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.
19th Century Black French Antique Wrought Iron Napoleon III Candelabra
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A black antique, late 19th century French floor candle holder, candelabra hand crafted in very ornate fer forge work with wrought iron scrolls and seven candle holders, in good condi...
Metal, Wrought Iron
19th Century French Empire Gilt Bronze Three-Light Sconce, Wall Candelabra
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
French Empire gilt bronze three-arm wall candleholder finely ornate with foliate, acorn motifs and three female faces, circa 1850-1870. This wall candelabra can easily be converted ...
Bronze
Pair of French Napoleonic Tin Wall Mounted Candle Sconces Ca. 1820s
Located in Peabody, MA
Pair of 19th century French Napoleonic tinned steel wall mounted candle sconces in the Empire style.
Tin
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire style gilt bronze wall sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features the best quality hand-chiseled details. The backplate of this sconce is a central round plate wit...
Bronze
Pair of French Empire Period Brass Candle Sconces
Located in Austin, TX
Candle holder sconces from France from the Empire period. This finely cast pair of sconces features a solid brass structure with a swan holding two chained candle...
Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce Set by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire style gilt bronze wall sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features the best quality hand-chiselled details. The backplate of this sconce features a central round pla...
Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire style gilt bronze wall sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features the best quality hand-chiselled details. The backplate of this sconce features a lacquered round ...
Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt and Burnished Bronze Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire style gilt and burnished bronze victory wall Sconce is an elegant example of figural wall light that shows a winged Victory, mounted ...
Bronze
Pair of French Empire Orb Bronze Three-Light Wall Sconces
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of French Empire Orb Bronze Three-Light Wall Sconces France, Early 19th Century This exquisite pair of French Empire wall sconces embodies the elegance and workmanship of the...
Bronze
$12,950 / set
Two French Gilt and Patinated Bronze Sconces
Located in London, GB
These two sconces have been crafted in the Empire style, which was popularised by the French Emperor, Napoleon I. The Empire style is characterised by its grandeur and use of opulent...
Ormolu, Bronze
pair of French 19th century Empire st. patinated Bronze and Ormolu sconces
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant and high quality pair of French 19th century Empire st. patinated Bronze and Ormolu sconces. Each two arm sconce is centered by a beautiful foliate bottom finial where the...
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century Pair of Empire Style Gilt Bronze Figural Three-Light Candleholders
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
A pair of gilt bronze three-light candelabra with kneeling putto holding the candleholders raised on richly elaborate base, France, late 19th century. Measures: Height 12.50 in / 3...
Bronze
19th Century Candlestick Lightshade Vienna by Balthasar Wigand Mother of Pearl
Located in Epfach, DE
Mother of pearl light shade or candlestick by Balthasar Wigand Vienna about 1810-1820 with very fine painting from the Galitzerberg in Vienna. B...
Bronze
Beautiful Pair of Gilt Bronze Empire Appliques from the 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
A beautiful and rare pair of gilt bronze Empire Appliques. Made in France during the 1820s. Some wear on the gilding exists, but also carries a beutif...
Gold Plate, Bronze
Claude Galle - pair of Empire ormolu sconces - early 19th century
By Claude Galle
Located in GRENOBLE, FR
A fine pair of ormolu sconces, 3 lights each, Empire period, early 19th century period circa 1810. Attributed to Claude Galle. Mercury gilt has been outstandingly preserved after ove...
Ormolu
Pair Italian Heavy Brass Empire Style Candle Sconces
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of heavy, un-wired single arm sconces from Florence, Italy. Features a sunburst back plate with concave bowl and eagle-head motif. Masterful casting with wonderful detail. Candle cup measures...
Brass
Pair Of Empire Silver Candle Holders, Floral Decor, Johann Gutmann, Vienna, 1804
Located in Vienna, AT
Two elegant silver candlesticks on a round base, guilloché pattern on the side of the base, raised shaft in the centre, constriction in the lower third with a guilloché ring, shaft w...
Silver
Pair Of Antique Empire Silver Candle Holders, by Viennese Master, Dated 1804
Located in Vienna, AT
Two elegant, plain silver candle holders on a round stand, foot laterally profiled, centred raised smooth shaft, in the lower third constriction by profiled bead ring, shaft widening...
Silver
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire style gilt bronze wall sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features the best quality hand-chiselled details. The backplate of this sconce features a central round pla...
Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features the best quality hand-chiselled details. The backplate of this sconce features a central round pla...
Bronze
Set of Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconces by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This precious Set of Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconces by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features many finely hand chiseled details. This model is typical of French Empire period due to ...
Gold, Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire style gilt bronze wall sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features the best quality hand-chiselled details. The backplate of this sconce features a lacquered round ...
Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconces Set by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire style gilt bronze wall sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features the best quality hand-chiselled details. The backplate of this sconce features a lacquered round ...
Bronze
$6,850 / set
Pair of Gilded, Mirrored, Period Sconces
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A pair of period, hand carved, gessoed, and 22-karat gold gilded, Second Empire, French sconces. Each with gilt bronze arms, and inset with original, mercury glass mirrors. Each with...
Bronze
$3,472 / set
H 11.82 in Dm 4.73 in
A large pair of Empire Candlesticks in gilt and dark patinated bronze. 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
A large and beautiful pair of Empire Candlesticks in gilt and dark patinated bronze. Made in France during the 1820s. Very period design. Wear consistent with age and use
Bronze
Pair of French Empire Gilt Bronze Candlesticks, 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Pair of French Empire Gilt Bronze Candlesticks, 1820s A refined pair of Empire candlesticks in gilt bronze, crafted in France around the 1820s. The design features the elegant, flu...
Bronze
$14,743 / set
H 24.41 in Dm 7.09 in
A pair (2) of figural Empire candelabra candles. Paris, 19th century.
Located in Berlin, DE
A pair (2) of figural Empire candelabra candles. Paris, 1815s Gilt bronze. Recessed pedestal base with palmette and floral decoration on a square plinth. The pair, dressed in antiqu...
Bronze
Pair Antique French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconces
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Tall three light electrified wall sconces with various decorative motifs top to bottom in a French inspired design. The eagle crest is perched atop clouds with an inscribed shield (t...
Bronze
$1,224 / set
H 9.26 in Dm 4.14 in
A Pair of Elegant Empire Candlesticks, Gilded and Patinated Brass, 1820s France
Located in Knivsta, SE
A pair of exquisite Empire candlesticks which combine gilt and patinated brass. Made in 1820s France. Various intricate rose, floral and leaf patterns adorn the bases in gilt brass. ...
Brass
Early 19th Century French Empire Bronze NIKE Figural Candelabra
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
This stately patinated and fire gilt bronze candelabrum is of the finest quality, and retains its original finish. The figure of Nike (Winged Victory) standing on a gilt globe holds...
Bronze
Elegant pair of Candlesticks i bronze. Empire, 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Elegant pair of Candlesticks i bronze with dark patinated column. French Empire during the 1820s. Wear consistent with age and use
Bronze
$3,834 / item
H 29.53 in W 13.78 in D 15.75 in
French Empire Style Gilt and Burnished Bronze Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire style gilt and burnished bronze victory wall Sconce is an elegant example of figural wall light that shows a winged Victory, mounted ...
Bronze
$8,950Sale Price|22% Off
H 24 in W 14 in D 7 in
Pair 19th Century French Empire Figural Bronze 2 Arm Wall Sconces Sothebys
Located in Roslyn, NY
A pair of very fine 19th century French empire doré bronze figural two-arm sconces. The left facing figure is of a woman, and countering her is the right facing man. Provenance to...
Bronze
$3,000Sale Price / set|51% Off
H 21.5 in Dm 11.5 in
Candelabras 5 Arms French Silver Plate 19th Century France
Located in New York, NY
Candelabras 5 Arms French Silver Plate 19th Century France . A pair of French silver plated candelabras. Decorated with leaves and flowers.
Silver Plate
$24,538 / set
H 25.99 in W 11.82 in D 6.7 in
Set of Four Louis XVI Style Jasperware and Gilt Bronze Wall Sconces
By Henri Vian, Maison Beurdeley
Located in London, GB
These exquisite wall lights were created in the late 19th century by the famous bronzier, Henri Vian (French, 1860-1905). These wall lights are stamped ‘HV 955’ for Henri Vian, along with ‘BY’ for the prestigious Beurdeley furniture-making workshop (French, founded 1818). Vian purchased several bronze models that were created by Beurdeley when the company closed in 1895. These lights were most likely cast from a Beurdeley model. Typical of both Beurdeley’s and Vian’s work, these lights are designed in an 18th century Louis XVI (Neoclassical) style. The wall lights feature gilt bronze (ormolu) backplates which are designed to look like ribbons, tied in bows and ending in tassels. These ribbons support gilt bronze oval frames...
Ormolu, Bronze
$4,200
H 10.25 in Dm 4.75 in
Pair of French Empire Period Fire-Gilt Ormolu and Patinated Bronze Candlesticks
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
An exceptional pair of French Empire period candlesticks executed in finely chased fire-gilt ormolu and contrasting dark patinated bronze, dating to the early 19th century. Each cand...
Bronze, Ormolu
Sold
H 9.06 in Dm 4.34 in
Pair Of Antique Empire Silver Candle Holders, by Josef Stelzer, Vienna, 1802
Located in Vienna, AT
Two elegant, simple silver candlesticks on a round base, foot profiled at the sides, smooth shaft raised in the centre, constriction in the lower third by a profiled bead, shaft wide...
Silver
Pair French Empire Style Swan Candle Wall Sconces
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Pair of French Empire style bronze or brass candle wall sconces with swan and serpent motif. Expertly executed with fine detailing throughout. Not electrified uses candles only.
Brass, Bronze
Pair of Early 20th Century French Bronze Candle Sconces
Located in Chicago, IL
These early 20th-century French candle sconces are a stunning example of timeless elegance and craftsmanship. Featuring beautiful gold twelve-point star backplates and patinated bron...
Bronze
Sold
H 11.5 in W 5 in D 4 in
Vintage Brass Putti Cherub Angel Wall Mounted Sconces Candle Holders - Set of 2
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Brass Putti Cherub Angel Wall Mounted Sconces Candle Holders - Set of 2 These matching cherub wall sconces can hold small taper candles. The cherubs are mounted upon a recta...
Brass
Sold
H 8.27 in Dm 4.26 in
Pair Of Antique Empire Silver Candle Holders, Johann Kaba Vienna, Dated 1803
Located in Vienna, AT
Two elegant, simple silver candlesticks on a round base, the smooth shaft raised in the centre with a constriction formed by a beaded band in relief, the shaft widening conically tow...
Silver
Sold
H 15.36 in W 13 in D 4.34 in
Pair Of Antique 3-Flame Empire Silver Candle Holders, by Anton Köll, Vienna 1807
Located in Vienna, AT
Two elegant 3-flame silver girandoles on a round base, smooth shaft raised in the centre, the lower third constricted by a profiled beaded ring, the shaft widening conically towards ...
Silver
Sold
H 22 in W 9.75 in D 5.5 in
Pair of 19th Century Continental Hand Painted Ormolu Carved Wood Candle Sconces
Located in Chicago, IL
Pair of 19th Century continental hand painted and hand carved wood candle sconces featuring leaves and pears. Beautiful ormolu and gilt condition, in the Empire or Neoclassical style...
Wood
Pair Of Antique Empire Silver Candle Holders, Austria-Hungary, Dated 1821
Located in Vienna, AT
Two elegant plain Empire silver candle holders on round stand, central raised smooth shaft, lower third constriction by profiled bead ring, shaft widening conically upwards, vase-sha...
Silver
Sold
H 5.91 in W 7.88 in D 5.12 in
Elegant Pair of Empire Appliques in Gilt Bronze from Early 19th Century
Located in Knivsta, SE
An elegant pair of Empire Appliques in gilt bronze. Made in France during the early 19th century. Very beautiful original gilding. Wear consisten...
Gold Plate, Bronze
Sold
H 17.25 in W 7.5 in D 4.25 in
Pair of Antique French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Sconces With Swans & Torches
Located in Pearland, TX
A gorgeous pair of French Empire Style gilded bronze candle sconces, circa 1900. These beautiful sconces are ebonized with gilt swans, torches, an...
Bronze
Sold
H 19 in W 18.5 in D 9.75 in
2 French Empire Mirrored Brass Crystal Garland Candle Wall Sconces MCM
Located in Dayton, OH
Pair of two mid century French Empire Garland three candle wall sconces made of brass with mirrored backs under sweeping strings of tapered crystal beads and drop crystal accents on ...
Crystal, Brass
Pair of Mid-20th Century Empire-Style Candle Sconces
Located in Chicago, IL
A chic pair of mid-20th century Empire-style brass candle sconces, each with two arms and two crossed arrows. Perfect in your entry flanking a mirror, or down the hallway in your home.
Brass