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 19th Century Italian Empire Side Chairs, Two Pair Available
Located in Houston, TX
Pair 19th-century Italian Empire side chairs featuring carved foliage back with central ebonized medallion and elegantly curved legs. Two pairs available, sold in pairs.
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century Ebonized Italian Empire Style Side Chair
Located in Houston, TX
Ebonized Italian Empire style side chair featuring brass ormolu, claw feet, and a lattice-work back. This piece has a newly upholstered feather down seat cushion. 20" Seat height inc...
Brass, Ormolu
$1,760Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Antique Empire Black & Gold Chairs W Red Clarence House Seats
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Pair of Antique Empire Black & Gold Chairs W Red Clarence House Seats. Each has been freshly upholstered in red Clarence House fabric with gold stars. This listing is from one pair ...
Wood
Regency Style Armchair, Fruitwood & Mohair, Parcel Gilt, Sweden, 1890s
Located in New York, NY
Stunning Regency style armchair featuring a Fruitwood frame with hand-carved matte ebonized plume body details and traditional 22-karat gilded parcel gilt detail on stylized heron heads at arm fronts and legs. Mint restored with new Moss Green mohair upholstery. Available at 200 Lexington...
Gold Leaf
1930s Hickory Chair Empire Klismos Mahogany and Upholstered Seat Side Chairs
By Hickory Chair Furniture Company
Located in Germantown, MD
1930s Hickory Chair Company Empire Klismos style Mahogany and Upholstered Seat Side Chairs. Measure 18" in width, 21" in depth 34.5" tall. Seat height is 18".
Upholstery, Mahogany
Late 19th Century Empire Style Childrens Chair
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
An elegant and rare childrens 'Bergère chair made in Empire style. Made of finely carved beechwood. At the top swan heads, which is a typical ornate of the Empire style. Upholstered ...
Fabric, Beech
French Empire style Black Wood and Velvet Armchair, 1850s
Located in Meulebeke, BE
France / 1850 / armchair / wood, velvet / Empire / Antique French Empire style armchair made around 1850. This characterful chair features a blackened wooden frame with gracefully c...
Velvet, Wood
Pair of Rare Postmodern Empire Black Lacquered Swan Neck Wide Chairs
Located in San Diego, CA
Rare pair of Swan neck black lacquered wide chairs recovered in beige ultrasuede fabric , and a semigloss finish beautiful elegant and unique we have 4 more available we are selling ...
Ultrasuede, Wood
Pair of Napoleonic Empire Style Gondola Chairs with Dolphins
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Gorgeous pair of carved walnut gondola chairs featuring dolphins. Crafted in the grand Napoleonic French empire taste with a curved crestrail and intricately carved splat centered by...
Fabric, Walnut
Pair of American Empire Style Stripe Upholstered Wooden Dining Side Chairs
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of American Empire mahogany veneer side chairs having an openwork urn-form splat back with an upholstered inset seat in a gold and red striped gradated fabric, standing on two...
Fabric
Pair of Early Chiavari Chairs by Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi
Located in Sharon, CT
Extraordinary light and strong, probably out of rosewood. Early version in untouched condition. Missing their rush seating-one chair retains remnants of early (if not original) rushing. These chairs were originally designed in 1807! in answer to a Challenge to design a 'modern' chair. These chairs were very popular amongst the nobility in the 19th century, and were the model for Gio Ponti's update Classic Super Leggera Chair.
Wood
Pair of 19th Century Empire Lyre Back Dining Chairs
Located in San Francisco, CA
Pair of 19th century Empire Lyre back dining chairs Wonderful pair of walnut dining chairs with carved double eagle head and lyre carving. Mea...
Walnut
Vintage French Empire Mahogany Side Chairs with Bronze "Sphinx" Ormolu - a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Empire Style Mahogany Side Chairs with Bronze "Sphinx/Lion" Ormolu - a Pair. Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 35.5" H x 18" W x 20" D x 19.5" Seat height.
Bronze
Ann Getty's antique prototype, c.1810 French Empire chair
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Ann Getty's original c.1810 antique prototype chair that Louis Rossi reproduced exclusively for the “Ann Getty House Collection" - a furniture line of original and authentic reproduc...
Silk, Upholstery, Fruitwood
19th Century Empire Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Pair Armchair
Located in Tarry Town, NY
19th century French Empire style handcrafted gilt bronze mahogany framed upholstered pair of armchair. Each armchairs is set on four straight mahogany legs, the front two of which ar...
Bronze
$6,090 / set
Pair of Russian Empire Side Chairs
Located in Atlanta, GA
Pair of Russian Empire Side Chairs - Original untouched finish newly reupholstered seat in Jim Thompson fabric.
Upholstery, Wood
Antique French Empire Mahogany Side Chairs w/ Neoclassical Bronze Ormolu - Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Empire Mahogany Side Chairs with Neoclassical Bronze Ormolu - a Pair. Item features finely cast ornate bronze ormolu, slightly curved backrest, solid wood frames, beau...
Bronze
$6,554Sale Price / set|20% Off
18th Century French Neoclassical Mahogany High Back Armchairs, Silk Upholster
Located in Firenze, IT
These French Neoclassical mahogany armchairs, dating from the late 18th to early 19th century are a legacy of craftsmanship, a touch of Parisian elegance for your home, potentially a...
Silk, Wood, Mahogany
$18,000 / set
French Empire Green Damask Side Chairs
Located in Queens, NY
Set of 8 French Empire-style (19th Century) mahogany side chairs with bronze trim and green damask upholstery. (PRICED AS Set) Antique condition, some fa...
Damask, Upholstery, Mahogany
19th C Biedermeier Italian Burl Fruitwood Curule Base Side Chairs - a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Pair of 19th C Biedermeier Ebonized & Fruitwood Curule Base Side Chairs. Item features shapely sabre legs, ebonized back splats, rolled backs, beautiful original veneer and solid woo...
Fruitwood
$8,000Sale Price / set|38% Off
Set of Four French Empire Armchairs, 1810
Located in Belmont, MA
This set of four Empire armchairs dates back to around 1810. The elegant armchairs have a pretty cherry wood frame. The armrest and front ...
Cherry
$1,920Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century Empire Tub Armchair
Located in Belmont, MA
Empire Tub Armchair in Mahogany with New Upholstery, Circa 1820 Unique Empire tub armchair, crafted circa 1820 in rich mahogany with finely carved decorat...
Mahogany
Pair of French Empire Period Gilt-Bronze Mounted Side Chairs
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A pair of Empire Period gilt-bronze mounted side chairs. French, Circa 1820.
Bronze
Set of Four Swedish Empire Side Chairs by F. Pettersson, Mid 19th C.
Located in Atlanta, GA
A set of four Swedish Empire side chairs from the mid-19th century by furniture maker F. Pettersson. These antique chairs from Sweden have an elegantly curved backs, with straight wo...
Upholstery, Giltwood, Wood
$2,396Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century Gold Gilt and Painted Empire Armchair
Located in San Angelo, TX
Here is a beautiful Empire chair that we purchased in Naples, Italy. This is a classic style, with a fun pop of color with blue velvet that can be left as is or can be reupholstered ...
Wood, Paint
$1,516Sale Price / set|20% Off
Antique 19th Century Empire Black Opera Chairs with Tiger Upholstery, Pair
Located in Elkhart, IN
A stunning pair of antique Empire hand carved walnut hall chairs, painted black, with gorgeous tiger velvet upholstery USA, Circa Mid-19th Century Measures: 17"W x 13.5"D x 33.18"H...
Walnut, Upholstery, Paint
$7,600 / set
Pair of French Empire Style Side Chairs
Located in New York, NY
Pair of elegant French Empire style side chairs. The chairs are burl with bronze mounts and feet. The black section to the front of the legs i...
Bronze
Pair of Baker Empire Style Mahogany Occasional Side Chairs
Located in Toledo, OH
Pair of empire style occasional arm chairs by Baker Furniture with black on black striped upholstery and mahogany frames with decorative brass accents. Cushions are removable. Backs ...
Mahogany
Late 19th-C. French Empire Gilt Bronze Mahogany Side Chairs - Pair
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a pair of late 19th century French Empire mahogany side chairs with gilt bronze mounts. Note the griffins on the legs! The fabric appears to be silk. It is vintage and in ver...
Bronze
Pair Antique Russian Empire Chairs, Circa 1820-1830
Located in Rochester, NY
A great looking pair of antique Russian Empire circassian walnut chairs in beautifully aged original finish / finely detailed ormolu mounts / gilded paw like front feet / newly con...
Ormolu
French Empire Mahogany Side Chair
Located in Queens, NY
"French Empire style (19th Cent) mahogany sleigh back side chair with bronze griffin legs and trim and red seat Antique condition. Shows wear"
Bronze
Pair of Antique Empire Style Dutch Marquetry Inlaid and Carved Side Chairs
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Dimensions - H: 34 1/4 in W: 17 1/4 in D: 20 1/2 in SH: 19 1/2 in Pair of Antique Dutch Empire Style Marquetry Inlaid & Carved Side Chairs – 19th Century Neoclassical Elegance Ele...
Upholstery, Wood
French Empire Solid Mahogany Regency Side Chairs Figural Bronze Ormolu, a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Empire solid mahogany Regency side chairs with figural bronze ormolu - a pair. Item features finely cast ornate bronze ormolu, slightly curved backrest, solid wood fra...
Bronze
Antique French Empire Neoclassical Style Brass Harp Lyre Side Chairs - a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Empire Neoclassical Style Brass Harp / Lyre Back Side Chairs - a Pair. Item features solid wood construction, harp backs, finely cast brass or bronze mounts, white dis...
Fabric, Wood
Antique Pair of French Empire Neoclassical Louis XVI Harp Lyre Back Side Chairs
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Pair of antique harp back side chairs with brass or bronze mounts in the French Empire / Louis XVI taste. Item features solid wood construction, harp back...
Fabric, Wood
19th Century Empire Style Mahogany and Gilt Side Chair
Located in Dallas, TX
The 19th Century Empire Style Mahogany and Gilt Side Chair is a luxurious and elegant piece of furniture perfect for adults in a mid-century modern home decor setting. Made of high-q...
Mahogany
Antique French Empire Mahogany and Gilt Bronze Mounted Armchairs - Pair
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique French Empire Mahogany and Gilt Bronze Mounted Armchair in Blue Patterned Stripped Silk Blent - Pair This Antique French Empire armchair...
Silk, Upholstery, Mahogany
French 19th Century Empire Style Ormolu and Solid Mahogany Side Chair
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking French 19th century Empire st. ormolu and solid mahogany side chair. The chair is raised by handsome ormolu paw feet and square tapered legs. Each leg is accented with dec...
Ormolu
Pair of Antique French Empire Style Mahogany and Gilt Bronze Chairs
Located in London, GB
Pair of antique French Empire style mahogany and gilt bronze chairs French, 19th century Dimensions: Height 93cm, width 51cm depth 48cm This pai...
Ormolu
pair of French 19th century Empire st. Mahogany and Ormolu side chairs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A handsome and high quality pair of French 19th century Neo-Classical/Empire st. Mahogany and Ormolu side chairs. Each wonderful chair is raised on four square curved legs all connec...
Ormolu
$4,037 / set
Pair of Empire Style Window Seats
Located in Lymington, GB
A smart pair of Empire-style window seats of superb quality, and in excellent condition. Supported on stained-oak tapering square legs with gilt-brass mounts and hairy paw feet. Upholstered and buttoned in faded vellum-green hide...
Wood