Empire Cabinets
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.
1950s American Vintage Empire Cabinets
Wood, Glass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Cabinets
Glass, Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Ormolu
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Cabinets
Bone, Hardwood, Birch, Mahogany, Maple
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass
20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Brass
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Metal
1840s Danish Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
1790s German Antique Empire Cabinets
Gesso, Pine
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Cabinets
Granite
Early 20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Brass
19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Ormolu
1810s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Bronze
1760s American Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Cabinets
Oak, Walnut, Burl
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble
1840s Danish Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Cabinets
Wood
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Cabinets
Oak, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass
Early 20th Century European Empire Cabinets
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass
1870s Czech Antique Empire Cabinets
Wood, Lacquer, Cherry, Spruce
1820s Italian Antique Empire Cabinets
Beech
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Metal
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Oak
Late 20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Metal, Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Cabinets
Metal, Iron
Early 1800s Antique Empire Cabinets
Wood
1840s German Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
1830s English Antique Empire Cabinets
Zinc
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Cabinets
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Ormolu
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Ormolu
1870s Antique Empire Cabinets
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
20th Century American Empire Cabinets
Wood
1880s Antique Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Ormolu, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Cherry
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Cabinets
Glass, Mirror, Cherry
19th Century European Antique Empire Cabinets
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century English Empire Cabinets
Leather, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century North American Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Cabinets
Ebony, Mahogany
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Cabinets
Walnut
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Cabinets
Onyx
Mid-19th Century English Antique Empire Cabinets
Glass, Walnut