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Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

EMPIRE STYLE

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.

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Style: Empire
French Empire Neoclassical Gilt Bronze and Steel Figural Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A fine and unique Antique French Empire style gilt bronze and steel multi light figural chandelier of great detail embellished with gilt bronze Neoclassical kneeling figures of women depicting flames which represent light. This fine chandelier is further adorned with unusual gilt bronze neoclassical motifs, reticulated gilt...
Category

20th Century French Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze, Steel

French Empire Neoclassical Doré Bronze Twelve-Light Tassel Chandelier Fixture
Located in Roslyn, NY
This wonderful doré bronze twelve-light chandelier has a wonderful top with draped swag, etched detail throughout and cherubs accenting the top. Measures: 24" W x 32" H.
Category

1940s French Vintage Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Empire Chandelier, Russia, circa 1810
Located in Greding, DE
Large eight-flame chandelier of the Russian Empire with cobalt blue glass and fire-gilded arms with cockerel decoration and hanging pine cone. The supporting hoop is connected by fou...
Category

1810s Russian Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Glass

Empire Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Very Fine Gilt Bronze Chandelier in the Empire taste, featuring gilt bronze swans issuing lights. An exquisite eight wreath top canopy. 8 lights. France, circa 1900. Dimensions:...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

20th C Restored Empire 5 Arm Crystal Basket Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
Early 20th century crystal French Empire basket chandelier. Brass finish and the candelabra body. Cleaned and restored. Takes 17 standa...
Category

Early 20th Century Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal, Metal

Early 19th Century French Empire Gilt Bronze and Crystal Basket Chandelier
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A period French Empire basket style crystal and gilt bronze chandelier with nine candle nozzles. The chandelier has a top section decorated with crystal swags and large gilded palmettes with the body suspended with strings of graduated crystal almond shaped crystals. The gilded nozzles are on top of decorative elements attached to the central gilded corona...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal

Antique French Empire Style, Neoclassical Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A Superb Antique French Empire Style gilt bronze and patinated bronze multi light neoclassical chandelier embellished with a central urn.
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Ormolu, Bronze

19th Century French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Chandelier
Located in London, GB
This beautiful antique French chandelier dates from the 19th Century and could be attributed to the master bronzier Ferdinand Barbedienne. It is cast entirely in gilt bronze, and fea...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Ormolu

Very Fine Empire Style Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine gilt and painted bronze chandelier in the Empire style featuring 8 swans carrying stylized candle cups. All original. Measures: Height 37", width 26", 8-light CW4449.
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Early 19th Century Russian Crystal Gilt Bronze and Blue Glass Chandelier
By Johann Zech
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
An early 19th century Russian chandelier having eight candle arms. The design is intended to represent waterfalls. The central stem of the chandelier is in four tiers each hung with ...
Category

Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

20th Century Empire Style Basket Chandelier
Located in Berlin, DE
Classicist basket chandelier in Empire style. Finely engraved Bronze. Adorned with engraved swans and pearl cords. (F-Ra-19).
Category

20th Century Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Russian Empire Style Gilt Bronze Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This Russian Empire style gilt bronze chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features thirty-six lights and a crown decorated with 12 leaves and a pine-cone, from which large chains are leaving downwards. Both rings are decorated with double-armed Athena's heads crowned...
Category

2010s Italian Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Antique Gilt Bronze and Opaline Glass Chandelier
Located in London, GB
This beautiful, tall chandelier is ideal for a grand entrance hall or room where it can be seen and admired. It is an exceptional piece of Empire style design, perfectly combining gl...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Ormolu

Bronze Antique Ceiling Lantern, France, 1920's
Located in Bastogne, BE
Single-light Pendant Lantern is made of bronze, polished to a mirror shine, covered with gilding. France, 1920's. An ornate French 19th-20th molded glass hanging lantern has elon...
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Early 19th Century Empire Pendant from Stockholm
Located in Ljungby, SE
High-class Empire pendant from Stockholm around 1800-1810. It features six beautifully decorated candle arms with acanthus leaves. The central decoration includes a female figure sta...
Category

Early 1800s Swedish Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze, Iron

19th Century Empire Chandelier with Full Figure Swan Arms
Located in Manhasset, NY
19th century empire chandelier with full figure swan arms. This simply stunning doré bronze chandelier has full bodied swans holding three candlestick lights...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

French Empire Style Gilt Bronze and Enamel Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire Style Gilt Bronze and Enamel Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features best quality hand-chiseled details. Top crowns in characterized by rich vegetal decorati...
Category

2010s Italian Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze, Tin

Very Fine Neoclassical Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine and decorative gilt bronze chandelier in the Empire style featuring central frosted and cut crystal globe. 4-light, France, circa 1900 Dimension...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Gilt Bronze & Crystal Empire Style Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Superb gilt bronze & crystal Empire style Chandelier. Top ring featuring anthemia. Main ring with winged deity carrying gilt torcheres. The bottom part consists of seven concentric...
Category

1910s French Vintage Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

19th Century French Empire Gilt Bronze Chandelier with 16 Lights
Located in Dallas, TX
Superb 19th century gilt bronze Empire style chandelier with 16 Lights. Beautiful scale and shape on this piece and such fine quality. Stunning!! This chandelier comes with a chain a...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Fine French Empire Style Cut-Crystal Tent and Bag Chandelier
Located in Berlin, DE
A fine gilt-bronze cut-crystal tent and bag chandelier with a corona in the form of a crown made of small facetted pearls above a fine bronze b...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Period Empire Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Magnificent Period Empire Chandelier. Gitl Bronze (matte & burnished) and Patinated Bronze. Exquisite detail throughout. A rare find. France, circa 1800. Dimensions: Height 40 1/2...
Category

Early 1800s French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Very Fine Gilt Bronze & Crystal "Basket" Chandelier by Baccarat
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Very Fine Gilt Bronze & Crystal "Basket" Chandelier. The main and top circles with Anthemia and rosettes. Graduated chains of crystal octagon beads a...
Category

1910s French Vintage Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Fine and Decorative Bronze Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A fine and decorative bronze chandelier. Oval center issuing six U-shaped arms, central rod ornated with ram's heads. 6-light, France, circa 1900 Dimensions: Height 39" x diameter 3...
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Empire Style French Basket Chandelier
Located in Berlin, DE
Antique Majestic basket chandelier in French. Empire style in 1900. Bronze, gilded. Basket-shaped, profile-shaped body made of hand-cut French ball prism strings. In the course, con...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

20th Century French Cast Bronze & Alabaster Chandelier, c.1900
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique early 20th Century French Empire style cast bronze and alabaster 12 bulb chandelier. Decorated with laurel leaves, reeded boarders and bran...
Category

20th Century French Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Alabaster, Bronze

French Empire Style Bronze and Alabaster Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire Style Gilt Bronze and Alabaster Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features best quality hand-chiseled details. Top crowns in characterized by rich vegetal decoration with acanthus leaves acroterion and alabaster. Below a tortile rod hold, together with gilt bronze chains, the monolithic alabaster plate...
Category

2010s Italian Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Alabaster, Bronze

Gilt Bronze and Crystal Basket Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine gilt bronze and crystal basket chandelier attributed to Baccarat. 15-light France, circa 1910. Dimensions: Height 5...
Category

1910s French Vintage Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

20th Century Empire Style Chandelier Referred to Empress Joséphine
Located in Berlin, DE
Majestic splendid chandelier in Empire style referred to Empress Joséphine. Exceptionally cine, engraved and cast Bronze. Basket-formed corpus from h...
Category

20th Century French Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Large and Important Antique French Empire Gilt Bronze Chandeliers
Located in New York, NY
Pair of large and spectacular important antique French Empire neoclassical gilt bronze and white patinated multi light chandeliers of superb quality and detail. These chandelier are ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Swedish Empire Style Cut-Crystal Tent and Basket Chandelier
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A fine Swedish Empire style gilt-bronze and cut-crystal tent and basket chandelier. Swedish, Circa 1825.
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

French 19th century Empire st. Ormolu chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant and finely detailed French 19th century Empire st. Ormolu chandelier. This exceptional four arm eight light circular chandelier is centered by an Ormolu acorn bottom f...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Ormolu

20th Century Empire Style Basket Chandelier
Located in Berlin, DE
20th Century Empire style basket chandelier Classicist basket chandelier in Empire style. Finely cast, Bronze silvered. Adorned with engraved swans and pearl cords. (F-Ra-20).
Category

20th Century Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Early 19th Century Swedish Empire Gilt-Bronze and Cut-Glass Chandelier
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
A fine early 19th century Swedish five-light crystal chandelier. The rim supporting four candle branches and a central candle nozzle above a tiered base hung with glass lustres, conn...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Antique French Empire Style Brown Painted Metal and Gilt Bronze Chandelier
Located in London, GB
Antique French Empire style brown painted metal and gilt bronze chandelier. French, late 19th century Dimensions: Height 60cm, diameter 67cm This unusual chandelier is crafted f...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Ormolu

French 19th Century Empire Style Bronze and Ormolu Seven-Light Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A handsome French 19th century Empire st. patinated bronze and ormolu seven light chandelier. The chandelier is centered by a fine ormolu acorn inverted finial below a richly chased base with most decorative foliate patterns in a striking satin and burnished finish. Each of the six scrolled ormolu arms display fine foliate chasing and candle cups, with rich foliate reserves at the rim. Three ormolu supports...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

French 19th Century Empire St. Patinated Bronze, Ormolu And Crystal Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exquisite and extremely decorative French 19th century Empire st. patinated bronze, ormolu and crystal chandelier. The six arm twenty two light chandelier is centered by an elegan...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal, Bronze, Ormolu

Swedish Empire Ceiling Chandelier in antique Classicist Style brass polished
Located in Berlin, DE
Polished brass and facet-ground prism hangings. Measures: Diameter 76 cm Height 120 cm.
Category

20th Century Swedish Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

French 19th Century Empire St. Alabaster and Ormolu Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A beautiful and most impressive French 19th century Empire st. alabaster and ormolu chandelier. The nine arm twelve light chandelier is centered by a striking foliate acorn shaped or...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Classicist Basket Chandelier silver in antique Empire Style brass hand crafted
Located in Berlin, DE
Finely chased and silver-plated bronze. Basket-shaped body made of hand-wired pearl cords with a leaf rosette and a pine knob at the end, connected by a w...
Category

20th Century French Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

48 Lights Chandelier in 24kt Gold Finish with Scholler Crystal Pendants
Located in PADOVA, Italy
Italian bespoke chandelier designed and produced by Modenese Luxury Interiors for contract projects and divine interiors. Its 24kt gold leaf finishe...
Category

2010s Italian Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal, Bronze, Gold Leaf, Gold

Classicist Basket Chandelier in antique Empire Style silver brass hand carved
Located in Berlin, DE
Finely chased and silvered bronze. Basket-shaped body made of hand-wired pearl strings in the course with leaf rosette and a final pince-nez pin. Connect...
Category

20th Century French Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Empire Gilt Bronze and Cut Crystal Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A superb antique Empire gilt bronze and cut crystal multi light chandelier of exquisite detail embellished with cut crystal prisms and chains, circa 1810.
Category

1810s European Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Large Antique, French Empire Style, Neoclassical Silvered Bronze Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A large antique French Empire style silvered bronze multi light chandelier embellished with neoclassical motifs.
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

Empire chandeliers and pendants for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Empire chandeliers and pendants 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 chandeliers and pendants created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include lighting, decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire chandeliers and pendants 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 chandeliers and pendants, popular names associated with this style include Gherardo Degli Albizzi, Maison Baguès, Arno Fassi, and 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 chandeliers and pendants differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $260 and tops out at $220,000 while the average work can sell for $7,017.

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