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.
French Early 19th Century Fruitwood Empire Bibliotheque
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A 19th century French Empire style bibliothèque or display cabinet, handcrafted using solid fruitwood and two glass-front doors accented with brass. The clean, straight lines allow t...
Brass
Antique French Empire Mahogany Ormolu Bookcase Bibliotheque Display cabinet 1810
Located in Portland, OR
A fine antique French Empire Mahogany & ormolu mounted bookcase display cabinet, circa 1910. This elegant antique cabinet is made of the finest mahogany, the top with an archite...
Ormolu
Early 20th century empire revival Swedish birch bookcase
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Early 20th century empire revival Swedish birch bookcase circa 1900. Superb quality piece of Swedish made furniture with influences from Biedermeier and empire periods. Stepped top...
Birch
Grand French Empire Style Bronze Mahogany Bibliotheque Bookcase
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Opulent French mahogany bibliotheque style bookcase cabinet crafted in the Napoleonic French empire taste. Constructed on a grand scale the cabinet features three pairs of storage do...
Bronze
19th Century Walnut Pair of Bookcases Boiserie de Bibliothèque
Located in Vosselaar, BE
A rare pair of heliocodal French Directoire library bookcases in solid walnut. This type of bookcases is also known as 'boiseries de Bibliothèque' a...
Walnut
Danish Architect’s Drawing Cabinet
Located in Kastrup, DK
Architect’s Drawing Cabinet / Plan Chest Danish design, c. 1920 Exceptionally well-crafted drawing cabinet from around 1920, made as a unique piece and originally commissioned for a...
Mahogany, Maple
Fine quality early 19th century flame mahogany bookcase
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Fine example of a regency period bookcase circa 1820. Very much in the manor of Thomas hope. Matching flame mahogany veneers from top to bottom. Comprising of 3 sections, lower ca...
Glass, Mahogany, Pine
Antique French Empire Mahogany Double Bookcase With Mounted Ormolu, Circa 1890s
Located in South Bend, IN
A beautiful antique French Empire bookcase or display cabinet In the manner of Herter Brothers USA, Circa 1890s Carved mahogany, with glass front doors, and mounted gilt bronze or...
Bronze
19th Century French Mahogany and Ormolu Bookcase in the Empire Style
Located in London, GB
An exceptional and fine library breakfront bookcase by Antoine Krieger of Paris In the Empire taste, this wonderful piece shows careful selection of matched flame mahogany veneers, contrasted by finely chiselled mercury gilded ormolu bronze mounts. The glazed, four door upper section is surmounted by ormolu laurel wreath victory garlands, and acanthus leaves to the cornice, the lower four blind doors having central caduceus mounts, emblematic of Mercury’s staff; the outer doors showing central Apollo masks, with acanthus leaves in a cruciform pattern; the cornered motifs being rosettes with conforming acanthus leaves; the pilaster columns are capped by stylised Tuscan capitals. The four oak lined drawers have Grecian Lyre backplates to the handles, and the locks are signed by the maker. The bookcase is elevated on toupie ‘cotton reel’ feet. The very finest workmanship has gone into this piece, as evinced by the ethereal ‘gold dust’ ormolu mounts, with the crispest of ciselure, and the breathtaking quality of the mahogany veneers. This piece, originally conceived by Percier and Fontaine, adopting the decoration from the Antique, is signed by Antoine Krieger of Paris. Circa 1860 Percier and Fontaine published in 1812 the ‘bon ton’ design collection, ‘Recueil des Decorations Interieurs...
Ormolu
$3,600Sale Price|46% Off
French Empire Bookcase in Walnut
Located in Doylestown, PA
An early 19th century French provincial biblioteque in walnut, with upper case with adjustable shelves and wire-grill doors over a lower pair of paneled cabinet doors, circa 1810.
Walnut
$18,000 / set
Pair of French Empire Mahogany and Bronze Bookcases
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of French Empire-style (19th Century) mahogany and bronze trimmed 2 plexiglass door bookcases. (PRICED AS Pair)
Bronze
Antique French Empire Burl Wood Bibliotheque Bookcase Cabinet, Circa 1880s
Located in South Bend, IN
A beautiful antique French Empire knockdown bibliotheque bookcase cabinet In the manner of Louis Majorelle France, Circa 1880s Gorgeous burl wood, with bronze mounts and trim. Me...
Bronze
19th Large Empire Style Mahogany Bookcase from French Chateau
Located in Marseille, FR
Elegant 19th-century wall-mounted library crafted from solid mahogany and mahogany veneer, beautifully executed in the Neoclassical style. This high-quality piece consists of multipl...
Mahogany
Walnut Display Cabinet Bookcase with Adjustable Shelves, Sweden circa 1850-70
Located in Round Top, TX
This stunning walnut display cabinet standing at 7' tall/ and 8' wide will make a grand and elegant statement piece. Enlarge close up photos to appreciate the exceptional grain of th...
Glass, Walnut
19th Century French Empire Period Walnut Bibliotheque or Bookcase
Located in Birmingham, AL
A fine French Empire period bibliotheque handcrafted from select French walnut by skilled artisans from Lyon during the First Empire of Napoleon, circa early 1800s. The upper bookcas...
Bronze, Ormolu
$12,500Sale Price / set|32% Off
Pair of Antique Irish Chiffoniers
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Rare pair of traditional Irish chiffoniers or sideboards crafted with mahogany and celebrating several early 19th century styles, including empire and regency. Featuring high quality...
Mahogany
Russian Mahogany Secretary Bookcase
Located in Queens, NY
Russian (18th Century) mahogany secretary bookcase with brass gallery pediment and trim with 2 front doors revealing 3 drawers and shelves ...
Brass
Dark walnut "bridge" bookcase - early decades of the 19th century
Located in Vicenza, IT
Important Venetian bookcase from the early decades of the 19th century, made entirely of solid walnut. The solid and well-proportioned structure features a distinctive "bridge" confi...
Glass, Wood
French Empire Mahogany Bibliothéque Cabinet
Located in Queens, NY
French Empire flame mahogany 2 door bibliothèque cabinet with with wire mesh and tapered square column sides having gilt bronze trim with classical heads.
Bronze
Gilt-Bronze Mounted Mahogany Empire Library Bookcase
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A fine gilt bronze mounted mahogany Empire library bookcase.
Ormolu
French Empire Style Mahogany Bookcase
Located in Queens, NY
French Empire-style (19th Century) mahogany bookcase cabinet with bronze trim and 2 glass doors.
Bronze
Large low bookcase in Mahogany and mahogany veneer
Located in Paris, FR
Large low bookcase in mahogany and mahogany veneer, opening with two full doors and two central glass doors in the form of a pointed arch, for displaying books or collectibles. Rich ...
Mahogany
French Empire 19th Century Walnut Bookcase-Cabinet
Located in Troy, NY
Small French Empire bookcase/cabinet with framed glazed sides, featuring a molded wooden elongated X on the inside, one wire-mesh-inset door, the corners e...
Brass
Unusual Empire Style Bookcase, France, 19th Century
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Quirky and unusual Empire style breakfront bookcase, the wood painted with a faux bois trompe l'oeil, and decorated with plaster moldings painted gold....
Early 19th Century Berlin Mahogany Armoire
Located in London, by appointment only
Germany, circa 1825. A Berlin mahogany display cabinet having a stepped pediment inlaid with boxwood stringing above partially glazed doors divided...
Glass, Mahogany
French Empire Bookcase - Walnut Open Front Cabinet
Located in Potters Bar, GB
Sumptuous French Empire style bookcase and cabinet in walnut Hope the photos do this stunning piece some justice certainly more impressiv...
Walnut
Large Empire-style sideboard bookcase made of solid walnut wood. Early 19th century
Located in Torino, IT
Large bookstore empire style sideboard solid walnut wood. PERIOD First half of the nineteenth century MATERIALS Walnut wood, decorative elements metal DIMENSIONS Total height: 282...
Wood
Austrian 18th Century Empire Style Two Doors Larch Wood Armoire Wardrobe Cabinet
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Precious and original larch wood wardrobe, convertible into a bookcase, with two doors in the Austrian Empire style of the 18th century The wardrobe, all in larch wood, is all origi...
Other, Brass
Antique 1810 France Cast Iron Bookcase Shelves Flowers
Located in Munich, DE
Charming and elegant shelves made out of cast iron. The front of this slim piece of furniture and the struts are decorated with flowers.
Iron
Large Empire Danish Glass Cabinet, Bookcase in Mahogany with Bronze Details
Located in Miami, FL
Elegant late Empire 4 doors glass and wood cabinet, bookcase in mahogany. Pair of locking paned glass doors sitting atop pair of locking wood d...
Bronze
$3,504Sale Price|20% Off
19thc French Large Gilt & Wood Exotic Inlay Bookcase Empire- Burl Wood
Located in Opa Locka, FL
Stunning and Majestic 19thc French Empire Large Bookcase in Exotic Burl Amboyne with Exotic Wood Inlay, Artist Masterpiece! There is also gilt bronze elements, incredible full figura...
Wood
Antique Empire Style Secretary with Brass and Marble Top mahogany veneer
Located in Berlin, DE
Mahogany veneer on solid conifers. High-right corpus on chased bronze claw feet. Architecturally articulated front with library dummy and brass rim sockets. On both sides slightly co...
Mahogany
Empire Style Open Bookstand with Lyre Sides
Located in Budapest, HU
Empire Walnut and Giltwood Open Bookcase, Austria, circa 1810–1830 This finely crafted Austrian Empire open bookcase, dating from around 1810–1830, is an exceptional example of earl...
Walnut, Giltwood
$3,007Sale Price|20% Off
Display Cabinet in the Empire Style With Brass Elements, Early 20th Century
Located in Opole, PL
Display Cabinet in the Empire Style with Brass Elements, Early 20th Century Step into a world of refined elegance with this striking Empire-style display cabinet. Crafted before 193...
Brass
$7,236Sale Price|20% Off
Bookcase Empire Mahogany Veneer Sessile Oak France Early 19th Century
Located in Milano, IT
French Empire bookcase, supported by feet, the front ones vase shaped. There are two panelled doors on the front, surmounted by the same amount of drawers in the under the top band, ...
Mahogany, Oak
Rare French Empire Mahogany Bookcase Library Jacob Desmalter
By François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
Large and very unusual French Empire bookcase in beautifully figured mahogany veneer. Four glazed doors (original glass), interior with original shelves (two on each level allow an adjustment for larger...
Mahogany