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Napoleon III Desk Accessories

NAPOLEON III STYLE

Under Napoleon III’s rule, Paris underwent a great rebuilding overseen by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, which created grand avenues and lavish landmarks like the Paris Opera. Antique Napoleon III–style furniture was flamboyant and eclectic. It was also known as Second Empire style since it followed and referenced the Empire style of his uncle Napoleon I.

Developing from 1852–70, Napoleon III furniture was plush and ornate, matching the fashion for masked balls and socializing in salons. It borrowed freely from earlier French styles including Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI as well as aesthetics from around the world, from antiquity to Asian art. As writer Gustave Claudin remarked in 1867, the country’s architects worked in “a style which one would be tempted to call neo-Greco-Gothico-Pompadour-Pompeian.”

Napoleon III chairs were completely covered with velvet and lined with tassels; pouf footstools invited people to put up their feet. Sofas were upholstered with tapestries, and beds were adorned with gilt bronze and theatrical canopies. The addition of conservatories to homes led to new indoor-outdoor furniture, while the spirit of hygiene promoted by Baron Haussmann inspired bright, floral motifs.

Although the most ostentatious designs were for the elite, as seen in the Napoleon III apartments preserved in the Louvre, where red velvet, gilding and chandeliers create a cacophony of luxury, these trends influenced homes across classes as manufacturing made design increasingly accessible. Papier-mâché furniture allowed for elaborate shapes that would have been difficult to carve in wood. The malleable material was painted with chinoiserie patterns and decorative designs. It was mass-produced by factories such as Jennens and Bettridge with varnishing and mother-of-pearl inlays creating an effect reminiscent of Asian lacquer. (Surfaces that had been “japanned” — a specialty of Jennens and Bettridge — were intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia.)

Find a collection of antique Napoleon III decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Napoleon III
Napoleon III Black Gutta Percha Inkstand, Late 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The black inkstand with a molded lion decoration with a shell pen tray. The two glass inkwells on either end.
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Rubber

Napoleon III Black Gutta Percha Inkstand, Late 19th Century
Napoleon III Black Gutta Percha Inkstand, Late 19th Century

Napoleon III Black Gutta Percha Inkstand, Late 19th Century

Lamartine 'Alphonse de' Complete Published and Unpublished Works
By Lamartine
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Lamartine (Alphonse de). Complete published and unpublished works. Paris, at the author's, 1860-1863. 36 volumes in-8 (of 41), half green grief, spine decorated, smooth edges (contem...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather, Paper

Lamartine 'Alphonse de' Complete Published and Unpublished Works
Lamartine 'Alphonse de' Complete Published and Unpublished Works

Lamartine 'Alphonse de' Complete Published and Unpublished Works

Napoleonic Ormolu & Verde Antico Marble Inkwell, c. 1870
Located in Atlanta, GA
Encrier set, the richly-veined Verde Antico Marble platform mounted with a pair of gilt-Bronze inkwells. These flanking a finely-cast bust of Napo...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Napoleonic Ormolu & Verde Antico Marble Inkwell, c. 1870
Napoleonic Ormolu & Verde Antico Marble Inkwell, c. 1870

Napoleonic Ormolu & Verde Antico Marble Inkwell, c. 1870

19th Century Gilded Inkwell Depicting a Bulldog Tied to Tree Stump
Located in New York, NY
This 19th-century gilded inkwell is a captivating piece of artistry, masterfully crafted to depict a charming bulldog tethered to a rustic tree stump. W...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Gilded Inkwell Depicting a Bulldog Tied to Tree Stump
19th Century Gilded Inkwell Depicting a Bulldog Tied to Tree Stump

19th Century Gilded Inkwell Depicting a Bulldog Tied to Tree Stump

Pair of Small Ewers Decorative Gilt Bronze
Located in Marseille, FR
Pair of small ewers decorative gilt bronze.
Category

1880s French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Pair of Small Ewers Decorative Gilt Bronze
Pair of Small Ewers Decorative Gilt Bronze

Pair of Small Ewers Decorative Gilt Bronze

A Very Good 19th Century Napoleon III Gilt Bronze & Marble Inkstand, Circa 1870
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
The crescent shaped & dished ‘verdi alpi’ marble base affixed with a pair of lidded gilt bronze inkpots (glass inkwells absent), decorated with fine engine turned detail, flanking a ...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble, Bronze

A Very Good 19th Century Napoleon III Gilt Bronze & Marble Inkstand, Circa 1870
A Very Good 19th Century Napoleon III Gilt Bronze & Marble Inkstand, Circa 1870

A Very Good 19th Century Napoleon III Gilt Bronze & Marble Inkstand, Circa 1870

Important Napoleon III Lion Inkwell, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Office inkwell in Siena yellow marble and bronze Napoleon III 19th century 34cm x 20cm Very good condition.
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble

Important Napoleon III Lion Inkwell, 19th Century
Important Napoleon III Lion Inkwell, 19th Century

Important Napoleon III Lion Inkwell, 19th Century

Inkwell in red marble with "Allegory of writing" in gilt bronze, signed H.CHAPU
By Henri Chapu
Located in Paris, FR
Inkwell in red Griotte marble and gilt bronze representing an allegory of writing by Henri Chapu (1833-1891). This old 19th century inkstand is ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Griotte Marble, Bronze

Inkwell in red marble with "Allegory of writing" in gilt bronze, signed H.CHAPU
Inkwell in red marble with "Allegory of writing" in gilt bronze, signed H.CHAPU

Inkwell in red marble with "Allegory of writing" in gilt bronze, signed H.CHAPU

French Louis XV1 Style Malachite and Gilt Bronze Pen Tray
Located in Montreal, QC
This luxurious encrier de bureau is raised on scrolling and leafy feet mounting a malachite-finished base. The tray itself is modelled as a shell rising to a spring-loaded pen holder...
Category

1850s French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Malachite, Bronze

French Louis XV1 Style Malachite and Gilt Bronze Pen Tray
French Louis XV1 Style Malachite and Gilt Bronze Pen Tray

French Louis XV1 Style Malachite and Gilt Bronze Pen Tray

19th Century Bronze Watch Holder in Cloisonné and Bronze
Located in Marseille, FR
19th century watch holder in the form of a sedan chair in bronze from the end of the 19th century in cloisonné and bronze, dimension 18 cm in lengt...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Bronze Watch Holder in Cloisonné and Bronze
19th Century Bronze Watch Holder in Cloisonné and Bronze

19th Century Bronze Watch Holder in Cloisonné and Bronze

An Exquisite and Rare French Louis XVI Style Ormolu-Mounted Bloodstone Inkwell
Located in New York, NY
An Exquisite and Rare French Louis XVI Style Ormolu-Mounted Bloodstone Inkwell, circa 1875. A truly exceptional and jewel like quality inkwell encrier, made with the finest ormolu, mounted on bloodstone. A true collectors and one of a kind piece. Revival of the ancient régime in the late 19th century was paramount to the French furniture and bronze casting firms of the Belle Epoque. Imitation in the highest regard and replication of those tastes and styles was prevalent throughout the Paris Faubourg, where the most talented bronziers and ébénistes established their workshops. The present inkwell encrier recalls the late 18th century's obsession with hardstones - a taste expounded above all by the duc d'Aumont and, subsequently Marie-Antoinette. Such hardstone-mounted pieces, reminiscent of Renaissance schatzkammer objects, enjoyed a revived popularity at the end of the 18th century through the impetus of both the marchands-mercier and, more importantly, the hôtel des Menus-Plaisirs, where the duc d'Aumont himself established a workshop in 1770 specializing in the cutting and polishing of precious hardstones. This exceptional inkwell encrier, sumptuously-mounted with finely chased gilt-bronzes, incorporates a highly-prized material such as bloodstone. Sometimes called the Sunstone, the meaning of Bloodstone comes entangled in fascinating history. The Ancient Greeks held the Bloodstone as a gem with glorious powers. They referred to it as Heliotrope, which directly translates to Sunstone. It was believed to have heavenly healing powers gifted by the gods and most certainly when it came to healing all things related to the blood. Even as we move forward into the Middle Ages, the Bloodstone takes another mystical story under its wing. It was believed to be formed from Christ's blood. It was said that during the Crucifixion, a few red spots of his blood dripped...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

An Exquisite and Rare French Louis XVI Style Ormolu-Mounted Bloodstone Inkwell
An Exquisite and Rare French Louis XVI Style Ormolu-Mounted Bloodstone Inkwell

An Exquisite and Rare French Louis XVI Style Ormolu-Mounted Bloodstone Inkwell

Napoleon Iii desk accessories for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Napoleon III desk accessories 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 desk accessories created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, building and garden elements and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Napoleon III desk accessories made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original desk accessories, popular names associated with this style include Europa Antiques, A. Aucoc, Baccarat, and Cristalleries De Baccarat. 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 desk accessories differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $387 and tops out at $50,000 while the average work can sell for $1,843.

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