Napoleon III Mounted Objects
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
Pair 19th Century Brass & Horn Trophies
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair 19th Century Brass & Horn Trophies were designed to be wonderfully decorative items for the masculine decor during the 19th century. Choice horn sp...
Category
1870s French Antique Napoleon III Mounted Objects
Materials
Brass
Two Napoleon III Blue Opaline & Lucite Newel Post, Sold Individually
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Two Napoleon III Blue Opaline & Lucite Newel Post, Sold Individually
France, Circa 1850
Enhance your interior with these exquisite Napoleon III Blue Opaline & Lucite Newel Posts, e...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Mounted Objects
Materials
Bronze
Antique Female Marble Sculpture, Bust Of Young Woman With Curls Late 19th.
Located in Breganze, VI
The category Antique Marble and Alabaster Sculptures, features a beautiful and refined Female Sculpture,
depicting a Bust of a Woman, a young girl with ringlets.
The work has its O...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Mounted Objects
Materials
Marble
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 Mounted Objects
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
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Napoleon Iii mounted objects for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Napoleon III mounted objects for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage mounted objects created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Napoleon III mounted objects made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original mounted objects, popular names associated with this style include and Marcel Debut. 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 mounted objects differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $800 and tops out at $13,281 while the average work can sell for $1,984.