bread Basket, Denmark
Located in Copenhagen, K
Amazing 19th century enamel bowl or bread basket.
Category
Late 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Enamel
20th Century Italian Silver Comport. Round smooth dish. Empire style revival
Located in VALENZA, IT
Solid silver comport in Empire style.
The hexagonal base and the stem have been made in cast and finely chiseled,
while the top cup is round and completely smooth.
Measure: 1,220 ...
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Silver
Pair of Russian Empire Malachite, French Bronze Centrepiece/Tazzas by Thomier
Located in New York, NY
A magnificent pair of Russian Empire Period malachite, French doré bronze and cut crystal Tazzas, signed THOMIRE A PARIS. The square malachite bowls are upheld by putti (cupids) stan...
Category
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Crystal, Malachite, Bronze
Early 19th Century Gilt Bronze Cut-Glass Centerpiece
Located in New York, NY
Cut-glass centerpiece with gilt bronze mounts. Hair line crack in bowl.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Bronze
Neoclassical Gilt Bronze and Molded Crystal Coupe
Located in New York, NY
Gilt bronze and molded crystal glass covered bowl in the Empire style with removeable cover surmounted by an elegant swan. In the style and quality of Baccarat, apparently unsigned ...
Category
20th Century French Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Mid-Century Hand-Painted Decorated Leather Square Waste Bin or Planter
Located in Germantown, MD
Authentic Cowhide on wood Nailhead top and oil Handpainted throughout. Each of the 4 sides depicts a different scene. Primary used as an executive waste bin and may also be used as a...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Metal
Empire Table Plateau in Gilted Bronze
Located in Knivsta, SE
Empire table plateau in gilt bronze from France. Early 19th century. Beautiful patina with worn original glass.
The legs of the table plateau are decora...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Gold Plate, Bronze
19th Century French Empire Dore Bronze and Crystal Centerpiece
Located in Fairfax, VA
French 19th century dore bronze and crystal centerpiece.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Bowls and Baskets
Materials
Bronze
Empire bowls and baskets for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Empire bowls and baskets 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 bowls and baskets created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire bowls and baskets 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 bowls and baskets, popular names associated with this style include Modenese Gastone, Alexandre Vossion, Ilario Pradella, and Johannes Klinkerfuss. 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 bowls and baskets differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $550 and tops out at $43,934 while the average work can sell for $2,600.
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