Empire Jewelry 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.
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Jewelry Boxes
Onyx, Marble, Metal
19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Stone, Bronze
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Gold Plate, Enamel, Sterling Silver
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Gold Plate, Enamel, Sterling Silver
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Gold Plate, Enamel, Sterling Silver
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Gold Plate, Enamel, Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Carrara Marble, Metal
19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Bronze, Ormolu
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Bronze
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 20th Century Italian Empire Jewelry Boxes
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Crystal, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
1880s European Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Ormolu
Early 19th Century Swiss Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Gold
1850s Russian Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Silver
19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Brass
Early 20th Century Austrian Empire Jewelry Boxes
Silver, Enamel, Sterling Silver
1970s Swiss Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Fruitwood
20th Century Empire Jewelry Boxes
Marble
1890s French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Crystal, Bronze
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Sterling Silver
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Bronze
20th Century Swiss Empire Jewelry Boxes
Brass
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Onyx
Early 20th Century French Empire Jewelry Boxes
Bronze
20th Century English Empire Jewelry Boxes
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1880s Swiss Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Steel
1930s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Bronze
Early 20th Century Italian Empire Jewelry Boxes
Bronze
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Silver
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Crystal, Metal, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Marble, Brass
1910s Austrian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Brass
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Jewelry Boxes
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Late 20th Century Empire Jewelry Boxes
Velvet, Maple
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Metal, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Jewelry Boxes
Bronze