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.
Pair of Empire Bronze & Mercury-Gilt Column Lamps
Located in Henley-on Thames, Oxfordshire
French, Empire / Charles X period, circa 1825 A handsome pair of table lamps, each modelled as a fluted column in dark patinated bronze rising to a finely cast Corinthian capital in...
Bronze
$520Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Spelter Table Lamp In Empire Style. French C.1920
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful spelter table lamp Amazing old bronze patina The lamp has been re-wired. Shade included The measurement relates to the lamp base not including shade Free UK shipping ...
Spelter
Vintage French Dore Bronze Bouillotte Lamp with Red Shade
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This is a vintage French Empire style Bouillotte table lamp featuring a striking red tole shade with gold toned leaf accents atop a three light candleholder base. Each arm has a swan...
Bronze, Tôle
A Pair of 19th Century French Empire Silver Plate Candlesticks as Lamps
Located in London, GB
France, circa 1860 A pair of mid nineteenth century French Empire silver candlesticks, the central stem terminating with tripod hairy paw feet atop a circular base. Height 38.50cm ...
Silver Plate
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 ...
Bronze, Ormolu
Pair of Elegant Empire Table Lamps in Bronze. Early 19th Century
Located in Knivsta, SE
Pair of Elegant Empire Table Lamps in bronze, early 19th Century France, originally candlesticks. Includes new black lacquer lampshade with gold details, giving the lamp a warm and ...
Bronze
Large French Empire Style Bouillotte Lamp, Vintage Circa 1940
Located in Austin, TX
Bouillotte lamp from France in the French Empire style. This piece is made of finely cast bronze and features four branches with candelabra style lighting. There is a striking arrow ...
Brass
Elegant Table Lamp in bronze. Originally an Empire candlestick from the 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Elegant Table Lamp in bronze. Originally an Empire candlestick from France made during the 1820s. The middle part in the form of a column. Richly decorated with leaf and period Empir...
Bronze
Gilt Bronze "Bouillotte" Table Lamp with Swans Motifs, France 20th Century
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A refined French Empire-style bouillotte lamp crafted in gilt bronze, distinguished by its elegant swan-form candle arms and richly engraved decorative details. Inspired by the neocl...
Bronze
Vintage French Empire Brass & Italian Black Marble Column Table Lamps - a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Empire Style Italian Black Marble & Polished Brass Column Table Lamps With Black Textured Shades - a Pair. Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 27.5" H (to finia...
Marble, Brass
Pair of Gilded 19th Century Italian Empire Lamps in Carved Wood
Located in Milano, MI
Pair of Antique 19th-Century Italian Empire Gilded Lamps in Carved Wood, centerpiece, made with early-1800s finials, vases on hexagonal plinth with vegetable pastille carving frames,...
Gold Leaf
Pair of Large Brass Table Lamps by Willy Daro, Belgium, 1970s
By Willy Daro
Located in Beerse, VAN
A pair of large table lamps by Belgian designer Willy Daro, dating from the 1970s. The tall rectangular bases are crafted from brass and divided into vertical panels, giving the lam...
Brass
Beautiful pair of Empire Table Lamps, originally candlesticks from the 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Beautiful pair of Empire Table Lamps in Bronze. Originally a pair of Empire candlesticks from the 1820s, converted to table lamps in the early 20th Century. Newly rewired electrici...
Bronze
Antique Sevres Style Porcelain Hand-Painted & Gilt Mounted Urn Table Lamp
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
The colorful antique hand-painted porcelain twin handled urn vase, circa 1850-1880, was later converted into a lamp and mounted onto custom round bronze and enamel metal base with ro...
Gold, Bronze
Robert Abbey Templeton Bronze Trophy Urn Table Lamp Empire Shade Light
By Robert Abbey
Located in Dayton, OH
Templeton 7102G urn table lamp, way buddha bronze with golden beige cast metal empire shade with matching soutache - Robert Abbey Measures: 10.5” x 24...
Bronze
$462Sale Price|30% Off
Antique French Bouillotte Lamp, Hand-Painted Toleware, 1930s
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Bronze Bouillotte Lamp
Sheet Metal
Large and elegant Table Lamp in Empire style - Early 20th Century
Located in Knivsta, SE
Large, beautiful table lamp of gilded and dark patinated bronze, in classic Empire style from the early 20th century. The lamp with a black lacquer shade with gold on the inside give...
Bronze
Elegant Pair of French Empire Bronze Table Lamps, 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Pair of French Empire Bronze Table Lamps, 1820s A refined pair of table lamps crafted from original early 19th-century French Empire candlesticks in bronze, now elegantly converted ...
Bronze
Mid 20th Century Italian Tole Lamp
Located in Doylestown, PA
Mid 20th century Italian tole lamp with original shade. Fine Italian tole column form table lamp in a warm ochre hue. It is intricately painted with...
Tôle, Brass
19th Century Empire Gilt Bronze Bouillotte Table Lamp
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A very stylish 19th century Empire style 'Bouillotte' table lamp in gilt bronze, lit by three curvaceous 'swans head' arms and topped with a green lacquered metal (tole) shade adorne...
Bronze
French Empire Brass Art Deco Nickel Plated Brass Shell Shade Desk Table Lamp
Located in Amsterdam, NL
1920s Empire French brass table desk lamp Nickel Art Deco shell shade with heavy brass base Brass base. Black cotton wire and plug. Also, available with US/UK plug Weight: 1.00 kg...
Brass, Nickel
$4,000Sale Price|20% Off
Marvelous MARBRO Mid Century Polished Brass Table Lamp! Huge Showpiece Lighting
Located in Peoria, AZ
SENSATIONAL! MID CENTURY MONUMENTAL BRASS MARBRO LAMP! MID CENTURY DECORATION ICON! DUAL PULL STRING SOCKETS! POLISHED BRASS ORIGINAL SHADE & BRASS FINIAL DIMENSIONS: 40" x 21" In the forties and fifties, decorators would choose the most impressive lamp they could obtain and place it in a home's "picture window" so that all passerby and visitors could glimpse just how well the occupants lived! Picture windows started disappearing in the late sixties, but demand for monumental lighting...
Metal, Gold
French Early 20th Century Empire Brass and Bronze Table Lamp and Shade
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
An early 20th-century French Empire-style brazier, which was used as a portable heater burning hot coals or other fuel for interior warmth. This example was converted to a table lamp...
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Vintage French Table Lamps, Handcrafted Marble & Gilded Bronze, 1920s
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A black, vintage French pair of large table lamps made of hand crafted marble with a new round shade, in good condition. They are composed with its original switch, particularized by...
Marble, Bronze
Vintage French Empire Brass Tole Metal Candlestick Bouillotte Desk Table Lamp
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Empire Style Brass Tole Metal Twin Candlestick Bouillotte Desk Table Lamp with White Painted Metal Adjustable Oval Shade. Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 26" H ...
Brass
Vintage French Empire Burnished Brass Small Bouillotte Black Column Table Lamp
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Empire Burnished Brass Small Bouillotte Black Column Table Lamp. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: 21" H (to finial) x 15" H (to light socket) x 10" W x 10" D. {3-...
Brass
Beautiful pair of Empire Table Lamps, originally candlesticks from the 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Beautiful pair of Empire Table Lamps in Bronze. Originally a pair of Empire candlesticks from the 1820s, converted to table lamps in the early 20th Century. Very period design. Newl...
Bronze
Table Lamp in gilded and dark patinated bronze. Empire 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Elegant Table Lamp in gilded and dark patinated bronze. Originally an Empire Candelabra from the 1820s converted into a table lamp in the early 20th Century. The lampshade in black ...
Bronze
Antique French Billiard, Snooker or Kitchen Island Brass Chandelier, 1850s
Located in Wiesbaden, Hessen
A huge and impressive French Empire brass chandelier for billiard/snooker or kitchen island. Lamp socket: 2 x E27 or E26 ( US) for standard screw bulbs. France, circa 1840 - 1860s....
Brass
French Pair of Empire Patina Dore Bronze Winged Lady Victory Candelabras
Located in Roslyn, NY
Wonderful pair French Napoleon III Empire style gilt doré and patinated bronze neoclassic three-arm candelabra with finely cast detail, each featuring a classical winged lady victory...
Bronze
French Empire Style Brass Double Bouillotte Table Lamp
By Stiffel
Located in Germantown, MD
A Stiffel sryle brass double bouillotte table lamp featuring a dark green shade Style: Regency/French Empire, featuring a candlestick column design on a tripartite base. Features: In...
Brass
French Empire Gilt and Patinated Bronze Columnar Lamp
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
This handsome gilt and patinated columnar lamp base features Classical motifs including acanthus leaves and paw feet.
Bronze
$3,360Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair 19th Century French Empire Ormolu Patinated Bronze Candelabra Lamps.
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Pair 19th Century French Empire Ormolu Patinated Bronze Candelabra Lamps. Pair of elegant antique French Empire bronze four light candelabras converted to table lamps. The outstandi...
Bronze, Ormolu
French Empire Style Triple Bouillotte Table Lamp
By Stiffel
Located in Germantown, MD
A Stiffel sryle brass triple bouillotte table lamp featuring a dark green shade Style: Regency/French Empire, featuring a candlestick column design on a tripartite base. Features: In...
Brass
19th Century French Bouillotte Lamp with Green Tole Shade
Located in Stamford, CT
A 19th century French Empire etched brass bouillotte lamp, originally and oil lamp that has been electrified. With three arms below a green painted adjustable tole shade, the body an...
Brass, Zinc
Empire-style Bouillotte Lamp
Located in BARSAC, FR
Large Empire-style hot-water bottle lamp in gilded bronze with an oval painted sheet metal shade. Two light arms, faux opaline candles. Made in France, circa 1950 Very good condition...
Bronze
19th Century French Empire Bronze Table Lamp with Ebonized Wood Base
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
French 19th century Empire style cast bronze table lamp with new linen shade, converted from gas to electric. This substantial Neoclassical fixture has a Greco-Roman female figure fo...
Metal, Bronze
Fine Pair of French Empire Style Black Porcelain & Bronze Mounted Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful and fine pair of French Empire style Art Deco period black porcelain and bronze mounted table lamps. This beautiful pair of bl...
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Empire Bouillotte Green Tole Three Light Table Lamp.
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Early 19th Century French Empire Bouillotte Green Tole Three Light Table Lamp. Beautiful French Empire brass Bouillotte lamp with three swan decorated scrolled arms. A finely chise...
Metal, Bronze
$2,920Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair French Empire Ormolu & Patinated Bronze Fluted Column Lamps, Signed, 1830s
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair French Empire Ormolu & Patinated Bronze Fluted Column Lamps, Signed, Dombrowski Fabricant Rue St. Honoré 343 a Paris, Circa 1830s A magnificent pair of French Empire Ormolu and...
Bronze, Ormolu
Vintage French Table Lamps, Handcrafted Marble & Gilded Bronze, 1920s
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A black, vintage French pair of large table lamps made of hand crafted marble with a new round shade, in good condition. They are composed with its original switch, particularized by...
Marble, Metal, Bronze
A Pair of Large Antique French Empire Neoclassical Silvered Bronze Figural Lamps
Located in New York, NY
A Pair of Unusually Large and extremely unique Antique French Empire Neoclassical Silvered Bronze Figural Lamps. A Pair of Unusually Large Antique French Empire Neoclassical Silvere...
Bronze
Beautiful tablelamp originally a Empire Candlestick i bronze. From 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Beautiful Table Lamp, originally a Empire Candlestick i Bronze from France during the 1820s. Newly rewired electricity New lampshades in black lacquer with gilding on the inside t...
Bronze
Vintage Italian Bouillotte Lamp by Chapman, Turned Wood & Brass, 1960s
Located in Winter Park, FL
A vintage Italian bouillotte style lamp made in Italy by The Champman Manufacturing Company. Turned wood base with brass four arm candelabra and original green tôle shade with eglomi...
Brass, Tôle
$128,022 / set
German Empire Period Seven-Piece Silver Candelabra Set
Located in London, GB
German empire period seven-piece silver candelabra set German, circa 1810 Meaures: Largest: Height 66.5cm, diameter 30cm Smallest: Height 51cm, width ...
Silver
Exceptional French Empire Brass Table Lamp, 1820s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Exceptional French Empire Brass Table Lamp, 1820s An outstanding French Empire brass table lamp, circa 1820–30, originally designed as an oil...
Brass
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...
Bronze, Ormolu
$749Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Empire Style Brass Bouillotte Table Lamp, Hand-Painted Tôle Shade
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Elegant vintage French Empire-style bouillotte lamp with polished brass base, three candle lights, and teal crackle-finish metal tôle shade with gilt laurel decoration. This strikin...
Metal, Brass
Empire Style Bouillote Lamp, Bronze & Gold Leaf, French Antique, 1900
Located in Austin, TX
Lamp, French, “Bouillote”, made of finely cast bronze. The piece mimics a traditional oil lamp and is topped with a gold leaf painted adjustable lamp shade. It has been newly wired t...
Bronze, Gold Leaf
Mid-19th Century Tole Bouillotte Candlestick Lamp from France
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 1860s French Bouillotte lamp featuring three candlesticks with brackets and a golden taupe tole shade accented by a decorative teal floral border. Bouillotte is a gambling card ...
Metal
Vintage Stiffel Empire Style Burnished Brass & Porcelain Table Lamps (B) - Pair
By Stiffel
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Stiffel Empire Style Lacquered Burnished Brass & Porcelain Table Lamps (B) - Pair. Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 37" H (to finial) x 27" H (to light socket) x 6.5" W...
Brass
French Napoleonic Table Lamps Tartan Tripod Base Lion Paws Empire Lamps a Pair
By Stiffel, Chapman Manufacturing Company, Burberry, Edward F. Caldwell & Co., Frederick Cooper
Located in Wommelgem, VAN
Vintage French Empire Table Lamps with tartan lampshades Style: Vintage Antique, Empire, Napoleonic, Traditional, Classic, Baroque, Design: Traditional Napoleonic Column lamps in th...
Metal
Pair of French Empire/Regency Patinated & Doré Bronze Urns Mounted as lamps
Located in New York, NY
Pair of French Empire and Regency Style Patinated and Doré Bronze Urns Mounted as Lamps This pair of patinated and doré bronze urns, subsequently mounted as lamps, is designed in th...
Bronze
French Empire Brass Bouillotte Table Lamp with Green Shade, Three Arms
Located in Queens, NY
French Empire style (20th Century) brass 3 arm bouillotte table lamp with horn motif and green shade. Arrow finial is missing
Brass
Rare French Blue Opaline Glass Lamp Pair
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning pair of rare French Opaline Glass lamps. Each lam features an elegant urn shaped silhouette with a smooth, high gloss finish that beautifully reflects light. The bases and...
Gold Leaf
19th Century Ormolu and Tole Bouillotte Lamp
Located in Stamford, CT
Late 19th century directoire bouillotte table lamp. Lamp features original elements and original black tole lampshade with gilt brass leaf applied detailing. Newly rewired with side ...
Bronze, Tôle, Brass
French Pair Empire Dore Bronze Winged Putti Candelabras
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Wonderful pair of French Napoleon III Empire style gilt doré and patinated bronze neoclassical four-arm candelabra with finely cast decorated detail. Each lamp features a classical w...
Bronze
Vintage French Empire Brass Candlestick Tole Metal Bouillotte Desk Table Lamp
By Sedgefield
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Sedgefield by Adams French Empire Style Brass Candlestick Tole Metal Bouillotte Desk Table Lamp. Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 24" H (to finial) x 14" H (to light so...
Metal
French Empire Style Brass Triple Bouillotte Table Lamp
By Stiffel
Located in Germantown, MD
A Stiffel sryle brass triple bouillotte table lamp featuring a dark green shade Style: Regency/French Empire, featuring a candlestick column design on a tripartite base. Features: In...
Brass
$6,800 / set
Pair 1930’s Empire Cut Crystal Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Pair of very nice cut crystal table lamps with bronze fittings, French Empire style. newly UL rewired
Crystal, Bronze