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.
Pill Box Empire style handpainted Sterling Silver fine hand engravings Salimbeni
By Franco Salimbeni, Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Shaped pill box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with a hand-painted miniature with fired enamel by the painter Romano Buccioni in the Louis XVI Empire style of the second hal...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Danish Early 19th Century Empire Tobacco Box
Located in Kastrup, DK
A charming mahogany tobacco box in an architecturally intriguing form. The top of the lid is adorned with a small knob of bone. Great quality and craftsmanship. Empire. Denmark, ...
Bone, Mahogany
Sterling Silver Box Striped Fire Enameled Salimbeni
By Giorgio Salimbeni, Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Sterling silver Jewel box with Rectangular rounded corners gold plated with translucent fire enamel stripes on guilloche and hand engraved with late Russian Empire style ornament app...
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
18th Century Snuff Box With Secret Erotic Motive
Located in Copenhagen, K
Very funny little snuff box with a text about Etimologie; the true learning or real learning, on the lids outside and a hidden erotic motive on the inside of the lid.
Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century Gold and Enamel Box, Swiss Work
Located in Paris, FR
Rectangular box with three tones of gold and royal blue enamel. The hinged lid is embellished with a multicolored gold medallion in relief featuring a bouquet of roses and tulips, se...
Gold
$720Sale Price|40% Off
Empire French Pressed Wood Snuff Box, Early 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The circular lidded box depicting a woman reclining on a Recamier playing the harp. The underside with a star surrounded by banding with stippling decoration.
Wood
Early 19th Century Russian Lacquer Painted Snuffbox Trinket Box
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
18th century Russian snuffbox or pillbox featuring an elaborate painting on the lid of a turkey and children. Very versatile piece that could also hold jewelry or small trinkets. Thi...
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
Russian Silver Niello Tobacco Box, Moscow, circa 1820-1830
By Gustav Klingert
Located in Sarasota, FL
Russian silver niello tobacco box with finely etched pastoral scenes and interior gold wash. The box is marked on inside with "84" for Russian si...
Silver
Late 18th Century Round Wooden Engraved Snuffbox Pillbox
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Small round Danish late 18th Century snuffbox or pillbox featuring elaborate engravings. Very versatile piece that could also hold jewelry or small trinkets on a vanity. This piece m...
Wood
Pressed Wood Snuff Box Depicting the Battle in Paris of 30th March 1814
Located in Bilzen, BE
Combat of March 30, 1814. On the heights of Saint Chaumont where an Artillery post served by students of the École Polytechnique fought fiercely and was saved from death by General S...
Wood
French Empire Boxwood Tabatière with Erotic Enamel Plaque and Gilded Bronze Acce
Located in Kastrup, DK
A French Empire tabatière, exquisitely crafted from boxwood. The lid is adorned with an erotic enamel plaque, elegantly framed by a gilded bronze band, while the underside features a...
Bronze, Enamel
Pressed Wood Snuff Box, 19th Century "Fete Flamande"
Located in Spencertown, NY
Dancing scene with violinist and dancing couple.
Pressed Wood Snuff Box of Place Vendome, French, Early 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The circular box depicting Place Vendome with quote on bottom 'COLON DE LA PLACE VENDOME.' The interior with collectors label 'EVAN THOMAS COLLECTION 408.’
Wood
$1,200Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Sceaux Faux Porphyry Tobacco Jars, 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The pair of jars with covers with old repairs and chips.
Faience
Early 19th Century Miniature Writing Desk Jewelry Box
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
This vintage miniature wood box has six drawers and lots of character and patina. Some of the drawers are lined in faux marbleized paper. We see this wonderful piece being used to st...
Metal, Brass
Early 19th Century English Walnut Box
Located in High Point, NC
Early 19th century walnut box from England. This is a lovely box with some of the most gorgeous craftsmanship we have had the pleasure to offer. The top has softly beveled edges,...
Walnut
Sterling Silver Continental Pill or Patch Box
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a wonderful late 19th century sterling patch or pill box in the 17th/18th century style. The box is designed as an oval with a repousse lid depicting a farm yard vignette detailed with farm buildings, chickens and family life. The reverse is a simple polished sterling oval that has been hallmarked and bears the export mark "Germany". The box is in overall very good condition; the clasp is tight and no heavy wear is present. This silver piece would make an outstanding ring presentation box...
Sterling Silver
19th Century French Enameled Porcelain Box
Located in Land O' Lakes, FL
A salmon colored enamel box with patina bronze surround and latch and topped with a gold laurel wreath.
Bronze, Enamel
$1,836
H 3.55 in W 2.76 in D 3.15 in
Antique Silver BOX Decorative Box, Sterling Silver Jewllery Box Home Decor
Located in Wembley, GB
Antique valuable handmade sterling silver box or Decorative jewllery box with Illustration pressed, cast and chased. Rectangular body on short, curved feet with hinged, vaulted lid. ...
Gold Plate, Silver, Sterling Silver
$475
H 0.75 in W 3 in D 1.75 in
Early 19th Century Georgian Burr Birch Pocket Snuff Box, England, circa 1820
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A very handsome early 19th century Georgian pocket snuff box, the richly figured burr birch case inlaid with ebony stringing and an ebony shield-shaped cartouche, the functioning lid opening on wooden...
Birch
$16,803Sale Price|20% Off
H 1.58 in Dm 7.68 in
20th Century Sterling Silver Italian Gilded and Enameled Table Box
By Salimbeni
Located in VALENZA, IT
Round haped silver gilded 925/1000 table box with translucent enamels on guilloche with hand-painted floral miniatures and gold paillons Made in Italy 1.400 grams The Miniatures are hand-painted on a usually white homogeneous enamel base. The same colored glazes are used, but ground much finer, which are mixed with special oils to form an infinite palette of colors. The paint must be gradually dried on electric stoves...
Sterling Silver
English 18th Century Gold-Mounted Agate Snuff-Box
Located in Paris, FR
Agate box or snuff-box in of circular form with gently bombé sides, the gold mounted lid is chased with scrollwork. Probably Georges II period. Unmarked gold...
Agate, Gold
Viennese Enamel Silver Jewelry Box
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This jewelry box is built similar to a Roman/Greek Pantheon with 17 Silver bordered hand painted enamel panels. The panels are embellished with romantic pastoral couple scenes and po...
Silver
Italian Silver and Enamel Box
Located in Newark, England
GUILLOCHE ENAMEL AND SILVER GILT From our collectables category, we are delighted to offer this incredible quality Italian Mid-Century Modern Silver and Enamel Box. The Silver and E...
Gold Plate, Silver, Enamel
$390
H 7.1 in W 12.4 in D 6.3 in
Antique Flame Mahogany Empire Tea Caddy Wooden Casket Box 19th century
Located in Sweden, SE
Rectangular shape mahogany veneered casket made in first half of 19th century presumably in Europe. High quality work of applied arts in Neoclassical (Biedermeier) style. The fork of...
Wood, Mahogany
18th Century Italian Painted and Parcel Gilt Reliquary Box
Located in Houston, TX
18th century Italian painted and parcel gilt reliquary box. This lovely large Italian Baroque box is made of painted and parcel gilt wood surrounded by ...
Glass, Wood
Exceptional Swedish Empire Large Tobacco Box ca 1815
Located in Farsta, SE
Exceptional Swedish Empire Large Tobacco Box ca 1815 This elegant tobacco box has two lids, which were used to weigh down the tobacco leaves. It is a rare find as it still retains i...
Marble
Snuff Box Sterling Silver, Paillons and Miniature Salimbeni
By Salimbeni, Franco Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Oval snuff box in 925/1000 sterling silver, gold plated with blue and white fired enamelled stripes enriched with some gold paillons and with oval miniature hand painted in tempera o...
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Sold
H 2.98 in W 1.42 in D 0.55 in
Ivan Ivanovich Futikin 1871 Russia Moscow Vesta Striker Case 875 Silver & Niello
By Ivan Ivanovich Futikin
Located in Miami, FL
Vesta case with wick cord designed by Futikin Ivan Ivanovich. Exceptional and very beautiful vesta striker case from the late 19rh century, created in Mo...
Silver
Sold
H 0.67 in W 3.23 in D 1.7 in
Snuff Box Light Blue Ornament in Relief, Empire Style Sterling Silver Salimbeni
By Salimbeni, Franco Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular pocket snuff box with oval section in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with translucent fired enamel on guillochè, with laurel ornament in relief in Empire style. Wit...
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Sold
H 0.63 in W 3.5 in D 2.5 in
Gold Snuff Box with Portrait of Napoleon by Jean-Baptiste Isabey '1767–1855'
Located in New York, US
Our gold snuff box is distinguished by its exceptional portrait of Emperor Napoleon I (1769-1821) by the revered miniature painter, Jean-Baptiste Isabey (1767–1855), signed and dated 1807. Isabey portrays the emperor in the green uniform of the chasseurs a cheval with red sash and silver breast-star of the Imperial French Order of the Legion of Honour. Pinned to his left lapel are the badges of the Imperial French Order of the Legion of Honour and the badge of the Royal Italian Order of the Iron Crown of Lombardy. The portrait is bordered by blue enamel and an outer border of rosettes and leaves. 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 by 5/8 inches. Weight: 135 g, 4.76 oz, 4.34 troy oz. Hallmarks on the underside of this German-made box include an assay mark, a lion rampant and maker's mark which is heavily worn. Born in Nancy, France, Isabey arrived in Paris in 1785 to study with Jacques-Louis David. His earliest clients included the family of Eugène Rose de Beauharnais...
Gold, Enamel
Sold
H 1.1 in W 4.4 in D 3.12 in
Russian USSR Made Black and Red Lacquered Snuff Box, Signed and Dated
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Rectangular Black and Red Lacquered Snuff Box, Signed and Dated 1971. This tobacco snuff box is richly and colorfully decorated with a winter scene showing 3 people riding a sleigh in the snow being pulled by 3 wild horses. This Soviet-era box has a strong and great condition red lacquer on the inside and fine gilded decorations running around the edges of the box. The box is signed and dated on the front cover and with hand-written "Made in USSR...
Brass
19th Century Box with Miniature in Gouache
Located in Paris, FR
Casket in light wood box with a miniature on its lid. This gouache presents the flight of the a hot air balloon "Montgolfière" to the castle of Versail...
Wood
Antique French Brass Napoleonic "Le Grand" Snuff Box
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Antique French Brass Napoleonic "Le Grand" Snuff Box Step back into the glorious era of the French empire with this stunning Antique French brass Napoleonic "Le Grand" snuff box. A ...
Brass
French Empire Oval Gold Snuff Box by H.A. Adam, Paris, circa 1820
Located in Long Island City, NY, NY
A French Empire oval gold snuff box by H.A. Adam, Paris, circa 1820. Fantastic quality box. Hallmarked throughout. Measures: 1" high x 3" wide x 2" deep Excellent condi...
Gold
Gold Snuff Box, Late 18th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Rectangular snuffbox with angled corners sides. The box in several tons of gold presents an exceptional ‘guilloché’ decoration in lozenge reminding a work of basketry. This elegant w...
Gold
Malachite Snuffbox, 19th Century
Located in Stockholm, SE
A malachite snuffbox, 19th century.
Malachite Snuffbox
Located in Stockholm, SE
A malachite and gilt snuffbox, 19th century.
Malachite, Bronze