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. 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
Large Antique French Empire Style Gilt Bronze and Patinated Bronze Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A large antique French Empire-style gilt bronze and patinated bronze chandelier. The chandelier is circular in form, designed with a broad corona supporting twelve lights arranged in...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
empire brass column lamp
Located in Brooklyn, NY
empire lamp stem in solid brass with contemporary lampshade from the 1950's
base is 44 centimetres high ( 17 1/3")
Category
1970s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass, Steel
Empire Gilt Bronze and Cut Crystal Chandelier, circa 1815
Located in Rome, IT
Finely chiseled gilt bronze and cut crystal Empire elegant chandelier with six arms.
Six E 14 light bulbs.
Category
19th Century European Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
$13,390 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Russian Ormolu Bouillotte Lamp
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
19th Century Russian Ormolu Bouillotte Lamp
Beautiful lamp purchased in France. Age appropriate wear, see detailed photos or message us with questions.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Swedish Empire Ceiling Chandelier in antique Classicist Style
Located in Berlin, DE
Magnificent Swedish Empire ceiling crown in the style of classicism
Polished brass and facetted prismatic trimmings. Starting from narrow, ornamented brass hoops, eight curved candlesticks for cylindrical spouts above a round gutter bowl. Baluster-shaped body made of hand-wired pearl strings...
Category
20th Century German Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
French Painted Toleware and Brass Desk Lamp A lovely piece
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
French Painted Toleware and Brass Desk Lamp
A lovely piece, adapted from an original oil lamp, the lamp has a single brass sconce and opposite we can see the secretary bird both set...
Category
19th Century Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
French 19th Century Empire Style Ormolu and Granite Five-Arm Lamps
By Claude Galle
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exquisite true pair of French 19th century Empire st. ormolu and granite five arm lamps, after a model by Claude Galle. Each lamp is raised by a squar...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Granite, Ormolu
Vintage French Empire Brass Swans & Porcelain Chandelier 5 Light
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below.
Shipping Quote Information
The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and ...
Category
1960s Unknown Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
$956 Sale Price
20% Off
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 Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$25,500
Antique French Empire Style, Neoclassical Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
This exquisite chandelier is constructed in the French Empire neoclassical style and is formed with a large central bell-shaped body suspended from four chains. The upper canopy feat...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
$18,000 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of Empire Gilt Bronze and Rock Crystal Table Lamps by Thomire à Paris
Located in New York, NY
A gorgeous and highly important pair of empire gilt bronze and rock crystal table lamps. Both are signed on the base Thomire à Paris. Each is meticulou...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Rock Crystal, Bronze
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 Lighting
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 Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Pair of French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Sconces
Located in London, GB
Pair of French Empire style gilt bronze sconces
French, 20th Century
Measures: Height 88cm, width 38cm, depth 35cm
This elegant pair of sconces is wrought from gilt bronze in th...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
$13,089 / set
Heavy Cast Bronze Empire Wall Sconce w 3 Lights Quantity Available
Located in New York, NY
Heavy cast bronze three light sconce done in an Empire style. Small quantity available at time of posting. Priced each. Please inquire. Please note, this item is located in our Scran...
Category
Early 2000s Argentine Empire Lighting
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 Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Empire Style Brass Mounted Leather Table Lamp
Located in Vista, CA
Empire Style brass-mounted Tooled Leather Table Lamp, 20th century columnar standard on pedestal with guilloche gilt borders, marbleized shade, and ...
Category
20th Century European Empire Lighting
Materials
Leather
1930's French Gilt Bronze Triangle Shape Sconces
Located in New York, NY
A pair of 1930's French Empire style gilt bronze sconces with triangle shape
Category
1930s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$3,800 / set
Pair of Empire-style apliques in burnished and gilded bronze
Located in Milano, IT
Two gold-leafed and darkened Empire apliques, from whose circular base the three arms emerge. They are not signed but considering the quality they are certainly by a good foundry cra...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French 19th century Belle Epoque Period Empire st. Bronze and Ormolu lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A high quality and most impressive French 19th century Belle Epoque Period Empire st. patinated Bronze, Ormolu and Rouge Griotte Marble lamp. The stunning candelabra mounted into a l...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
French Empire Style Gilded Bronze Bouillotte Lamp
Located in Montreal, QC
French Empire style gilded bronze bouillotte lamp with 4 arms and a black tole lampe shade.
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
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 Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Century, French Brass Desk Lamp in Empire Style
Located in Sofia, BG
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19th century electrified brass desk lamp in Empire style with...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
20th Century Empire Style Horn-Formed Rolling Candlesticks French Candelabra
Located in Berlin, DE
Bronze, finely engraved and casted, partially silvered. Three stylized, horn-formed rolling candle sticks.
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$1,071 Sale Price
20% Off
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 Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$4,650
Burgundy and Grey Marble Pillar Form Table Lamp Wood Base
Located in Toledo, OH
A beautiful marble table lamp. It features a lovely burgundy and grey marble in a pillar form with bronze scroll details and a wood base. Very good condition. The dimensions are 30.2...
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Marble
20th Century Empire Style Bronze Figure-Formed Candelabra
Located in Berlin, DE
Finely engraved and silvered bronze. Full plasticised, masculine historical Egyptian representation.
(T-Mr-20-Bas).
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
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 Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French early 19th Century twelve light gilded chandelier attributed to Thomire
Located in Southall, GB
An impressive gilt and patinated bronze French Empire chandelier with twelve lights, attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751–1843). Winged Victory figures wearing classical robes stand...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
$93,691 Sale Price
20% Off
Two French Gilt and Patinated Bronze Sconces
Located in London, GB
These two sconces have been crafted in the Empire style, which was popularised by the French Emperor, Napoleon I. The Empire style is characterised by its grandeur and use of opulent...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
$13,089 / set
Important Pair of 1st Period French Empire Pat. & Dore Bronze 6-Light Candelabra
Located in New York, NY
A fabulous and important pair of antique French 1st period Empire patinated and two-tone matte and burnished doré bronze six-light candelabras. Each modeled with figures of Goddess D...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Elegant pair of French turn of the century woos sconces ( Empire style )
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An elegant pair of French wood sconces, Empire style, the patina is much nicer in person
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Wood
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 Lighting
Materials
Crystal
$9,600 Sale Price
36% Off
Empire Style Nine Light Chandelier
Located in Montreal, QC
Empire style chandeliers tend to be quite hefty and large, This bronze example is unusually delicate. The dished circular pan is hung from three flat pierced suspension chains, and s...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
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 Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Tin
Large Empire Style Lamp in Cut Crystal and Gilt Bronze, 1940s
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Large Empire style lamp in cut crystal and chiselled and gilt bronze mount. Circular gilt bronze base adorned with a Walter leaves frieze, gadroons and beads topped by a cut crystal ...
Category
1940s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Pair of Bronze Splendor Wall Appliqués / Sconces, Paris, 19th Century
Located in Berlin, DE
A pair of bronze splendor wall appliqués / sconces, Paris, 19th century
Fire gilded bronze. Five-flame frame for candles with rocaille and rosettes in relief. Colorless glass prism ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
$24,151 Sale Price
20% Off
French 19th Century Period First Empire Patinated Bronze and Bronze Sconces
Located in New Orleans, LA
Magnificent pair of French 19th century Period First Empire round patinated bronze and bronze three light sconces with bronze candle cups of acanthus leaves, adorned with feathers, b...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
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 Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French Empire Influenced Chandelier, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality 19th century French Empire influenced chandelier, having a coronet with chains hanging down to the chandelier that has twelve branch sconces each with swan heads, a fl...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze and Crystal Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
French Empire style gilt bronze and cut crystal chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi with eight lights.
This chandelier is characterized by classical plate embellished with gilt bron...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
20th Century, French Gilt Bronze Buillotte Lamp
Located in IT
20th Century, French Gilt Bronze Buillotte Lamp
This elegant table lamp model buillotte was made in France towards the beginning of the twentieth century, of classic taste with deco...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
pair of French 19th century Empire st. Glass and Ormolu lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant and wonderfully detailed pair of French 19th century Empire st. Glass and Ormolu lamps. Each lamp is raised by a square lattice cut column with an Ormolu plinth and capita...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
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 Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Steel
Wonderful Pair French Empire Neoclassical Regency Gilt Bronze Patinated Sconces
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Pair Of French Empire / Neoclassical / Regency Gilt Bronze Patinated Sconces
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Gilt Bronze and Colored Glass Chandelier in the Empire Style
Located in London, GB
A French eight light gilt bronze and colored glass chandelier in the Empire style.
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
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 Lighting
Materials
Marble
Pair of Empire Style Seven-Light Candelabra
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Pair of Empire Style Gilt and Patinated Bronze and Rouge Griotte Marble Seven-Light Candelabra.
These palatial sized candelabra date to the First Empire period. As becoming of ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Griotte Marble, Bronze
Pair of 19th Century Empire Ormolu and patinated Bronze Candelabra attr. Thomire
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of 19th century Empire ormolu and patinated bronze candelabra attr. Thomire
Each with a tapering leaf tip cast partially gilt and patinated bronze stem supporting three folia...
Category
1820s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
Period French Empire Crystal and Gilt Bronze Chandelier
By Claude Galle
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
An early 19th century period French Empire chandelier in crystal and gilded bronze. The typical basket form surrounds a central shaft, the top of which is decorated with gilded palmettes and terminates in four curved supports to the central corona. The gilded corona...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Pair Empire Style Ormolu Sconces, 19 Century
Located in Cypress, CA
Apposing 19th century pair French Empire style ormolu seven light sconces with beautiful details.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French 19th Century Empire St. Ormolu And Baccarat Crystal Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A beautiful and very high quality French 19th century Empire st. ormolu and Baccarat crystal chandelier. The twelve arm sixteen light chandelier is centered by a striking solid cryst...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Ormolu
Lamp Table 19th Century Gilt bronze Metal Shade Neoclassical France
Located in New York, NY
Lamp 19th Century Gilt bronze Metal Shade Neoclassical France . A French Bouillotte lamp made in gilt bronze and a painted metal shade. 3 electrified candle arms.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
$3,000 Sale Price
28% Off
Pair of French Empire Style Patinated and Gilt Bronze Victory Sconces
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A very large and dramatic pair of French Empire style wall sconces in finely chased patinated and gilded bronze. A large winged Victory...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of French Empire Brass Sconces, Early 19th Century
Located in San Francisco, CA
A pair of French Empire three-light brass sconces with lion faces, converted to electric.
Recently restored, having wax candle sleeves and holding chandelier size light bulbs.
Fran...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
Pair of Early 19th Century French Empire Neoclassical Bronze Urns Wired as Lamps
Located in Long Island City, NY
Pair of Early 19th Century French Empire Neoclassical Bronze Urns, Wired as Lamps. Featuring ornate swag garlands and rams heads, with a frieze of dancing putti.
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Antique French Empire Style Figural Carved Dragons 9 Light Chandelier
Located in Long Branch, NJ
Antique French Empire Style Figural Carved Dragons 9 Light Chandelier
Measures
37 In H x 27.25 In w x 27.24 D
Category
1910s American Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
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 ar...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Large French Empire Gilt Bronze and Crystal Sconce Attributed to Thomire
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A highly unusual large scale single French Empire wall sconce, the bronze having the finest chasing and gilding ever produced. A winged cupi...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Large Pair of French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Seven-Light Wall Lights
Located in New York, NY
Large pair of French Empire style gilt bronze wall lights.
Surmounted by a classical female figure standing atop an orb and holding butterflies in each hand, above two tier structur...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Empire lighting for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Empire lighting 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 lighting 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 lighting 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 lighting, popular names associated with this style include Gherardo Degli Albizzi, Edward F. Caldwell & Co., Alexandre Vossion, and Maison Baguès. 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 lighting differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $194 and tops out at $220,000 while the average work can sell for $4,434.
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