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Napoleon III Porcelain

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
A Large Napoléon III Centerpiece, Maison Christofle, circa 1880
By Christofle, Cristalleries De Baccarat
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A Large Silvered Bronze and Baccarat Crystal Centerpiece The silvered bronze mounts design simulating branches, foliages, leaves and grapevines Original fitted festooned Baccarat Cry...
Category

1890s French Antique Napoleon III Porcelain

Materials

Ormolu

A Large Napoléon III Centerpiece, Maison Christofle, circa 1880
A Large Napoléon III Centerpiece, Maison Christofle, circa 1880

A Large Napoléon III Centerpiece, Maison Christofle, circa 1880

Pair of 19th Century Severe Style Vases
Located in London, GB
A pair of severe style bleu celeste baluster vases and domed covers with winged handles, supported on square foot bases. Very finely painted with fruit and flowers with gilt cartouches.
Category

1880s French Antique Napoleon III Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of 19th Century Severe Style Vases
Pair of 19th Century Severe Style Vases

Pair of 19th Century Severe Style Vases

19th Century French Old Paris - Vieux Paris Porcelain Neoclassical Coffee Pot
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century French Old Paris - Vieux Paris Porcelain Neoclassical Coffee Pot What is known as Vieux Paris porcelain has been created by over 30 different artisan factories in Paris ...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

19th Century French Old Paris - Vieux Paris Porcelain Neoclassical Coffee Pot
19th Century French Old Paris - Vieux Paris Porcelain Neoclassical Coffee Pot

19th Century French Old Paris - Vieux Paris Porcelain Neoclassical Coffee Pot

Sèvres Style Paris Porcelain Round Box
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in London, GB
A Sèvres style Paris porcelain round box with ormolu mounts, hand-painted with a romantic scene of two children playing with a bird. The borders are elaborately decorated with gilded...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Sèvres Style Paris Porcelain Round Box
Sèvres Style Paris Porcelain Round Box

Sèvres Style Paris Porcelain Round Box

Set of Six Paris Porcelain Fruit Plates with Hand-Painted Scenes of Animals
Located in Pembroke, MA
Set of six Paris porcelain scalloped plates with hand-painted scenes of birds and animals set in fanciful or pastoral environments, some with castles....
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Set of Six Paris Porcelain Fruit Plates with Hand-Painted Scenes of Animals
Set of Six Paris Porcelain Fruit Plates with Hand-Painted Scenes of Animals

Set of Six Paris Porcelain Fruit Plates with Hand-Painted Scenes of Animals

Napoleon Iii porcelain for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Napoleon III porcelain 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 porcelain created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, decorative objects, lighting and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, porcelain and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Napoleon III porcelain 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 porcelain, popular names associated with this style include Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, Haviland & Co., Porcelaine de Paris, and Royal Vienna Porcelain. 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 porcelain differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $145 and tops out at $126,500 while the average work can sell for $1,609.

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