Empire Dressers
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.
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.
1810s French Antique Empire Dressers
Cherry
19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Bronze
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Dressers
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Marble, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Empire Dressers
Mirror, Rosewood
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Dressers
Wood, Pine
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Wood
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Dressers
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Marble, Brass, Bronze
19th Century Spanish Antique Empire Dressers
Marble
20th Century Empire Dressers
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Marble, Bronze
1840s Danish Antique Empire Dressers
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Empire Dressers
Brass
Mid-19th Century Antique Empire Dressers
Birdseye Maple, Maple
Late 20th Century Empire Dressers
Bronze
Late 20th Century Spanish Empire Dressers
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Dressers
Bronze
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Empire Dressers
Mirror, Mahogany, Giltwood
Early 1900s American Antique Empire Dressers
Brass
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Dressers
Gold Leaf, Iron
19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Wood
1860s French Antique Empire Dressers
Marble, Brass
1810s French Antique Empire Dressers
Wood
18th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Walnut
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Dressers
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Mahogany
19th Century European Antique Empire Dressers
Bronze
1890s French Antique Empire Dressers
Mahogany
1810s Danish Antique Empire Dressers
Mahogany
20th Century American Empire Dressers
Mahogany
1810s French Antique Empire Dressers
Stone, Bronze
20th Century Empire Dressers
Marble
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Dressers
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
1810s Danish Antique Empire Dressers
Mahogany, Satinwood
Engraved on back "Renov...
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Dressers
Birch, Walnut, Mahogany
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Dressers
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Dressers
Bronze
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Dressers
Walnut
1810s French Antique Empire Dressers
Marble