Empire Decorative Boxes
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.
1810s French Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Bronze
1810s Russian Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Ormolu
Mid-19th Century European Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Mirror, Wood
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Late 19th Century European Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Oak
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Decorative Boxes
Malachite
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel, Gold
20th Century Unknown Empire Decorative Boxes
Lapis Lazuli
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Glass, Wood
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Mahogany
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Pine
Mid-19th Century Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Glass, Cut Glass, Mahogany
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Russian Empire Decorative Boxes
Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Decorative Boxes
Crystal, Bronze, Ormolu
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Metal, Iron
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1810s Russian Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Ormolu
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Enamel, Sterling Silver
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Lacquer, Beech
Late 19th Century English Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Stoneware
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Brass
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold, Enamel, Sterling Silver, Gold Plate
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Mid-19th Century European Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Mirror, Wood
Early 19th Century American Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Wood
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 20th Century American Empire Decorative Boxes
Brass
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1920s French Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Crystal, Bronze
Late 19th Century European Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Onyx, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Walnut
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Brass
1880s European Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Ormolu
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Crystal, Brass
1810s French Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Bronze
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Enamel, Sterling Silver
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Hardwood
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Enamel, Sterling Silver
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1860s French Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Brass
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Boxes
Leather, Wood
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel