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Empire Table Lamps

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
Color:  Gold
French Empire Regency Neoclassical Bronze Patinated Marble 19th Century Lamp
Located in Roslyn, NY
A fine French Empire Regency neoclassical gilt bronze and patinated 19th century lamp with marble center column.
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Marble, Bronze

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...
Category

20th Century French Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Fine French Empire 19th Century Bronze Candelabras Mounted as Lamps, Pair
Located in Miami, FL
Fine French Empire 19th Century Bronze Candelabras Mounted as Lamps, Pair A pair of fine French 19th century Empire bronze candelabras that have been electrified and converted to ta...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Marble, Bronze

French Empire Gilt Bronze and Marble Figural Lamp Base
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
This fine quality lamp base features a gilt classical frieze, and a patinated bronze figure of a classical maiden.
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Pair of Early 19th Century Patinated Bronze and Ormolu Urn Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Fine pair of period Empire table lamps, of gilt and patinated bronze, each having an urn, centered by a lyre, ribbons, and laureling, its foliate-chased neck and shoulder are flanked...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Ormolu, Bronze

Pair of Early 19th Century French Empire Neoclassical Bronze Urns Wired as Lamps
Located in New York, 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 Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Wonderful French Empire Neoclassical Ormolu Painated Gilt Bronze Crystal Lamp
Located in Roslyn, NY
A wonderful French Empire / neoclassical, ormolu painated and gilt bronze with crystal column center lamp.
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Pair of French Empire Bronze Candleabra Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This stylish and chic pair of French Empire bronze candelabra table lamps date to the early 19th century and they were acquired from a Palm Beach estate. Note: Dimensions of hard-...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Russian Empire Gilt Bronze Figural Candelabra Lamp
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A finely cast and gilded Russian Empire style candelabra that was transformed into a lamp; featuring a classical maiden holding aloft three winged sea horses terminating in candle no...
Category

Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

French Empire Bronze Swan Table Lamp
Located in New York, NY
French Empire style 20th century bronze doré 2 swan arm round base bouillotte table lamp with oval green tole shade.
Category

Late 19th Century Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

French 19th Century Bronze and Onyx Table/Stand
Located in Fairfax, VA
French 19th century bronze round onyx table/stand with three ram's head holding the onyx top.
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Antique French Bronze Urn Lamps in the Neoclassic Manner
Located in New York, NY
Pair of antique French bronze urn lamps in the neoclassic manner. Please note the list price is for this set of 2 lamps.
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

20th Century French Black Enamel Tole and Gilt Bronze Table Lamp with Silk Shade
Located in Firenze, IT
A beautiful pair of French Empire style early 20th century black lacquered metal and parcel gilt bronze table lamps with pagoda silk shades. These high quality chic and stylish neoc...
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Bronze, Ormolu

French Empire Style Lamp
Located in Sheffield, MA
Ultra elegant classical Empire style dark green tôle with oil reservoir encircled by bronze band raised on cloven hoof tripod feet over incurved base. Once an oil lamp later converte...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Early 19th Century Empire Candelabra with Caryatids
Located in Paris, FR
Pair of Empire bronze and marble candelabra with three branches each. The lights are supported by bronze caryatids with dark brown patina, who are dressed in long tunics à l’antique ...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Pair of French 19th Century Empire Cut Glass and Bronze Candelabras / Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Pair of very large and impressive French 19th century Empire cut glass and two-tone bronze candelabras made to lamps.
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

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 Table Lamps

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Pair of Empire Ceremonial Bronze Candelabras/Candlesticks after P. P. Thomire
Located in Berlin, DE
A pair of Empire ceremonial candelabras / candlesticks after P. P. Thomire Victoria standing on a gold ball in a long, pleated robe, carrying a vase with a central shaft and 7 c...
Category

20th Century French Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Wonderful Empire Dore Bronze Rock Crystal Neoclassical Figure Candlestick Lamp
Located in Roslyn, NY
Wonderful Empire doré bronze rock crystal neoclassical figure candlestick lamp Stamped made in France on base Completely rewired.
Category

20th Century French Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Rock Crystal, Bronze

French Empire Bronze Dore Table Lamp
Located in New York, NY
French Empire style bronze Dore scroll design 3-arm table lamp with swan and urn motifs, 20th century.
Category

Late 19th Century Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Pair of French Empire Period Doré Bronze Figural Candelabras, Circa 1810
Located in New York, NY
A magnificent pair of French Empire period doré bronze figural candelabra. Each of these beautiful five armed candelabras are meticulously cast and hand-chased with the finest detail...
Category

1810s French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Louis Phillippe Bronze Columnar Table Lamp By Decourt, Paris
Located in Essex, MA
Two light with fluted column and stepped plinth with gilt accents. Bears label .
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

20th Century Italian Empire Bronze Table Lamp Red Lampshade Golden Embroideries
Located in Milan, IT
An Empire style large bronze urn vase wired as table lamp with an oval red lampshade. An Italian circular handled decorative bronze center vase, the so-c...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Large Pair of French Empire Period Candelabra, Attributed to Claude Galle
Located in New York, NY
A magnificent large pair of five-light doré bronze and patinated bronze Empire period candelabra, attributed to Claude Galle made in the early 1800s. This pair of candelabra are set ...
Category

1810s French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Empire Style Crystal and Gilt Bronze Urn Lamp
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A twin handled Empire urn in gilded bronze, the two arms decorated with medusa heads, and classical heads below. Gilt grape leaves encircle the ovoid body. The urn sits on a decorate...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Large Empire Style Gilt and Patinated Bronze Urn, Amphora Table Lamp
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
Large, heavy Empire style gilt and patinated bronze Amphora table lamp decorated with fine ornaments and garlands on a square base supported by four feet covered with leaves. Five-li...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

French Bronze Lamp, Enameled with Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
French bronze lamp, interesting, modern form with fine enameling of Jacques-Louis David's, 1812 painting of The Emperor Napoleon in his Study at the Tuileries, New wiring The heigh...
Category

20th Century French Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Italy Mid-18th Century Empire Pair Brass Candle Holders
Located in Brescia, IT
Italy Mid-18th Century pair of brass Empire five lights candleholders or table lamps This wonderful pair of brass candle holders, is a magnificent hand made work by Italian artisan...
Category

Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Charles X Ormolu and Bronze Candelabra Lamps
Located in New York, NY
With acanthus-wrapped fluted columns on scroll-form feet and triangular base. Lamp shades not included. Height to socket is 20" - height can be adjusted with different harps.
Category

1830s French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Tall French Empire Bronze Doré Six-Arm Candelabra as Lamps
Located in Dallas, TX
A large pair of French Empire period chased, gilded bronze six-arm candelabra converted into table lamps. The bases rise from triangular plinths supporting three winged sphinxes with...
Category

Early 1800s French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

French Empire Style Bronze Swan Table Lamp
Located in New York, NY
French Empire style (20th Century) bronze dore 3 arm bouillotte table lamp with swan motif.
Category

20th Century French Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

French Empire Style Bronze Egyptian Lamp
Located in New York, NY
French Empire-style (19th Century) bronze lamp with 3 Egyptian ebonized & gilt figures resting on a round base.
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Fine Pair of Empire Patinated & Gilt Bronze Candelabre, Mounted as Lamps
Located in Sheffield, MA
A fine pair of empire patinated & gilt bronze Candelabre, mounted as lamps 1st quarter of the 19th century Each reeded stem above drum base relief-cast with four putti on leaf-b...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

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 Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Superb Antique Italian Neoclassical Empire Bronze Figural Candelabras
Located in New York, NY
A pair of superb antique Italian empire neoclassical gilt bronze and patinated bronze figural candelabra lamps with royal markings, 19th century. Measure: Overall height 38.50”.
Category

Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

A Very Fine Pair of Empire Parcel Gilt Bronze Three Light Candelabra / Lamps
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A very handsome pair of Empire Period parcel gilt bronze 3 light candelabra of exceptional quality & fine proportions, having been converted to table lamps decades ago. Both showing ...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Lamps

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 Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Wonderful Pair of French Empire Neoclassical Bronze Crystal Spike Lamps Fixtures
Located in Roslyn, NY
A wonderful pair of French empire or neoclassical patinated and gilt bronze and crystal spike lamps / light fixtures completely redone with new wires and ca...
Category

1940s French Vintage Empire Table Lamps

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Empire table lamps for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Empire table lamps 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 table lamps 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 table lamps 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 table lamps, popular names associated with this style include Alexandre Vossion, Gherardo Degli Albizzi, The Marbro Lamp Company, and Chapman Manufacturing Company. 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 table lamps 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 $117,686 while the average work can sell for $2,769.

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