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.
$1,600Sale Price|20% Off
Pair of Napoleon III Amphorae
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Pair of Napoleon III amphorae great quality piece Sevres-style Porcelain and gilt bronze Hand painted and signed J bouzon Champleve enamel perfect...
Bronze, Enamel
A 19th Century French Gild Bronze Lily Candelabra Pair - 19th Century Ormolu
Located in England, GB
An exceptional pair of 19th-century French bronze ormolu candelabra, each masterfully crafted as a lily flower bouquet emerging from elegant two-handled urns. These stunning five-lig...
Bronze, Ormolu
Bronze Sculpture by Emmanuel Villanis, 19th Century.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Bronze sculpture by Emmanuel Villanis, 19th century. Bronze sculpture by Emmanuel Villanis, Napoleon III period, 19th century. Photos:(c)inu.studio_art H: 47cm, W: 18cm, D: 13cm...
Bronze
A Bronze Statue of "Boy with Rooster " after Adriano Cecioni ( 1838-1886)
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A bronze statue of a young boy standing and holding a tethered rooster with wildly flapping wings in his arms. The boy is presumably in a farmers' market and his expression shows him screaming at the top of his lungs trying to sell the rooster. The boy is leaning against a standing wooden wheelbarrow...
Bronze
Immense Earthenware Vase Presented In 1889 At The Universal Exhibition Of Paris
Located in Charmes, FR
A major and exceptional piece from the Toul Bellevue factory, presented at the 1889 Paris Universal Exhibition. The dimensions of this piece are extraordinary for the time (the Toul ...
Ceramic
Maison Millet, Pair of Cassolettes, France, circa 1870
Located in PARIS, FR
Pair of Louis XVI-inspired curved shape cassolettes with godrons, in green granite and chiseled and gilded bronze, in the Rocaille style, attributed to Maison Millet. The lid is topp...
Granite, Bronze
19th Century Porcelain Clock, Napoleon III Period.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
19th century porcelain clock, Napoleon III period. Napoleon III period clock, 19th century, porcelain, enamelled dial. Dimensions : H: ...
Porcelain
Paul Sormani Marquetry Token Box, 19th Century.
By Paul Sormani
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Paul Sormani marquetry token box, 19th century. Precious wood and bone marquetry token box, Napoleon III period, 19th century. Dimensions : H: 10cm, W: 36cm, D: 26cm Contact us be...
Bone, Wood
$1,521Sale Price|20% Off
Chased Bronze Jewellery Box, 19th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Chased bronze jewellery box, 19th century Chased bronze jewellery box, red silk inside, Napoleon III period, 19th century Contact us before ordering ...
Bronze
Fine Napoleon III Bronze Dore Clock
Located in New Orleans, LA
A beautifully detailed 19th century bronze dore clock with the figure of cupid on the top.
Bronze
Calligraphy Box, XXth century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Calligraphy Box, XXth century. Calligraphy box with 2 brushes, dry ink, ink plate and small porcelain container with spoon in the original box. Dimensions : H: 4 cm, W: 17 cm, D: 1...
Textile
Antique French 19th Century Napoleon III Jewelry Box Inlaid Brass Pearl Thuya
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Marvelous & luxurious ! This most rare 19th century French antique Napoleon III jewelry box. Great large size jewelry box that can be used to store your jewelry in style! Very rar...
Wood
Sculpture in Regula Representing a Poulbot, Circa 1900-1920.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Sculpture in regula representing a Poulbot, circa 1900-1920. A regule sculpture of a Poulbot, a newspaper seller, circa 1900-1920, Napoleon III style. Dimensions : h: 53cm, w: 23cm...
Composition
Porcelain vase, late 19th century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Porcelain vase, late 19th century Porcelain vase, late 19th or early 20th century, Napoleon III style. Contact us before ordering to confirm product availability. H: 33 cm, d: 22 cm
Porcelain
Covered Bowl in Red and Gold Bohemian Crystal, 19th Century.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Covered bowl in red and gold Bohemian crystal, 19th century. A 19th century red and gold Bohemian crystal covered bowl, Napoleon III period. Dimensions : H: 38cm, D: 14cm Contact ...
Crystal
Napoleon III Period Bronze and Beveled Glass Picture Frame
Located in LEGNY, FR
Beautiful bronze frame dating from the Napoleon III period. The busts of a man and a woman are represented on each side of the frame. Beautiful decoration of a Medici on the top of ...
Bronze
Regule Sculpture of Siegfried in the Napoleon III style, circa 1900.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Regule sculpture of Siegfried in the Napoleon III style, circa 1900. Double patina regule sculpture of Siegfried in the Napoleon III style, circa 1900. Dimensions : H: 89cm, W: 51c...
Metal
Pair 19th Century French Napoleon III Period Bronze D'Or Rococo Candlesticks
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair 19th century French Napoleon III Period Bronze D'Or Rococo Candlesticks are a stunning work of the sculptor's art rendered in ormolu to literally last for centuries! The elabora...
Gold, Bronze
Napoleon III Style Gilt Bronze Sconce By Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
In this Napoleon III Style Gilt Bronze Sconce By Gherardo Degli Albizzi You can appreciate both hunting and vegetal motifs in the form of a boar and oak leaves that create a sinuous ...
Bronze
U Rusconi, Medusa, Signed Bronze, Late 19th Early 20th Century
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Medusa: bronze with a brown patina, relating the myth of the gorgon or Medusa According to mythology, Medusa is a beautiful young woman who made a vow to serve the goddess Athena, ...
Bronze
Larges Sculptures Boreas abducting Orithya -The Rape of Proserpina France c 1870
Located in PARIS, FR
Bores and Orithya - Height: 100 cm (39,4 in.) ; Width : 43 cm (16,9 in.) ; Depth : 45 cm (17,7 in.) Height with base : 175 cm (68,9 in.) Bronze Base Square : 40 (15,8 in.) x 38 (15 i...
Bronze
Pair 19th Century French Napoleon III Period Bronze Dore Andirons, Bookends
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair 19th century French Napoleon III period bronze dore Andirons ~ bookends depict two charming cherubs playing music! Originally the decorative portion of a pair of andirons, they're perfect for decorative accents or bookends. Each figure is holding a musical instrument, with one also having sheet music in his lap. Each is seated on lavishly designed Baroque lion...
Gold, Bronze
Bronze Of Joan Of Arc With Silver Patina, Barbedienne 19th Century
Located in Charmes, FR
Joan of Arc at Domrémy listening to the Voices. Bronze with silver patina (rare) F. BARBEDIENNE Founder. Signed by Chapupastille of mechanical reduction by Collas. Based on the marbl...
Bronze
Sculpture by U.Basset, Le Torrent, Bronze Sculpture, 19th Century, Napoleon III.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Sculpture by U.Basset, Le Torrent, bronze sculpture, 19th century, Napoleon III. Sculpture by the artist U.Basset, Le Torrent, 19th century Napoleon III period sculpture, in bronze,...
Marble, Bronze
$4,101Sale Price|25% Off
19th Century Bronze Statue: Bacchante
Located in Paris, FR
This statue featuring a Bacchante is crafted of patinated bronze. In Roman mythology, Bacchae, or Bacchantes, were the female followers of Bacchus. They were often depicted in the co...
Griotte Marble, Bronze
Sculpture in Patinated Bronze by Auguste Lalouette, Napoleon III Period.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Sculpture in patinated bronze by Auguste Lalouette, 19th century, Napoleon III period. A sculpture by Lalouette Auguste of a Japanese woman in elega...
Bronze
$4,157 / item
Bronze Of Saint Louis, Signed By Emmanuel Fremiet
Located in Charmes, FR
Emmanuel Fremiet (1824-1910), Saint Louis, silver-patinated bronze Signed on the bronze base, and with the initials of Saint Louis on the front. Presented on a Napoleonic red marble ...
Bronze
$2,835Sale Price / set|25% Off
Pair of 19th Century French Napoleon III Period Bronze & Brass Urns
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair of 19th Century French Napoleon III Period Bronze & Brass Urns represent the mastery of metal sculpture exhibited by the French during this wonderful era and are of a nice s...
Belgian Black Marble, Brass, Bronze
19th Сentury Napoleon III Period Clock
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A 19th century Napoleon III period clock in Griotte marble and Regula. Contact us before ordering to confirm product availability. Measures: H: 43 cm, W: 25 cm, D: 17 cm.
Griotte Marble
$1,280Sale Price|20% Off
Pair of Napoleon Third Style Vases
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Par de Floreros estilo Napoleon tercero bronce, enamel y onyx midcentury XIX PERFECTO ESTADO ORIGEN FRANCIA. The Napoleon III style had its heyday during the 1850s and 1880s. Emperor...
Enamel
$1,805Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Candelabra in Napoleon III Style Italy Mid 1900s
By Non-Standard Furniture and Lighting
Located in Milano, IT
Pair of two-light candelabra in gilt and chiseled bronze. Arms with leaf volutes resting on fruit basket held by putto in dark patina bronze. The putto rests on a vase-shaped sphere ...
Bronze
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...
Malachite, Bronze
Pair of 19th Century Napoleon III Period Covered Vases in Biscuit.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of 19th century Napoleon III period covered vases in biscuit. A pair of Napoleon III period covered biscuit vases, 19th century, decorated with che...
Porcelain
19th Century Barbedienne French Champleve Enamel and Gilt bronze clock set
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
19th Century Barbedienne French Champleve Enamel and Gilt bronze clock set A fine 19th Century French three piece clock garniture set. Comprising of a clock and pair of candelabra, ...
Bronze, Enamel
Napoleon III Writing Slope or Box, Marquetry, France, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Napoleon III box. Marquetry. France, 19th century. Rectangular wooden box with a flat top and supported on circular legs that presents a front opening with a key lock and a hinged ...
Other
$4,256Sale Price / set|24% Off
Pair of Late 19th Century Jade Green Opaline and Gilded Brass Vases
Located in Paris, FR
Importante paire de vases balustre en opaline couleur jade et monture en laiton doré, à épaulement orné de guirlandes de lauriers sommées par une galeri...
Bronze
Paris Porcelain Pair of Vases "The Flowering", France, Circa 1880
Located in PARIS, FR
Beautiful pair of white porcelain vases richly decorated with beautiful polychrome floral compositions and butterflies enhanced with gold on a blue background, framed by golden porce...
Porcelain
19th century French Napoleon III Bronze Picture Frame
Located in LEGNY, FR
Very beautiful gilded bronze frame dating from the Napoleon III period in very good condition. We can admire the beautiful details of this era, the laurel on the top of the frame, an...
Bronze
Two Carriages for Bouquets of Flowers for Table Decoration, 19th Century.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
" Two carriages for bouquets of flowers for table decoration, 19th century. " Two vases forming two silvered bronze and enameled opaline carriages for small bouquets of flowers for ...
Bronze
$5,200Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of 19th Century French Gilt Bronze Candelabras by Victor Raulin
Located in Miami, FL
A Very Fine Pair of 19th Century French Napoleon III Gilt Bronze Candelabras Stamped by Victor Raulin An exceptional pair of 19th-century French gilt bronze candelabras from the Napoleon III period, each finely cast with elegant scrolled arms and surmounted by a distinctive bronze candle snuffer...
Bronze
Antique French Gilt Bronze & Porcelain Three-Piece Figural Clock Garniture
Located in Tarry Town, NY
An exquisite French three-piece clock garniture crafted during the mid to late 19th century, beautifully combining richly gilded metal with finely hand-painted porcelain. This elegan...
Bronze
$4,157 / set
Pair of Baccarat Opaline Vases, 19th Century
By Baccarat
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of Baccarat opaline vases, 19th century A pair of Baccarat opaline vases with flowers decorations, 19th century, Napoleon III period. Cont...
Opaline Glass
$8,125Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century Napoleon III Fireplace Boulle Clock Pendule
Located in Berlin, DE
Monumental boulle clock Napoleon III, circa 1850-70 fireplace clock salon clock pendule fireplace clock. Wooden housing in boulle technique Shieldpade lined with brass, side windows,...
Bronze
Napoleon III Gilt-Bronze and Enamel Figural Mantel Clock and Candelabras
Located in New York, NY
Napoleon III Gilt-Bronze and Champleve Enamel Mantel Clock retailed by J.E. Caldwell & Co paired Champlevé and Gilt-bronze Five-light Candelabras A black and maroon enamel ornamente...
Bronze, Enamel
Large Lapis Lazuli Sphere from Afghanistan on a 19th French Gilded Base
Located in NICE, FR
We are delighted to present you with this incredible polished sphere of Lapis Lazuli, a deep blue metamorphic rock often used in jewelry and decoration. The sphere displays a vibra...
Lapis Lazuli, Bronze
Pair Of Candelabras By Baccarat, Early 20th Century, Napoleon III Style.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of candelabras by Baccarat, early 20th century, Napoleon III style. Pair of candelabras from the late 19th or early 20th century, Napoleon III style, by Baccarat, two arms, sig...
Crystal
$2,946Sale Price|20% Off
Porcelain Group, The Music Players
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Porcelain group, The Music Players, 19th century. Measures: H 37 cm, D 24 cm, Contact us before ordering to confirm product availability.
Porcelain
Alabaster, 19th Century, Woman with a Flute Beside the Fountain, Bronze Flute
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Alabaster, 19th century, woman with a flute beside the fountain, bronze flute. Measures: H 78 cm, L Basic: 30 cm x 23 cm. Contact us before ordering to confirm product availability.
Alabaster, Bronze
Antique French Clock Face, Painted Wood, Napoleon III, Circa 1890
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This impressive round antique French clock face dates to the Napoleon III period, circa 1890, and is a rare surviving example of 19th-century French ...
Metal
19th Century, Napoleon III Style Bronze Pendulum Chimney Clock
Located in Berlin, DE
Great empire pendulum / chimney clock, circa 1830-1840 bronze. Bronze, fire-gilt partially dark brown patinated. Staggered rectangular base on elaborat...
Bronze
Circa 1870, French Napoleon III Gilt Bronze Clock Garniture by Japy Frères.
By Japy Frères
Located in SANT ADRIÀ DE BESÒS, ES
An exceptionally elaborate French three-piece mantel clock garniture dating to the second half of the 19th century, circa 1870, comprising a monumental mantel clock and its original ...
Bronze
Small Ormolu French Cartel Wall Clock
Located in Norwich, GB
Small French Ormolu Cartel clock in a finely decorated case. Enamel dial with Roman numerals and original gilded hands. Eight day Fr...
Ormolu
19th Century Napoleon III Fire-Gilt Fireplace Clock
Located in Berlin, DE
Fire-gilt fireplace clock, Rokokodekor sign. Ansonia New York, 19th century. Bronze-gilt. Four-sided glazed housing on base with reliefed seed beads, leaves and flowers. Approved roof trim. Digits sheet email with Arabic numerals. Brocothemia. Steel filled, formerly mercury pendulum...
Bronze
19th Century Napoleon III Marquetry Box, Rosewood & Brass Inlay
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th Century French Napoleon III marquetry box made of rosewood veneer with fine mother-of-pearl and brass inlay. The interior is lined in paper and the inside of the lid has a mir...
Brass
$1,040Sale Price|20% Off
Napoleon III card holder
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Napoleon III card holder (card fray) Gilt bronze and enamel Origin France Circa 1900 Gilt bronze and Cloissone enamel with hand-painted Sevres porcelain plate signed by E. Horche Per...
Bronze, Enamel
19th Century French Brass Repousse Cache-Pot on Integral Pedestal Stand
Located in Dallas, TX
This large heavy antique brass planter was crafted in France, circa 1880. Round in shape, the decorative cache pot stands on an integral circular...
Brass
French Napoleon III Gilt Bronze Figural Mantel Clock, Early 19th Century
Located in Tarry Town, NY
An exceptional French Napoleon III gilt bronze figural mantel clock, dating to the early 19th century, showcasing the elegance, artistry, and masterful craftsmanship that made French...
Bronze
Napoleon III style photo frame
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Napoleon III style photo frame Origin France Circa 1900 Materials Bronze, bicelled glass and pastone Work done with great quality, all stones are very well set (jewelry work) Bicelle...
Multi-gemstone, Bronze
$12,829Sale Price|25% Off
Covered Vase with Atlantes, attr. to A. Giroux, France, circa 1880
Located in PARIS, FR
Beautiful ovoid-shaped covered vase in patinated bronze with golden highlights, with rich rotating decoration in relief. The lid, symbolizing Night, is decorated with a turtle, a moon, a dragon flying among the clouds ; and the belly, symbolizing the Day, is decorated with a rising sun, mountainous landscapes, and cherry tree branches. The whole, topped with a flamed seed, is supported by three African-type atlantes dressed in a loincloth. Historical and artistic context This work of art combines elements of Japonism and Orientalism, two important movements representative of the taste of the time for exoticism. Indeed, this taste for Chinoiserie was revived at the end of the 19th century following the Franco-English military campaign against the imperial army in China in 1860. Napoleon III’s French troops bring back part of the treasure from the Summer Palace, constituting in 1863 the famous Chinese Museum of Empress Eugénie at the Palace of Fontainebleau. First in painting, the movement quickly spread to decorative arts and furniture. This craze for the Far East is encouraged in France by the diffusion of Chinese ornamental works renewing the interior decoration of the luxurious Parisian residences of a clientele eager for something new. It was also under the Second Empire that the Orientalists were propelled to the forefront. Emperor Napoleon III, aristocrats as well as wealthy bourgeois in search of exoticism fill the order books of the most renowned artists. It is then not the predominantly academic style of the Orientalists that counts but above all the exoticism that they show to a fascinated public. Biography Alphonse Giroux and Company, famous curiosity and luxury goods shop was situated in Paris, at No. 7 rue du Coq-Saint-Honoré and in business from the time of the Consulate until the end of the Second Empire. The company was founded by Francois-Simon-Alphonse and continued in 1838 by his two sons, Alphonse-Gustave (1810-1886) and André (1801-1879). The father became a close associate of the royal family and specialized in the manufacture of refined items for gifts. Kings Louis XVIII and then Charles X were both supplied with gifts for « The Children of France » by Giroux. Making progressively small furniture, they were mentionned for the first time in 1837 in the class « cabinet...
Bronze
Mixed Metal Ormolu Mounted Silvered & Gilt Bronze Centerpiece, Att. Christofle
Located in New York, NY
Mixed Metal Ormolu Mounted Silvered and Gilt Bronze 2-Handled Oval Jardiniere/Centerpiece, Attributed to Christofel The jardiniere is formed as an oval basin with a flared rim and a...
Bronze