Empire Seating
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
Pair 19th Century Empire Scalamandré Tiger Velvet Bergère Chairs
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of 19th Century diminutive Italian Empire Scalamandré Tiger Velvet Bergère chairs composed of mahogany and gilded accents. and newly upholstered in Scalamandré Tiger Velvet.
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Velvet, Mahogany
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...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Brass, Ormolu
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.
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Daybed
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Antique Early 19th century French Empire daybed.
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Bronze
Mid-Century French Empire Style Chaise With Mahogany And Bronze Frame
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a handsome mid-century French Empire style mahogany chaise lounge. Th frame is mahogany with heavy ormolu adorning it. It is unmarked. A striking piece for a variety of setti...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Empire Seating
Materials
Bronze
Rare Set of Twelve 19th Century Empire Chairs in Mahogany, Brass and Velvet
Located in Meer, VAN
Rare Set of Twelve Early 19th Century Empire Dining Chairs in Mahogany, Inlaid Brass and Velvet
This is a very large and rare set of twelve elegant dining chairs from the (late) ‘em...
Category
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Brass
Empire Sofa, America circa 1880
Located in Culver City, CA
America, 1880
Mahogany and veneer with inlay of two birds on a branch. Rolled arms with carved plumes and inlaid rosettes, straight seat rail, rolled and carved legs. Newly upholster...
Category
1880s Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Wool, Mahogany
Pine and Oak Storage Bench or Settle
Located in Baltimore, MD
What an outstanding Box Bench! The oak and the pine contrast beautifully to create a deep rich warmth perfect for this piece. For most of its length the top rail is flat, only follo...
Category
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Oak, Pine
Small 19th century Swedish empire birch sofa
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Small 19th century Swedish empire birch sofa circa 1860
Good quality Swedish empire period birch sofa upholstered in kalim woven fabric.
Small sofa or a very comfortable single cha...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Fabric, Birch
French 1st Empire Armchair with Carved Dolphins' Heads
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A fine Empire armchair with four elegant saber legs, upholstered in vertical cream and crimson stripes, and featuring ornately carved dolphins' heads at the base of each shaped arm r...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Wood
Pair 19th Century Ebonized Empire Style Black Hair Hide Armchairs
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of 19th Century ebonized mahogany Empire style fauteuil with winged caryatids, newly upholstered in a deep espresso hairhide.
Category
Late 19th Century European Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique French Empire Solid Mahogany Ball Foot Curule Bench Seat Low Stool
Located in West Chester, PA
Wonderful antique bench with curved seat and solid mahogany curule frame on ball feet.
Category
Early 20th Century American Empire Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Mahogany
20th Century Black Ebonized Empire Style Swan Bench
Located in Houston, TX
20th Century Empire style bench featuring Neoclassical style carved swan frame newly padded and upholstered in a Chanel style chuncky tweed.
Category
20th Century Empire Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century Empire Sofa Schumacher Sabi Tiger Velvet
Located in Houston, TX
Early 19th Century Empire sofa. This handsome burl veneer sofa features ebonized and gilt columns, urn finials, with two hidden drawers, all newly upholstered in Schumacher abstract ...
Category
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Wood, Burl
Kindel Empire Dining Chairs Set of 8
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below.
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Offering One Of Our Recent Palm Beach Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A
Set of 8 Kindel Empire...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Empire Seating
Materials
Cherry, Wood
Pair of 19th Century French Empire Period Hand Carved Walnut Armchairs, Bergeres
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This pair of early 19th century French Empire period walnut armchairs features hand carved details of laurels on the seat back and shells at the top of the armrests. The seat backs a...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Walnut
Swedish Empire Karl Johan Wood Sofa 19th Century Sweden
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish Empire Karl Johan style sofa dating c. 1830
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Wood, Birch
A Pair of French Empire Style Corner Chairs
Located in Vienna, AT
French Empire or Napoleon III style mahogany corner armchairs with ormolu mounts, arms rest on seated sphinx. Original upholstery, good original condition. New upholstery and also co...
Category
1880s French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Brass
19th Century Black French Antique Empire Ebonized Mahogany Sofa Bench, Recamier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A black, antique French sofa bench-recamier made of hand crafted ebonized Mahogany, in good condition. The canapé is particularized by two side backrests, standing on four arched wooden...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Fabric, Cotton, Upholstery, Ebony, Mahogany
Impressive Pair of Empire Black Leather & Gilded Club Chairs
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Impressive pair of Empire style black and gilded wood club chairs having black leather upholstery, curved backs and arms in the form of swans resting on saber shaped legs. The backs...
Category
1990s American Empire Seating
Materials
Leather, Wood
Empire mahogany armchairs by Jacob Frères, France, 19th century
By Madeleine Castaing, Jacob Frères
Located in GRENOBLE, FR
A fine pair of mahogany Empire gondola armchairs, very confortable gondola chair model. The armrest are swan-shaped and front legs are lion-legs-shaped. The seats are covered with a ...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Velvet, Mahogany
French Empire Mahogany 'Egyptian' Bergère Attributed to Desmalter, circa 1805
Located in Kinderhook, NY
A rare and important circa 1805 'Egyptian-style' bergère believed to be an early work of famed French Empire furniture-maker François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter of 'tub-chair' fo...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Empire Mahogany Recamier in Striped Jacquard
Located in Astoria, NY
An exquisite early 19th century French Empire chaise longue, or recamier, sourced in Provence. Handcrafted from mahogany, the frame is carved with classical motifs, its scrolled ends...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Jacquard, Mahogany
Antique American Empire Classical Carved Mahogany Paw Foot Cornucopia Arm Sofa
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique American Empire Classical Carved Mahogany Paw Foot Cornucopia Arm Sofa. Item features carved paw feet with leafy cornucopia carvings, carved top rail, great antique sofa. Cir...
Category
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Mahogany
Antique Duncan Phyfe Style Sofa
By Duncan Phyfe
Located in Trenton, NJ
nfuse your home with timeless sophistication with this Antique Duncan Phyfe Style Sofa. Its ebonized wood frame features exquisite carvings that highlight the skill and craftsmanship...
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Wood
Set of Six Napoleonic Empire Style Bronze Mounted Dining Chairs
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Extraordinary set of six mahogany dining chairs made in the grand Napoleonic Empire taste. The chairs feature beautifully crafted mahogany frames with rich, deep woodgrains on the fi...
Category
20th Century French Empire Seating
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Empire Revival Gondola Dining Chair Finished With An Ebonised Frame, Grey Damask
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Empire Revival Gondola Dining Chair Finished With An Ebonised Frame, Grey Damask Upholstery & Red Velour Piping.
Quality and luxurious designed chairs, elegant but robust with rich ...
Category
Late 20th Century British Empire Seating
Materials
Damask, Silk, Velvet
Turkish Sofa From The Empire Period
Located in Charmes, FR
Elegant Empire period sofa, early 19th century, with a solid mahogany frame. It features a straight backrest framed by flat uprights topped with turned pommels, typical of the Empire...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Wood
American Empire Style Mahogany Sofa with Peach Upholstery
Located in Queens, NY
American Empire style (19th century) peach upholstered sofa with matching bolster pillows and a mahogany frame with scrolled arms and lions paw feet with a relief carving of cornucop...
Category
19th Century American Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Mahogany
Lacquered Empire Style Sofa with Leopard Fabric
Located in San Francisco, CA
Great statement piece with white lacquer wood finish and leopard printed upholstery. Loads of drama for either a simple or layered decor.
Category
1950s American Vintage Empire Seating
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Antique American Empire Classical Carved Mahogany Paw Foot Rolled Arm Sofa
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique American Empire Classical Carved Mahogany Paw Foot Rolled Arm Sofa. Item features carved paw feet with cornucopia carvings, spiral carved top rail, great antique sofa to reup...
Category
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Mahogany
Scandinavian Empire Sofa in Mahogany with Ormolu and Upholstery, circa 1815
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
An elegant Empire Swedish Karl Johan sofa with graceful lines in mahogany with satinwood line inlay, ormolu and ebonized details. Offers scrolled arms and saber feet with upholstered...
Category
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Ormolu
French Empire style walnut Armchair - blue green yellow - France 19th
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Very pretty Empire-style walnut armchair with carved palmettes and acanthus leaves.
The armrests are fluted.
The legs are saber-shaped.
The armchair is upholstered with floral tapest...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Walnut
Late Empire Bench in Mahogany, Denmark c. 1820
Located in Kastrup, DK
Elegant Late Empire bench crafted in beautiful mahogany with profiled round legs in the classic Empire style.
The bench has been newly upholstered in a soft dove-blue fabric, creatin...
Category
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Fabric, Mahogany
French Federal EmpireStyle Victorian Cherry Wood Armchairs, Set of Four
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Amazing set of 4 Empire Style Armchairs, ornately decorated with bronze appliqué, leaf foot caps and stunning bronze griffin arm details. The commanding chairs are made of solid Cher...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Bronze
Antique Mahogany Child Armchair, France
Located in Munich, DE
This charming children’s armchair is made out of mahogany with fine carving. It is newly upholstered with a discretely patterned fine, lustrous fabric in green with golden spots.
Paris, circa 1810...
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Fabric, Mahogany
19th Century Empire Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Settee / Sofa
Located in Tarry Town, NY
19th century French Empire style handcrafted gilt bronze mahogany framed upholstered settee / sofa. The settee features four straight mahogany legs, the front two of which are set on...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Bronze
Rider Gold Velvet and Brass Dining Chair
Located in New York, NY
Parisian Flair. Our modern homage to an Empire style dining chair. Our rider dining chair is petite and glamorous, but ultra-comfy. Great as a dinin...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Seating
Materials
Nickel
Elegant Empire Bench in Mahogany with Satinwood Inlays
Located in Kastrup, DK
Small, elegant Danish Empire bench crafted from mahogany, featuring delicate string inlays in satinwood on the ends.
The seat has been newly upholstered in light gray linen, accented...
Category
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Fabric, Mahogany, Satinwood
French Regency Style Ebonized Chair W/ Gilt Neo-Classical Swans & Tiger Velvet
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a killer chair! It is a regency style ebonized arm chair with neo-classical giltwood swan arms and paws. The tiger velvet is new. The chair is unmarked and is possibly by Pat...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Empire Seating
Materials
Velvet, Fruitwood, Giltwood
19th Century Empire Walnut Upholstered Settee
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This is a lovely tailored walnut Empire settee. The top rail is flanked by two graceful sloping arms, joining two brass classical female heads crowing two front straight tapering le...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Brass
Set of Ten French Empire Mahogany Caned Dining Chairs
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Glorious set of ten mahogany dining chairs made in the neoclassical French empire taste. The chairs feature decorative bronze mounts ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Empire Chaise Lounge Daybed
Located in San Francisco, CA
An elegant Empire Period black lacquered walnut chaise or daybed with brass ormolu decoration. Has its original horsehair mattress.
Frame is sturdy ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Wool, Upholstery, Walnut
Empire-Style Dining Chairs, Set of 6
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a charming set of six carved and inlaid mahogany dining chairs in the French Empire style. The chairs date to the second half of the 20th century and are in very good conditi...
Category
20th Century French Empire Seating
Materials
Mahogany
French Empire Armchair with Red Floral Striped Damask Upholstery
Located in Queens, NY
French Restoration mahogany armchair having a rectangular headrest topped by a tapering gadrooned crest, upturned scroll arms with acanthus embellishments, upholstered back and seat ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Fabric, Wood, Upholstery
Set of 6 French Empire Dining Chairs in Mahogany with Bronze Mounts
Located in Dallas, TX
Set of 6 French Empire dining chairs in mahogany with bronze mounts are a stylish expression of the genre, with exotic imported ma...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Seating
Materials
Bronze
Set of 14 Empire Period Dining Chairs, circa 1820
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A very smart set of fourteen solid and elegant dining room chairs dating from 1820' s between the Empire and the Restauration period.
Although very simila...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Velvet, Walnut
Empire Marquetry Sofa in Mahogany with Satinwood Inlays, circa 1820
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A lovely and well-proportioned marquetry sofa with arched back, scroll arms and short Grecian curved legs in mahogany embellished with inlays of festoo...
Category
1810s Dutch Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Satinwood, Upholstery, Mahogany, Tulipwood
Empire Style Mahogany Library Tub Fauteuil de Bureau or Desk Chair
Located in Nashville, TN
Of generous proportions and presence . The front mounted with well cast bronze mounts (of some size and weight ). The top with French interpretations of the Greek Caryatids (very att...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Wood
Late Empire Bench in Cuban Mahogany, Denmark c. 1820
Located in Kastrup, DK
Elegant Late Empire bench crafted in beautiful Cuban mahogany with profiled round legs in the classic Empire style.
The bench has been newly upholstered in a soft dove-blue fabric, c...
Category
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Fabric, Mahogany
French Empire Sword Bench Ottoman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
French gilt Empire sword bench with ultra sueded fabric. Beautiful carving details. Leave as is or have your upholstery shop recover and tighten frame.
Category
1950s French Vintage Empire Seating
Materials
Wood
Painted Pine and Oak Storage Bench or Settle
Located in Baltimore, MD
This Box Bench has a great form and has all the characteristics we look for in a Central European Storage Bench. For most of its length the top rail is flat, only following a curve ...
Category
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Oak, Pine
Pair Italian Neoclassical Eagle Armchairs
Located in New York, NY
Pair Italian neoclassical eagle armchairs in yellow silk taffeta. Italian Empire painted and parcel-gilt carved armchairs with finely carved eagle arm t...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Giltwood
Mint Condition Empire Sofa Sette Loveseat Couch Fine Carved Details Lions Feet
By J. Horner
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Note: Full price include new upholstery service, buyer to provide fabric.
Mint condition empire sofa sette loveseat couch fine carved details lions feet.
The frame is stunning vint...
Category
20th Century American Empire Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Walnut
Superb Bronze Mounted Eagle French Empire Mahogany Empire Daybed Chaise
By Charles-Honoré Lannuier
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This superb French Empire mahogany daybed chaise is a striking example of early 19th-century neoclassical elegance, richly adorned with gilded bronze mounts. Crafted in the Empire st...
Category
1850s French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Bronze
French Antique Swan Neck Recamier Chaise Lounge
Located in Hopewell, NJ
A fine antique French walnut recamier or chaise lounge with carved swan heads at posts, lovely neutral vintage upholstery and bolster pillow, circa 1930. The chaise rests on four ca...
Category
1930s French Vintage Empire Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Walnut
1940s Carved Gilt Wood Swan Barrel Chairs, Set of 2
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
On offer on this occasion is one of the most stunning and rare, carved wood swan club chairs on castors set you could hope to find. In the style of George S...
Category
1940s English Vintage Empire Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century Baltic Mahogany Long Bench - Antique Empire Silk Sofa, Canapé
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A dark-brown, antique Baltic long bench with two pillows made of hand carved Mahogany, in good condition. The three seater sofa, settee is stand...
Category
Mid-19th Century Baltic Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Fabric, Silk, Upholstery, Mahogany
Pair Of 19th Century French Empire Chairs
Located in Houston, TX
Pair Of 19th Century French Empire Chairs.
Offered is a lovely pair of early 19th century French period Empire chairs, fauteuils or side chairs. This pair of chairs are adorned with ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Bronze
Set of Empire Armchairs / Chairs, Maple Wood, Paris, 1825
Located in Berlin, DE
Seat group made of maple wood with rosewood intarsia, France, presumably G. Alphonse Jacob, the last of the famous Eben family, probably second quarter of the 19th century. Semi-circ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Seating
Materials
Maple
Empire seating for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Empire seating 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 seating created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, more furniture and collectibles, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, mahogany and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire seating 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 seating, popular names associated with this style include Modenese Gastone, Europa Antiques, Century Furniture, and Drexel. 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 seating differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $325 and tops out at $151,397 while the average work can sell for $4,884.