Empire Barware
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.
Early 1900s German Antique Empire Barware
Silver Plate
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Barware
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Barware
Carrara Marble, Brass
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Barware
Silver
1860s English Antique Empire Barware
Brass
20th Century French Empire Barware
Crystal
Mid-20th Century American Empire Barware
Brass, Copper
1940s Russian Vintage Empire Barware
Crystal
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Empire Barware
Pewter
1820s French Antique Empire Barware
Metal, Brass
Mid-20th Century French Empire Barware
Crystal, Gold Leaf
1820s French Antique Empire Barware
Silver
Mid-20th Century Empire Barware
Silver Plate
2010s Mexican Empire Barware
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Barware
Metal, Steel, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Empire Barware
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Barware
Porcelain
Early 1900s Antique Empire Barware
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century American Empire Barware
Silver, Chrome
Early 20th Century American Empire Barware
Chrome
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Barware
Acrylic
2010s Italian Empire Barware
Marble
2010s Italian Empire Barware
Marble
20th Century Italian Empire Barware
Marble, Brass
20th Century French Empire Barware
Crystal
Mid-20th Century Empire Barware
Silver Plate
1960s French Vintage Empire Barware
Crystal
Early 20th Century French Empire Barware
Porcelain
1980s French Vintage Empire Barware
Silver Plate
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Barware
Pewter
20th Century French Empire Barware
Crystal
20th Century French Empire Barware
Crystal
20th Century French Empire Barware
Crystal
20th Century French Empire Barware
Glass, Cut Glass
Late 20th Century Empire Barware
Brass
20th Century French Empire Barware
Crystal
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Barware
Leather, Paper, Blown Glass