Empire Lighting
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.
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 Twelve Light Chandelier
Located in Westwood, NJ
French Empire twelve-light chandelier, the ornate decoration on the arms, and the arrangement of the chains demonstrate exceptional casting in brass. With beautifully cast floral det...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary English Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
Pair of 19th Century Bronze and Marble Urn Table Lamps
Located in Fairfax, VA
Pair of 19th century marble urns with metrological bronze head of the god on each side that professionally have been electrified as table lamps and fitted with pleated silk lampshades.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Pair of Empire Style Tole Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of Empire style tole lamps, a rare find, each one with typical gilt decoration, the column without the shade stands 5.5" square x 19" high, The lamp stands 30" high with the 15"...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal
Empire Style Painted and Gilt Metal Sconce
Located in London, GB
Empire style painted and gilt metal sconce
French, 20th century
measures: Height 34cm, width 26cm, depth 17cm
This elegant sconce is crafted in the Empire style. The sconce feat...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal
Pair of Elegant 19th Century French Empire Style Bronze Column Table Lamps
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
These lamps are sold without shades for ease of shipping. Dating to the second half of the 19th century these French empire style bronze lamp are of an elegant design in the shape of...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Style Bronze Desk or Table Lamp
Located in Fairfax, VA
Earl 20th century classic design electrified large candlestick to an elegant table lamp.
Category
1910s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French Ormolu Eagle Chandelier, 19th Century
Located in Cypress, CA
Unique French Empire style ormolu six light chandelier with eagle and trumpets.
19th century.
Gilt bronze eagle over three fine ormolu trumpets decorated in a floral and leaf motif ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Antique French Gilt Bronze Table Lamp, Signed Moreau, Late 19th Century
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant French gilt bronze table lamp signed Moreau depicts Erato, the Greek goddess of music, dance and song. She is represented holding a lyre while her left arm is leaning up...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of 19th Century French Empire Candelabra with Tripartite Lion Paw Feet
Located in Dallas, TX
This pair of bronze five-light candelabras was produced in France in the early 1800’s, during the Empire period that coincided with the rule of Napoleon. Under Napoleon’s decree that...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Italian Thirteen-Light Drop Crystal Chandelier, Empire Style
Located in Austin, TX
A beautiful Italian thirteen-light hanging fixture or chandelier of gilt metal and crystals, in the Empire style, featuring a crown over cascading pendants, with a ring of ten lights...
Category
20th Century Italian Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Metal, Wire
Mid-20th Century French Gilt Brass Three-Arm Table Lamp
Located in Sherborne, Dorset
A mid-20th century French gilt brass three-arm table lamp, retains its original pressed card faux candles and is fitted with three individual chandelier shades.
The heavy brass base...
Category
1940s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
Hanging Lantern
By Boston and Sandwich Glass Company
Located in New York, NY
American (glass attributed to Boston and Sandwich Glass Company, Sandwich, Massachusetts), circa 1830-1840.
Glass, blown, partially frosted, and wheel cut, with cast and die-rolled ...
Category
19th Century American Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
Pair of 19th Century French Empire Style Bronze Appliques
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of 19th century French bronze Empire style appliques.
Category
1930s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Century French Empire Style Chandelier
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality 19th century bronze and gilded ormolu French Empire influenced chandelier. Having a classical ceiling rose with three foliate linked chains supporting the three branch...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Silvered-Bronze and Cut-Glass Urn Lamp Bases, French Empire Style
Located in London, GB
A pair of silvered-bronze and cut-glass urn lamp bases in the French Empire style
American, 20th century
Measures: Height 55cm, width 22cm, depth 18cm
These fine lamp-bases, sha...
Category
Early 20th Century American Empire Lighting
Materials
Silver Plate, Bronze
French Empire Bronze Table Lamp
Located in Fairfax, VA
Elegant French 1920's empire style table lamp, fitted with black hardback gold lining lampshade.
Category
1920s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of French Empire Bronze Sconces
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful, pair of French Empire-style sconces by Maison Lucien Gau, Paris.
The sconces are constructed of solid bronze with a doré and imperial green finish. Finely cast ormolu d...
Category
1970s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
20th C. NYC Waldorf Astoria Hotel Empire Style Bronze & Cut Glass Dish Light
Located in New York, NY
Empire style chandelier with a diamond textured cast glass dish and bronze details made in the late 20th Century. These elegant pendants graced many of the main corridors of the Wald...
Category
Late 20th Century European Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Antique Alabaster and Bronze Pendant Light Fixture
Located in San Francisco, CA
Classical style alabaster ceiling light with antique bronze hardware. Having a beautiful warm amber color light, set in a bronze ring with rams head mounts, with bronze chain and can...
Category
Early 20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Alabaster, Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire style gilt bronze wall sconce by Gherardo Degli Albizzi features the best quality hand-chiseled details.
The backplate of this sconce is a central round plate wit...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Alabaster Pendant
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine gilt bronze and hand carved Alabaster pendant. 4 lights.
Dimensions: Height 39" diameter 29 1/2" France, circa 1930.
CW3174.
Category
1930s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Alabaster
Fine Bronze and Crystal Period Empire Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Exquisite Empire chandelier, having a frame of finely chased gilt bronze, basket shape, draped in beaded crystals; floral swags connect the four external candlearms, four additional ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Century French Empire Style 3-Arm Light Fixture with Flame Finial
Located in Morristown, NJ
19th century French Empire style 3-arm fixture with flame finial, unmarked, not electrified. A charming light fixture, this chandelier will add a lovely candlelit ambiance to any set...
Category
1890s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Italian Crystal Empire Chandelier
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautiful presence with swags of crystal, crystal drops and arching leaves.
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal
Antique French Empire Bronze & Brass Chandelier
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique French Empire bronze and brass chandelier is a marvel of craftsmanship! Dark green painted body is festooned with polished bronze adornment, with styles influenced by Napoleo...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass, Bronze
NYC Waldorf Astoria Hotel Empire Hanging Chandelier Pendant
Located in New York, NY
20th Century Empire style chandelier pendant with cast glass dish and bronze details. These elegant lights graced many of the main corridors of the NYC Waldorf Astoria Hotel. A Waldo...
Category
20th Century American Empire Lighting
Materials
Steel
Pair of French Empire Style Patinated Bronze Arm and Hand Sconces
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A very unusual and stylish pair of French wall sconces which would likely date from the late 19thC. A finely chased patinated bronze child's arm is attached to a circular decorated g...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Near Pair of Vintage French Empire Style Crystal Gilded Chandeliers Early 1900's
Located in Chicago, IL
Pair, well not exactly, but I believe the proper term is near pair of old French crystal chandeliers, that although made by the same company, they are about a 95% match. Unless you l...
Category
1910s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Wonderful Pair of French Empire Gilt and Patinated Bronze Medusa Figure Sconces
Located in Roslyn, NY
A wonderful pair of French Empire gilt and patinated bronze medusa figure neoclassical sconces.
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Gilt Bronze and Malachite Empire Style 12-Light Chandeliers
Located in New York, NY
Matched pair of gilt bronze chandeliers in the Empire style with newly malachite veneered candle covers, ceiling plates and standards, with modern sockets and wiring, ready for insta...
Category
1940s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Malachite, Bronze
Waldorf Astoria Hotel Cut Glass Empire Flush Mount Light from Park Ave in NYC
Located in New York, NY
From the corridors of the Park Ave NYC Waldorf Astoria Hotel Towers, these Empire style flush mount light come with a cut glass bowl shade and black rim with brass finish details. Fi...
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
Brass Basket Empire Sac a Pearl Chandelier Crystal Lustre Lamp Antique Gold
Located in Berlin, DE
Classical basket in Style of Empire . Crystals hand knotted. New reproduction several available
Measures: Total height 90 cm, without chain 85 cm, diameter 34 cm, weight (approximat...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Brass Basket Empire Sac a Pearl Chandelier Crystal Lustre Lamp Antique Gold
Located in Berlin, DE
Classical basket in Style of Empire . Crystals hand knotted. New reproduction several available
Measures: Total height 99 cm, without chain 65 cm, diameter 26 cm, weight (approximat...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Montgolfiè Empire Sac a Pearl Chandelier Crystal Lustre Ceiling Lamp Antique WoW
Located in Berlin, DE
Cabling and sockets completely renewed. Crystal hand knotted
Measures: Total height 120 cm, height without chain: 90 cm, diameter 63 cm, weight (approximately) 10 kg.
Number of l...
Category
18th Century European Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Brass, Wire
1920s Crystal and Bronze Empire Style Chandelier from the NYC Palace Hotel Lobby
Located in New York, NY
Originally from the 1920s Palace Hotel in NYC, this wonderful large gilt bronze and crystal beaded chandelier has been completely restored. It has 16 candle lights around the perimet...
Category
1920s American Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze and Crystal Chandelier with 18 Lights
Located in Dallas, TX
Stunning French Empire style gilt bronze and crystal chandelier with 18 lights. Gorgeous bronze details along with dazzling crystals make a huge impact. An exceptional piece!
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French Empire Table Lamps by Stiffel, a Pair
By Stiffel
Located in Copake Falls, NY
A pair of French Empire style table lamps made by Stiffel. Brass columns are turned with large fonts painted an alabaster color and topped with a lotus leaf motif. Reeded vases top a...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
Empire Style Patinated and Gilt Bronze Light Fixture
Located in Hudson, NY
Designed as a shallow gadrooned bowl with six gilded bronze arms currently not wired and used as a candle fixture but can easily be wired for an additional charge if the customer des...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
20th Century Empire Style Splendid Chandelier or Candelabra
Located in Berlin, DE
Splendid chandelier or candelabra in French Empire style.
Bronze patinated. There from a with eight swans designed light arms.
(F-Ks-3).
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Russian Empire Style Chandelier with Gilt Bronze and 5 Arms
Located in Dallas, TX
Exceptional 19th century Russian Empire style gilt bronze chandelier with 5 arms. The details on this piece are very special. Lovely finial and decorative pattern at the bottom of th...
Category
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Bronze Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This stylish French Empire chandelier dates to the early part of the 19th century and is fabricated in bronze dore and patinated bronze.
Note: The piece has been professionally re...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Gilt Bronze and Black Tole French Empire Chandelier
Located in Mt Kisco, NY
Gilt bronze and black tole six-light chandelier. Six long upturned arms with swan and foliate decoration. The tole center terminates in a central leaf and large acorn finial. Origina...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Style Bronze and Tole Bouillotte Lamp, circa 1970s
Located in Wiesbaden, Hessen
Beautiful, large " bouillotte " empire style bronze table lamp, France, circa 1970s.
Socket: 3 x e14 for standard screw bulbs.
Category
1970s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Fine Brass Empire Chandelier Crystal Lustre Basket Lamp Antique
Located in Berlin, DE
Cabling and sockets completely renewed. Crystal hand knotted.
Measures: Total height 99 cm, without chain 60 cm, diameter 55 cm, weight (approximately) 9 kg.
Number of lights: 9-...
Category
1940s European Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Pair of French Empire Style Brass Swan Bouillotte Table Lamps with Tole Shades
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a heavy and substantial pair of French Empire style brass swan bouillotte table lamps with tole shades.
Category
1950s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
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 Lighting
Materials
Marble, Bronze
French Ivory Lantern
Located in Westwood, NJ
French Ivory lantern, based on a French design, the delicate hand-painted decoration on the slatted glass adds texture. The motif on the coronet is reflected in the decoration on the...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary English Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal
Set of Four Empire Style Ten-Branch Gilt Bronze Sconces
Located in London, GB
Set of four Empire style ten-branch gilt bronze sconces
French, circa 1890
Measures: Height 56cm, width 40cm, depth 32cm
Each of the sconces in this set of four is crafted from ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Petite Baltic French Dore Bronze Star Frosted Crystal Chandelier Fixture Pendent
Located in Roslyn, NY
A wonderful frosted plate is surrounded by crystal prisms and highlighted with a crystal spire and held with star dore bronze chains.
Height is Completely adjustable to your needs
...
Category
1940s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Early French Empire Style Bronze & Crystal Chandelier, 3 Lights
Located in Miami, FL
Empire Style early round Bronze and Crystal Chandelier with 3 Light-sockets in the center.
Wired for the US and takes 3 candelabra light bulbs max. 60 watts.
In original vintage c...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French Empire Gilded Bronze Crystal 12-Arm Chandelier Light Fixture
Located in Toledo, OH
A gorgeous large scale French Empire crystal chandelier. The body of this chandelier is done in gilded bronze and has two layers of arms for a total of 12 arms. Arms are scrolled and...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Antique Russian Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
Exquisite and superbly detailed gilt bronze and crystal chandelier for candles, can be electrified.
Category
Late 18th Century Russian Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French Empire Style Chandelier with Frosted Glass Flame
Located in Pembroke, MA
French Empire style chandelier with gilt bronze arms, neoclassical mounts, ornate chain and canopy. The central body is dark green painted wood, surmounted with a frosted glass flame...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
20th Century Empire Style Wall Girdle/Wall Light after Antoine-André Ravrio
By André-Antoine Ravrio
Located in Berlin, DE
Imperial Empire wall girdle to Antoine-André Ravrio 1759-1814.
Bronze, gilded or partly dark patinated. From acanthus of fullplastic herme / Amor adult with, holding a vase as a car...
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Empire Chandelier Dore Bronze and Crystal having Ten Lights
Located in Stamford, CT
19th century Empire bronze and crystal chandelier having 10 lighted arms.
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Pair of Chinese Porcelain Table Lamps
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An extraordinary pair of French empire table lamps in great condition. Beautifully hand-crafted out of porcelain, this fabulous set features new fabric shade, brass mounted accents a...
Category
1930s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Genovese Empire Style Chandelier
Located in Albano Laziale, Rome/Lazio
An Italian crystal chandelier in Empire style made with a guilded structure adorned with swags of crystals that glitter beautifully when lit up. This particular chandelier is free fr...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Metal
French Empire Neoclassical Bronze Three Candelabras Bouillotte Lamp Tole Shade
Located in Roslyn, NY
A wonderful French Empire / neoclassical bronze three candelabras Bouillotte lamp with two Edison sockets and dark forest green tole shade.
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
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