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.
to
152
559
370
902
58
10
Height
to
Width
to
663
367
50
65
40
52
39
46
33
36
30
34
58,270
18,653
9,056
8,252
3,967
2,507
2,088
1,655
1,600
970
850
819
693
556
552
407
191
130
11
385
506
68
184
150
62
31
8
42
40
21
20
19
16
6
5
874
548
277
217
204
779
546
98
63
39
970
945
961
18
7
4
3
3
Style: Empire
Pair Traditional Style Brass Chandeliers
Located in New York, NY
Pair of traditional style brass chandeliers. Three arms each. Nice cast details. Very good quality, heavy for size. Nice petite size, 14" diameter x 22" long overall, including chain...
Category
20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
$1,495 / set
Wonderful Pair French Empire Gilt Dore Bronze Marble Neoclassical Regency Lamps
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Pair Of French Empire Gilt Dore Bronze & Marble Corinthian Column Form Ormolu Neoclassical Regency Lamps, Each Having A Medusa Plaque Mounting On A Triangular Base.
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Bouillotte French Lamp Gild Bronze 4 lights Flora Motive Empire Style
Located in Sweden, SE
Stylish antique Bouillotte lamp. Square foot with a four candleholders in flora motive candleholders and adjustable fabric shade with fixation bolt in form of an arrow feather. The ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
pair of French 19th century Empire st. Patinated Bronze and Ormolu lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant and high quality pair of French 19th century Empire st. Patinated Bronze and Ormolu candelabra lamps. Each three arm candelabra mounted into a lamp is raised on a square O...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Monumental Empire Style Bronze and Crystal Chandelier, Austria, 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Austrian crystal chandelier with a solid bronze frame and faceted crystal, circa 1930s or older. This chandelier is perfect for large spaces, entryways, and hallways. A unique waterf...
Category
1930s Austrian Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Metal, Gold Plate
$8,015 Sale Price
30% Off
Early 19th Century Empire Candelabras
Located in Paris, FR
Stunning pair of gilded and patinated bronze candelabras, featuring a winged cupid. He is standing on a sphere and holding a torch, which is surrounded by three curving candle branch...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$9,382 / set
Four Italian Empire Vases 1700 Gilded and Carved Wood Lamp Bases
Located in Milano, MI
Gilded Empire Lamp Bases 1700 Set of Four Palm Vases with square base and circular turned and carved body made of pine wood, water-gilded in fine gold leaf on red bole preparation. T...
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Gold Leaf
Extremely Fine Pair of Large 19th C French Empire Gilt Bronze Sconces
Located in Dallas, TX
A very fine pair of 19th century French Empire gilt bronze large two light sconces. Fine Egyptian heads below the candles with a finely cast Eagle at the to...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Chandelier, Late 20th Century, Empire, 10 Branch, Wilkinson Plc
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
The polished brass acanthus leaf corona supports six rectangular split link chains holding a black painted bowl with an ormolu pendant. The five polished brass double candle...
Category
1990s European Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi chandelier features best...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Tin
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
Pair of Empire Style Sconces Wall Lights, Germany, 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Add a touch of opulence to your home with this charming pair of sconces. Perfect to enhance any chic or eclectic home. We'd love to see it hanging in an entryway as a charming welcom...
Category
1960s German Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconces Set 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-chiselled details.
The backplate of this sconce features a lacquered round ...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
A Pair of French Black Amethyst Crystal Pineapple Form Gilt Bronze Mounted Lamps
Located in New York, NY
A Fabulous Pair of French 20th Century Black Amethyst Cut Crystal Anannas/Pineapple shaped and Gilt Bronze Mounted Lamps. Each lamp consists of a base and a central body section comp...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, 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
Pair of Empire Style Palatial Torchieres
Located in Atlanta, GA
Pair of Empire style palatial composite torchieres with fluted column over acanthus leaf and urn form details, and rising on paw feet. Continental, second half 20th century.
Dimens...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Composition
Very Fine Gilt Bronze Empire Style Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very Elegant gilt bronze empire style chandelier. Exquisite detail. 4 lights.
France, circa 1920. Measures: Height 27 1/2" Diameter 16"
CW5101.
Category
1920s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Interesting Late 19th-Early 20th Century Gilt Bronze Empire Style Chandelier
Located in Long Island City, NY
An interesting late 19th-early 20th century gilt bronze empire style sixteen light chandelier
Four long chains connect the top with the body, eight gilt sphinx encircle and light ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
20th Century antique Empire style Chandelier with 8 Silver Swans brass
Located in Berlin, DE
Galvanized bronze and partly red patinated. Bowl-shaped body with pine finish. Starting from this, eight candlestick arms designed as swans with cylindrical spouts over a round eaves...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
Elegant Early 20th Century Empire-Style Crystal Beaded Chandelier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This refined Empire-style chandelier exudes understated opulence with its graceful silhouette and cascading strands of faceted crystal beads. Likely of French or Northern European or...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Metal
French Empire Gilt and Patinated Bronze Eight-Light Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
This chandelier is a French Empire eight-light fixture made in 19th century from patinated and gilt bronze. The design features classical elements from the Empire period, including ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of French Empire Period Four Light Bronze Candelabra
Located in Montreal, QC
This Hommage a Egypte pair were made at the time of Napoleon's unsuccessful foray into Egypt. The shaped bases, winged feet and triangular columns are surely inspired by the campaig...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Antique Candelabra Lamps
Located in Atlanta, GA
Magnificent pair of Empire candelabra, gilt and patinated bronze, now turned into electric lamps.
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$8,500 / set
Pr. French Empire Period Patinated & Dore Bronze Candlesticks Turned to Lamps
Located in New York, NY
A fantastic pair of French empire period patinated and dore bronze candlesticks mounted as lamps. Each is beautifully cast, hand-chased, and hand-chiseled with the finest quality of burnished and matted dore bronze mounts. The fluted columnar bodies are beautiful with a dark patina which is offset with magnificent rich dore bronze mounts. The bodies are fluted with acanthus leaf dore bronze mounts which terminate at either end. The tops are supported by multiple patinated bronze lions paws. The bases are square with dore bronze medusa...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Regency Crystal and Gilt Bronze 12-Light Wedding Cake Chandelier
Located in Coimbra, PT
Stunning large French Empire cut crystal and bronze twelve-light chandelier with crystal drops and swags
Measures:
Diameter 26 in/ 66 cm
Height 45 in (32 in+ 13 in/chain) / 115 cm (7...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze and Crystal Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
This French Empire Style Gilt Bronze and Crystal Chandelier by Gherardo Degli Albizzi has got twenty lights and features high quality handcrafted details.
Top crowns in characterized...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
French 19th Century Empire St. Ormolu and Baccarat Crystal Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and extremely elegant French 19th century Empire st. ormolu and Baccarat crystal chandelier. The eight arm chandelier is centered by a striking solid crystal ball below a ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Ormolu
French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Wall Sconce Set 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-chiselled details.
The backplate of this sconce features a central round pla...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Montgolfiè Antique Lok Crystal Chandelier Empire Sac a Pearl Lamp Chateau New
Located in Berlin, DE
Montgolfière Style Chandelier - Empire Elegance with Customizability
Introducing a new Montgolfière style chandelier that exudes the charm of the Empire era, reimagined with modern ...
Category
2010s Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal
Large Swedish Ceiling Chandelier in Classicist Style
Located in Berlin, DE
Solid brass with an antique finish. Hangings from finely ground crystal.
Measures: Diameter 76 cm, height 114 cm.
Category
20th Century German Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
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 Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
$22,861 Sale Price
30% Off
Bronze Empire Style Ram's Head Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
Six-arm Empire style ram's head chandelier. Solid brass and cast bronze and heavy. Has great patina. In working condition.
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass, Bronze
$971 Sale Price
35% Off
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 Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Rouge Marble and Gilt Bronze Lamps
Located in Montreal, QC
Pair of rouge marble and gilt bronze baluster shaped oil lamps, later fitted for electricity, the necks and bodies decorated with gilt bronze banding and garlands and accented with l...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Marble, Bronze
$14,000 / set
Set of Eight French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Figural Neoclassical Wall Sconces
Located in New York, NY
An exquisite set of eight French Empire style gilt bronze figural neoclassical wall sconces. Each sconce is structured with a central backplate featuring a prominent male mask, model...
Category
20th Century French Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair French Empire Style Brass 2-Arm Sconces, early 20th century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having fluted backplates with acanthus leaf details and flames at tops, the backplates issuing two arms with female masks
Category
1910s Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
Fine French Empire Gilt Bronze and Patinated Metal Six Light Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
Classical French Empire gilt bronze, patinated metal and gilt wood six light chandelier.
19th Century
Well proportioned central gilt and patinated bronze Empire tazza with a large gi...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Pair of Italian Bronze and Cammeo Appliques from the 1800s
Located in Milano, MI
Pair of bronze appliques made in the 1800s, each of which has a pair of original hand-sculpted cameos with different scenes / views
Both lights come with wiring and wiring, which ...
Category
1850s Italian Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$1,385 Sale Price / set
20% Off
2 brass and glass Peacock wall-sconces in Hollywood regency style
By OTHR
Located in Zemst, BE
2 wall sconces in brass and glass
Peacock form
Wonderful condition.
Original wiring, that's still ok: ready for use.
Place of origin: Spain
No manufacturer known
Period: mid 1970...
Category
Mid-20th Century Spanish Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
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
Vintage Corton Clarinet Lamp
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A vintage Corton clarinet made in Czechoslovakia (found in France), upcycled into a fabulous table lamp mounted on a beautiful onyx base with a vintage black silk shade. The clarinet shows signs of being a much loved and used musical instrument...
Category
20th Century Czech Empire Lighting
Materials
Onyx, Metal
Pair Chandelier Crystal Montgolfièr Empire Sac a Pearl Lustre Lighting Set
Located in Berlin, DE
A Piece of History Recreated – Timeless Beauty, Faithfully Reborn
Every now and then, you come across a piece that leaves a lasting impression. For me, it was this chandelier a stu...
Category
2010s European Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Brass
Gilded Bronze Empire Floor lamp France 1950s
By Claude Galle
Located in Den Haag, NL
Superb Gilded Bronze France Empire floor lamp ,Exceptional casting
take a look at her beathiful bronze feet . Very nice quality lamp .
Category
1950s French Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
A pair of gilt bronze Empire style candelabra / lamps circa 1860
Located in Sleepy Hollow, NY
A fine pair of mid- to late-19th-century French Empire–style gilt-bronze candelabra, later converted into lamps. Each piece features a fluted column rising to finely chased capitals ...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Impressive Italian Gilt Brass Frame Sixteen Light Cut Crystal Chandelier
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Elevate your space with the grandeur of this Impressive Early 20th Century Italian Gilt Brass Frame Sixteen-Light Cut Crystal Chandelier. This chandelier is a magnificent example of ...
Category
1920s Italian Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Brass
French Empire Gilt Bronze and Griffon Bouillotte Lamp with Tole Shade, C. 1820
Located in Charleston, SC
French Empire gilt bronze bouillotte lamp with three scrolled arms, interior griffon heads, telescopic tole shade with pineapple and feather finial, and resting on the original circu...
Category
1820s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Tôle, Tin, Wire
Mid Century French Empire Style Red & Gold Tole Metal Student Floor Lamp 57"
Located in Dayton, OH
Circa mid 20th century metal tole ware student floor lamp - painted red with gold accents and floral / foliate border on the shade. Metal shade rests on a waffle textured milk glass ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Empire Lighting
Materials
Metal
$490 Sale Price
30% Off
Elegant brass table lamp in the form of an amphora urn, late 19th century
Located in Knivsta, SE
Elegant brass table lamp in the form of an amphora urn, from the late 19th century
Striking and elegant table lamp in polished brass, shaped as a classical amphora urn with sweepin...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Gilt Bronze & Patinated Bronze Oil Lamp
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire gilt bronze & patinated bronze oil lamp.
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
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 Lighting
Materials
Metal, Ormolu
$6,191 Sale Price
30% Off
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 Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
$17,145 Sale Price
30% Off
Empire Gilded Bronze 5 Light Petite Chandelier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A charming and fine, petite, 5 light, gilded bronze Empire chandelier with chain and canopy. 3.5" off-white wax candle sleeves.
Category
19th Century Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Mid. Century vintage elegant neoclassical style lamps/pair
Located in Allentown, PA
This is a pair of mid-century vintage Neo classical style table lamps. These lamps have a copper undertone with a beautiful patinated distressed green patina. These lamps have a hand...
Category
1960s American Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Copper
Italian Empire Blue Glass Beads Crystal Prisms Tole Chandelier, c 1900
Located in Firenze, Toscana
Housing 6 lights. Will be rewired with certified UL US sockets for the USA and appropriate sockets for all other countries and ready to hang. Metal body with swags of rare blue glass...
Category
Early 1900s Italian Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal
Baltic 19th Century Empire St. Ormolu, Patinated Bronze and Crystal Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and extremely high quality Baltic 19th century Empire st. ormolu, patinated bronze and crystal chandelier. The two tiered eight arm twenty four light chandelier is centere...
Category
19th Century Baltic Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze, Ormolu
Large 19th century French empire bronze ormolu table lamp
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Tall 19th century french empire bronze ormolu lamp, circa 1860.
Here we have a lamp of the finest quality, previously would have been a gas lamp but converted to electricity in the ...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
Pair of Stunning Russian Empire Period Ormolu Wall Sconces , ca. 1820s
Located in Wiesbaden, Hessen
A stunning pair of Russian empire period ormolu wall candelabras , ca. 1800s-1830s.
Category
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Pair of Empire Style Bronze Wall Lights, Quiver Model
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This very nice pair of Empire style wall lights is made of bronze. It represents a Quiver. This is a French work. Circa 1880
Category
1880s French Antique Empire Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Empire-Style Wrought Iron and Marble Table Lamp by Maitland-Smith, 1980s
Located in Glasgow, GB
A sculptural Empire Revival table lamp by Maitland-Smith, crafted during the 1980s with the brand’s signature attention to materiality and classical detail.
The design draws direct...
Category
1980s Philippine Vintage Empire Lighting
Materials
Marble, Bronze, Wrought Iron
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...
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.
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Murano Glass Trumpet
Palm Finials
Primavera Barovier
Sergio Asti On Sale
Used Railroad Locomotives
Brass Cobra Snake
Chapman Brass Candlesticks
Copper Palm Tree
Islamic Oil Lamp
Mad Architects
Miami Used Office Furniture
Mirror With Crystal Flowers
Ship Spotlight
Victorian Vintage Cherub
Giraffe Marcantonio
Globus Vintage
Italian Violin
Robert Stadler