Napoleon III Lighting
NAPOLEON III STYLE
Under Napoleon III’s rule, Paris underwent a great rebuilding overseen by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, which created grand avenues and lavish landmarks like the Paris Opera. Antique Napoleon III–style furniture was flamboyant and eclectic. It was also known as Second Empire style since it followed and referenced the Empire style of his uncle Napoleon I.
Developing from 1852–70, Napoleon III furniture was plush and ornate, matching the fashion for masked balls and socializing in salons. It borrowed freely from earlier French styles including Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI as well as aesthetics from around the world, from antiquity to Asian art. As writer Gustave Claudin remarked in 1867, the country’s architects worked in “a style which one would be tempted to call neo-Greco-Gothico-Pompadour-Pompeian.”
Napoleon III chairs were completely covered with velvet and lined with tassels; pouf footstools invited people to put up their feet. Sofas were upholstered with tapestries, and beds were adorned with gilt bronze and theatrical canopies. The addition of conservatories to homes led to new indoor-outdoor furniture, while the spirit of hygiene promoted by Baron Haussmann inspired bright, floral motifs.
Although the most ostentatious designs were for the elite, as seen in the Napoleon III apartments preserved in the Louvre, where red velvet, gilding and chandeliers create a cacophony of luxury, these trends influenced homes across classes as manufacturing made design increasingly accessible. Papier-mâché furniture allowed for elaborate shapes that would have been difficult to carve in wood. The malleable material was painted with chinoiserie patterns and decorative designs. It was mass-produced by factories such as Jennens and Bettridge with varnishing and mother-of-pearl inlays creating an effect reminiscent of Asian lacquer. (Surfaces that had been “japanned” — a specialty of Jennens and Bettridge — were intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia.)
Find a collection of antique Napoleon III decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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Style: Napoleon III
Antique French Empress Eugenie Baccarat Crystal Chandelier, Circa 1865-1885.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique French Empress Eugenie Baccarat Crystal Chandelier, Circa 1865-1885.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Crystal
A pair of Napoleon III bronze and ormolu table lamps
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A pair of Napoleon III bronze and ormolu table lamps, each in the form of a bronze putto holding the base of a single light fitting, left and right handed, set on an ormolu cylindric...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Large impressionist ceramic, mounted as a lamp (pierced bottom) XIXème
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Large impressionist ceramic, mounted as a lamp (pierced bottom) with decoration of boats and flowering trees, late 19th century
currently presented with a large patinated plaster can...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Ceramic
Transparent Blown and Pinch Glass Chandelier Decorated with Crystals, Austria
Located in Honnelles, WHT
Glass and crystal chandelier on three levels, 16 sconces.
Category
20th Century Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Glass
Porcelain Table Lamp Sevres Style, Early 20th Century
Located in Lisbon, PT
A Napoleon III Sevres styled table lamp with painted porcelain with gallant nymphs in the garden, gilded bronze and letterhead in the spirit of the Baroque Revivalist style of the 19...
Category
20th Century French Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Brass, Bronze
1970′ Pair Of Patinated Bronze Floor Lamps Maison Charles Palm Tree Model
Located in Paris, FR
Pair of height-adjustable bronze floor lamps,
condition of use vintage,
Circa 1950/70, screwed elements, the shaft decorated with a palm tree rests on a tripod base decorated with l...
Category
1950s French Vintage Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of lilac porcelain of Paris lamps, circa 1880
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of Lilac colour Paris porcelain lamps standing on a piedouche shape base mounted in gilt bronze. The upper part of the vase is decorated with a white background frieze with a fl...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Napoleon III Floor Lamp, in Bronze, Brass and Marble, Variable Height
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Napoleon III floor lamp, in bronze, brass and marble.
Variable height.
Metal wear.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Pair of 19th Century French Bronze Painted Sconces
Located in Southampton, NY
Pair of 19th century French bronze painted sconces.
Category
19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Paris Porcelain Pink and Gold over White Glazed Porcelain Vase Table Lamp
Located in London, by appointment only
Paris Porcelain Pink and Gold over White Glazed Vase Mounted as a Table Lamp
Paris Porcelain monochrome pink pigment underglaze depicting bucolic...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
charming pink and white glass chandelier, Napoleon III
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
charming pink and white glass chandelier, Napoleon III
NOT ELECTRIFIED
lighting candles
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Metal
Monumental French Late 19th Century Marble and Ormolu Lamps
Located in London, GB
A monumental pair of French lamps in antique vert marble and gilt bronze. Set on large antique vert marble bases with gilt bronze mouldings. The lamp holders are in the form of the b...
Category
1880s French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Chandelier with knights, in the style of E. Viollet-le-Duc, France, circa 1880
By Eugène Emmanuel Viollet Le Duc
Located in Paris, FR
French « chevaliers » chandelier, circa 1880, in polished bronze.
Originally gas-fired, it has recently been electrified.
The height is given without the suspension chain.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Bronze D' Ore and Crystal Chandelier
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique 19th century French Napoleon III bronze d' ore and crystal chandelier.
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Opaline Lanterne with Gilded Bronze
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Opaline pink lantern with bronze style Napoleon III. This lantern is part of the high
French decoration decorated and hand painting. These colors for thi...
Category
1880s Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Antique French Napoleon III Crystal & Gold Bronze 12-Light Chandelier circa 1890
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique French Napoleon III crystal and gold bronze 12-light chandelier, circa 1890's.
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Large Antique French Bronze Wall Sconce Napoleon III
Located in SAINTE-COLOMBE, FR
Large antique French bronze wall sconce Napoleon III (19th Century).
This large decorative wall sconce in bronze features o...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Very Fine Gilt Bronze & Crystal Napoleon III Style Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine Napoleon III style chandelier with rope twist arm having a bronze dore frame ornate with clear, "fumee" and amethyst color hand cut pendalogues ...
Category
1890s French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
1970 Pair of Wall Lamp Deco Chinese in the Style of Maison Baguès
Located in Paris, FR
Gilded iron wall lamps decorated with crystal has decor of Chinese, mister and miss in Kimono,
circa 1970.
Good condition.
Category
1970s French Vintage Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Iron
Ceiling Lamp circa 1900, in Gilded Metal and Engraved Glass
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Ceiling lamp circa 1900, in gilded metal and engraved glass.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Metal
Antique Magnificent Floor Lamp, Bronze, Gold Napoleon III
Located in Berlin, DE
Antique magnificent floor lamp, bronze, gold Napoleon III.
Voluminous body with curved bronze arms. Lavishly with crystal curtains.
Solid gilt bronze base with curved volutes in Louis XV style.
Finely cast and chased bronze elements, gilded.
Lampshade frame...
Category
1880s French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Brass, Bronze
Paire d'appliques
Located in VILLENEUVE-LÈS-AVIGNON, FR
Paire d'appliques à trois bras de lumières en bronze doré (électrifiés)
Napoleon III
Category
1880s French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Napoleon III Period Gilt Bronze Chandelier with Putti
Located in Marseille, FR
19th chandelier in gilt and silver bronze with putti decoration, Louis XVI style. Outstanding quality of carving and gilding.
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
A Pair of Napoleon III Gilt-Bronze Neoclassical Vases, Fitted As Lamps
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Pair of Napoleon III Gilt-Bronze Neoclassical Vases, Fitted As Lamps. Attributed to Ferdinand Barbedienne.
Designed in the Néo-Grec style with scrolled swan handles and body relie...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Pair of 19th Century Gilt Bronze Lyre Sconces
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A pair of 19th century gilt bronze Lyre sconces, Napoleon III period, 3 lights.
Measures: H: 47 cm, W: 35 cm, D: 24 cm.
Category
Late 19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Very Fine Napoleon III Style Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine Napoleon III style chandelier having a gilt bronze frame with "S" curve arms ornate with "Fumee" purple pendalogues and beaded swags. 8 Lights.
France, circa 1900. Dimen...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Pair of French Napoleon III Bronze Sconce
Located in Dallas, TX
Fantastic pair of French Napoleon III nickel-plated 3-light sconces. Having fine detailed castings of ribbon, cornucopia, swag, and acanthus motifs. A great pair of sconces to suit...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
A pair of Napoleon III two-branch ormolu wall lights
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A pair of Napoleon III two-branch ormolu wall lights, each in the form of a tied ribbon supporting a stem of fruiting vines and foliage with gadrooned drip trays and acanthus carved ...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
19th Pair of Large Bronze Candlesticks by Jules Moigniez
Located in Marseille, FR
Pair of large bronze candlesticks decorated with animals and waders by Jules Moigniez patina remake of the late 19th century.
Category
19th Century Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Antique French Napoleon III Gold Bronze and Baccarat Crystal Chandelier, Ca 1880
Located in New Orleans, LA
Exceptional antique French Napoleon III gold bronze and baccarat crystal chandelier, Circa 1880.
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
1880 Chandelier in Bindweeds with Blue Opaline and White Opaline Flowers
Located in Paris, FR
Chandelier in bindweeds with bowl in opaline blue and flowers in opaline white, frame brass and bronze, six candlesticks, condition of use, circa 1880-1900.
Category
1880s French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Three Wall Lamps Has Three Arms of Light, Crystal of Murano, Straws of Gold
Located in Paris, FR
Set three wall lamps three arms, four falling leaves, two rising flowers, three rising leaves, lower cone ending in bell, good condition, circa 1950-1970.
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Crystal
Pair of 20th Century Continental Porcelain Lamps
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Pair of 20th Century Continental Porcelain Lamps
Category
Mid-20th Century French Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Late 19th Century French Basket of Flower Chandelier
Located in Southampton, NY
Late 19th century French bronze woven basket with St Cloud
Porcelain flowers as a chandelier.
Category
19th Century Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Unusual Pair of Napoleon III Sconces - France, Circa 1880s
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Very rare pair of sconces, made out of antique bayonets that have been bent into scrolled arms.
Highly decorative, adorned metal stars, rosettes an...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Pair of Napoleon III Six-Light Candelabra
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A pair of Napoleon III six-light candelabra
each with a young faun in bronze holding two ormolu candle branches entwined with vine leaves set upon stop fluted grey marble columns wh...
Category
1860s French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Napoléon III Gilt-Bronze Three-Light Wall Appliques, by Maison Millet
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A fine pair of Napoléon III gilt-bronze three-light wall appliques, by Maison Millet.
Each applique is cast as a winged mermaid canephore figure supporting a palmette cast basket ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
Two-Tier Gild Napoleon III Chandelier
Located in Washington, DC
A two-tier gild Napoleon III chandelier. Eight lights.
Newly wired for the United States.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Exceptional Baccarat Chandelier and Its Ten Wall-Lights, France, Circa 1870
Located in PARIS, FR
Provenance : Private palace, Italy.
Chandelier- Height : 255 cm (100,4 in) ; diam. : 170 cm (66,9 in).
Wall-lights - Height : 102 cm (40,1 in.) ; width : 58 cm (22,8 in.) ; depth...
Category
1870s French Antique Napoleon III Lighting
Materials
Crystal
Napoleon Iii lighting for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Napoleon III 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 Napoleon III 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 Baccarat, Ferdinand Barbedienne, Europa Antiques, and OMBRES ET FACETTES. 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 $300 and tops out at $233,178 while the average work can sell for $3,389.