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Empire Floor Lamps

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
Antique Corinthian Column Brass Floor Lamp with Fringed Lampshade, England, 1890
By OTHR
Located in Rijssen, NL
Antique corinthian column brass telescopic floorlamp, Hinks pattern, with wonderful handmade fringed lampshade. Made in England, in the style of James Hinks & Son in 1890. The lamp ...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

Antique Corinthian Column Brass Floor Lamp with Fringed Lampshade, England, 1890
By OTHR
Located in Rijssen, NL
Antique corinthian column brass telescopic floorlamp, Hinks pattern, with wonderful handmade fringed lampshade. Made in England, in the style of James Hinks & Son in 1890. The lamp features a striking scalloped lampshade...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

French Empire Patinated Bronze and Aluminum Columnar Floor Lamp
Located in New York, NY
French Empire-style floor lamp with an Ionic columnar form, constructed in aluminum and brass with a heavy patina and mounted with a brass two-light fixture and a black painted woode...
Category

20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Metal, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze

Pair of 20th Century Empire Style Ormolu Candlestick Lamps
Located in London, GB
A pair of twentieth century ormolu candlesticks with foliate casting and mounted as lamps. Height includes painted candle stems. Wired to UK standards. This pair of lamps can b...
Category

20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Ormolu

Florentine Craftsmanship Heavy Cast Empire Style Floor Lamp No Lampshade
Located in Prato, Tuscany
We kindly suggest you read the whole description, because with it we try to give you detailed technical and historical information to guarantee the authenticity of our objects. Massi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

Metal Floor Lamp, France, circa 2000
Located in PARIS, FR
A floor lamp in metal (cast aluminum) in the empire style France, circa 1990 -2000.
Category

Early 2000s French Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Metal

Large 19th Century French Empire Period Floor Candelabrum
Located in Forney, TX
An extraordinary period Empire gilded gold dore bronze rolling floor candelabrum. Born in France, the stunning Neo-classical style architectural antique...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Monumental Pair of Italian Empire Gilt Bronze Candleholders or Floor Lamps, 1800
Located in Rome, IT
Impressive pair of Italian Empire finely chiseled ormolu Flambeaux, on triform base, each with 25 scrolled gilt-bronze candle arms. Attributed to Luigi Manfredini the famous bronze a...
Category

Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Fine Ormolu and Green Marble Eight-Light Torcheres/Centerpieces
Located in New York, NY
An unusual and rare pair of ormolu and green marble eight-light torcheres/floor centerpieces attributed to E. F. Caldwell and Co New York. In the Empire style, the circular pierced f...
Category

1890s American Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Swedish Cast Iron Urn Norrahammar No 5
Located in Karlstad, SE
Very rare garden urn marked Norrahammar No 5 in cast iron, 19th century. Condition: Good original condition with heavy patina.
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Iron

20th Century, Empire Style Silvered Ceiling Candelabra
Located in Berlin, DE
Bronze, silvered. Finely engraved. Bell shaped, traffic-light styled corpus. (F-Ra-25).
Category

20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps

19th Century French Marble and Gilt Bronze Fine Floor Lamp
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French gilt bronze and marble floor lamp . Fine quality gilt bronze detail.
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Marble

Pair of Palatial Bronze and Steel Empire Style Torchieres
Located in New York, NY
Pair of palatial Empire style gilt and patinated bronze mounted steel torchieres. Each with a circular shallow dish form basin having a Greek-key and palmette detailed rim, on a flut...
Category

Late 20th Century European Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Bronze, Steel

20th Century Italian Silver Standard Floor Lamps Baroque Revival.
Located in VALENZA, IT
Finely hand-chiselled and embossed by hand. The cast shade-supports bear delicately chiselled decorative elements. The main support is refined, chiselled and embossed with swirls an...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Silver

French Bronze Empire Style Mahogany Floor Lamp
Located in Stamford, CT
Gorgeous French Empire style mahogany floor lamp, the first quarter of 19th century, the columnar style rosewood pedestal decorated with bronze dolphin motifs, raised on a tripod bas...
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Wood

Empire Style Steel and Bronze Floor Lamp
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A handsome empire-style steel and bronze floor lamp with a custom navy blue enamel shade. Possibly by J.E. Caldwell. Newly rewired.
Category

Early 20th Century American Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Steel, Bronze

Related Items
20th Century Rare Brass Floor Lamp by Tommaso Barbi, 1970s
Located in Paris, FR
A sculptural vintage iconic floor lamp in Tommaso Barbi's signature design of three large shaped brass leaves that light up and a circular base. This particular model is rare. Italy...
Category

20th Century Italian Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

20th Century Boule Floor Lamp Max Bill Style, 1970s
Located in Paris, FR
A 1960s vintage floor lamp in the style of Swedish designer Max Bill's iconic design. This piece is built with 10 atomic style boule opal glas...
Category

20th Century Swiss Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Steel

Pair of Roche Bobois Halogen Floor Lamps, 20th Century
Located in Savannah, GA
Pair of Roche Bobois halogen floor lamps, 20th century. Base is 9.5" x 7.25".
Category

20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Lacquer

Pair of Louis XVI Style Floor Torchieres
Located in Norwood, NJ
Pair of large and impressive bronze, marble and composition Louis XVI style six light painted and gilt torchères. Electrified. Bronze and composition mounted on Sienna marble bases.  
Category

Late 20th Century Philippine Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Siena Marble, Composition, Bronze

Italian Early 18th Century Giltwood Torchiere or Floor Lamp 1720
Located in Rome, IT
A fine Italian early 18th century giltwood torchiere on triform base carved on the front side, with seven scrolled gilt-metal candle arms. Measure...
Category

Early 17th Century Italian Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Giltwood

Boris Lacroix Brass and Aluminum Floor Lamps, France 1950's
Located in New York, NY
Pair of floor lamps by Boris Jean Lacroix. A well-designed lamp with multiple adjustments, the stem adjusts up and down, the shades rotate and swivel, the stem rests on a sphere that...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Gothic Bronze Candelabrum Floor Lamp with Lion Feet
Located in Stamford, CT
Large and gutsy Gothic bronze candelabrum now wired as a floor lamp with bold turning resting on tripod lion form feet, with a rich and warm patina.
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Bronze

18th Century Italian Louis XV Style Pricket Floor Lamp Distressed Finish
Located in Milan, IT
Italian Florentine hand carved wood torchère as floor lamp, a tall solid cembran pinewood pricket carved on three sides, with a deep acanthus leaf and flowers carving, resting on tri...
Category

Late 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Pine

Vintage French Original Painted Metal Floor Lamp
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage French floor lamp in original dark green paint. Looks to be circa 1950s or 1960s and is made from twisted steel. The floor lamp has been re-wired and works with standard Amer...
Category

1950s French Vintage Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Steel

Oyster Lampshade with Fringing - Small (14")
Located in Ringmer, GB
Oyster is our Art Nouveau inspired design, with an intricate and complex pattern in golds, soft blacks and a slightly purplish hue. Anna Hayman lampshades create a fantastic centrep...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary British Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Satin, Velvet

1970's E. F. Chapman Brass and Black Tole Bouillotte Style Floor Lamp/Candelabra
Located in Morristown, NJ
E.F Chapman, late 20th c., a nice quality, parcel black patinated brass floor lamp, unmarked, A bouillotte style floor lamp with a black tole shade, faux ivory accents, two candle ho...
Category

1970s American Vintage Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Solid Brass Segmented Column Floor Lamp
Located in Chicago, IL
Solid brass Art Deco revival floor lamp with concentric circular base and segmented stem. Large brass ball and tapered spacer to the bottom with tapered stem and bobeche to the top. ...
Category

1960s American Vintage Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

Previously Available Items
Antique Corinthian Column Brass Floor Lamp with Fringed Lampshade, England, 1890
By OTHR
Located in Rijssen, NL
Antique corinthian column brass telescopic floorlamp, Hinks pattern, with wonderful handmade fringed lampshade. Made in England, in the style...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

French Empire Style Bronze Floor Lamp
Located in Fairfax, VA
An elegant empire style floor lamp. Crafted in France in 1920s, this classic design three light clawfoot floor lamp is finished in black and gold and is sitting on a triangle marble ...
Category

1920s French Vintage Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Marble, Bronze

French Empire Bronze Floor Lamp
Located in Fairfax, VA
French 1920's bronze empire floor lamp in golden bronze and black lacquer finish, fitted with black, gold interior lampshade. Modified and rewired with four sockets, three 100watts ...
Category

1920s French Vintage Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Frederick Cooper Vintage Regency French Empire Style Column Pillar Floor Lamp
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage Frederick Cooper floor lamp with a square brass base supporting a black body and oil lamp style top. This gorgeous lamp drawer inspiration from iconic French Empire and Regen...
Category

Late 20th Century Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

French Empire Style Bronze Column Floor Lamp
Located in Den Haag, NL
Antique French Empire style patinated bronze and ormolu column floor lamp topped by a solid bronze Corinthian capital, the stepped base cast with wreaths set on large feet.   
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

Empire Style Green lacquered Golden Bronze Swans Six Light Holders Floor Lamp
Located in IT
Empire style green lacquered and golden bronze swans floor lamp, form France form early 20th century. Six light-holders swans shaped made in bronze car...
Category

1940s French Vintage Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Bronze

19th-20th Century Atlas Figural Standing Tall Lamp Empire Style Bronze
Located in Stamford, CT
19th-20th century Atlas figural standing tall lamp. This Fine Empire Style bronze standing floor lamp takes one bulb and has a custom lamp shade. The long...
Category

Mid-20th Century Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Russian Malachite Empire Style Floor Lamps
Located in Dallas, TX
A pair of Russian Empire style malachite and gilt bronze floor lamps. Illuminated with gilt bronze dolphin base and a gilt bronze eagle design. Spun steel globes covered in malachite...
Category

Mid-20th Century Baltic Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Malachite

French Empire Style Bronze Floor Lamp
Located in Fairfax, VA
French 1930s Empire style arrow base bronze floor lamp.
Category

1930s French Vintage Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Bronze

French Empire Style Bronze and Metal Floor Lamp
Located in LEGNY, FR
French Empire style bronze and metal floor lamp. The shade is painted sheet metal. There is an bronze eagle at the top. Three lights.
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Sheet Metal

French 1950s Empire Style Bronze Floor Lamp
Located in Fairfax, VA
Elegant 1950s Empire style bronze claw foot floor lamp modified with adjustable double socket and fitted with black lampshade.
Category

1950s French Vintage Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Italian Empire Carved Gilded Lacquered Wood Torchère or Floor Lamp
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
Large carved and gilded wooden floor lamp antique torchère. It has been electrified for modern use. Made with fine woodcarving work, the turn...
Category

Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Floor Lamps

Materials

Wood

Empire floor lamps for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Empire floor lamps 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 floor lamps created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include lighting, decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire floor lamps 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 floor lamps, popular names associated with this style include OTHR, and Argenterie di Milano. 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 floor lamps differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $588 and tops out at $135,120 while the average work can sell for $4,779.

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