Empire Table Mirrors
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.
1880s Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mirror, Mahogany
1820s French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Silver Plate
1820s French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Marble, Gold Plate, Bronze
19th Century European Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mirror, Paint
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Pine
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Gold
1880s Danish Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Walnut
1820s French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Gold Plate, Bronze
Mid-19th Century American Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Bronze
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Bronze, Ormolu
1890s Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mirror, Wood
19th Century European Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Bronze
1830s American Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Ormolu, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mirror, Walnut
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Fruitwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mirror
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Bronze
20th Century Empire Table Mirrors
Copper
19th Century English Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Wood
Early 1800s English Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Wood
Late 19th Century British Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Silver, Bronze
1960s American Vintage Empire Table Mirrors
Mirror, Walnut
19th Century Chinese Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Marine turtle
1950s North American Vintage Empire Table Mirrors
Glass, Mirror
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Crystal, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mahogany
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Brass
1820s Italian Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Lapis Lazuli
1830s British Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Metal
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Table Mirrors
Marble