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Empire Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

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
Italian Neoclassical Parcel-Gilt Clock
Located in New York, NY
Italian neoclassical parcel-gilt clock. Roman military Empire period mantel clock of obelisk form topped by an extraordinary eagle with outstretched wings on a red orb, above gilt-ca...
Category

Late 18th Century Italian Antique Empire Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Metal

Italian Neoclassical Parcel-Gilt Clock
Italian Neoclassical Parcel-Gilt Clock

Italian Neoclassical Parcel-Gilt Clock

Early 19th Century French Empire Period Gilt Bronze Figural Clock
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Early 19th century French Empire period gilt bronze figural clock. Free shipping within the United States and Canada.
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Early 19th Century French Empire Period Gilt Bronze Figural Clock
Early 19th Century French Empire Period Gilt Bronze Figural Clock

Early 19th Century French Empire Period Gilt Bronze Figural Clock

French Empire Period Marble and Ormolu Clock, Early 19th Century
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Early 19th century French Empire period marble and ormolu clock. French Carrara marble Portico clock with extensive ormolu fretwork mounted on two finely decorated marble columns ...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

French Empire Period Marble and Ormolu Clock, Early 19th Century
French Empire Period Marble and Ormolu Clock, Early 19th Century

French Empire Period Marble and Ormolu Clock, Early 19th Century

19th Century French Empire Style Fire Gilded Bronze Mantle Clock
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
19th century French Empire style fire gilded bronze mantel clock. French fire gilded bronze mantel clock with separate bronze base and po...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

19th Century French Empire Style Fire Gilded Bronze Mantle Clock
19th Century French Empire Style Fire Gilded Bronze Mantle Clock

19th Century French Empire Style Fire Gilded Bronze Mantle Clock

19th Century Empire Thomire Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock Pendule French
By Pierre-Philippe Thomire
Located in Wommelgem, VAN
Antique French 1st Empire pendulum clock fire gilded bronze. Attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire. Depicting Laura de Noves Laura was the wife of Count Hugues de Sade. She married in the year 1325 at the age of 15. Laura had a great influence on the life and work of the Italian Poet Fransesco Petrarca. He sang about her in his work Il Canzoniere The fineness of the casting and the original fire gilding and varied chasing show the highest quality. Like almost all pendulums of this period it isn't signed. The quality , the bronze work, the composition, the gilding and the chasing allow to consider Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751 - 1843) as maker. Origin France about 1810 - 1820. An identical clock was part of the the Louvre collection...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Gold Plate, Bronze

19th Century Empire Thomire Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock Pendule French
19th Century Empire Thomire Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock Pendule French

19th Century Empire Thomire Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock Pendule French

Free Shipping
19th Century Empire Marble France Clock Mainet à Paris, 1810s
Located in Roma, RM
Temple clock of French origin, Paris city, Empire era, silk thread mechanism. Bardiglio gray marble. With capitals in gilded bronze. Functioning and over...
Category

Early 1800s French Antique Empire Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Marble

19th Century Empire Marble France Clock Mainet à Paris, 1810s
19th Century Empire Marble France Clock Mainet à Paris, 1810s

19th Century Empire Marble France Clock Mainet à Paris, 1810s

Empire table clocks and desk clocks for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Empire table clocks and desk clocks for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Mid-20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage table clocks and desk clocks 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 table clocks and desk clocks made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Austria pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original table clocks and desk clocks, popular names associated with this style include Europa Antiques, Breguet a Paris, Coduri of Lyon, France, and Bradley & Hubbard. 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 table clocks and desk clocks differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $445 and tops out at $102,428 while the average work can sell for $7,116.

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