Empire Secretaires
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.
Late 18th Century Russian Antique Empire Secretaires
Brass
19th Century Swiss Antique Empire Secretaires
Marble
Late 18th Century British Antique Empire Secretaires
Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Secretaires
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Secretaires
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Secretaires
Bronze
19th Century British Antique Empire Secretaires
Mahogany
19th Century American Antique Empire Secretaires
Pine
19th Century French Antique Empire Secretaires
Stone, Marble, Metal, Brass
1780s English Antique Empire Secretaires
Mahogany
Late 18th Century English Antique Empire Secretaires
Mahogany
19th Century American Antique Empire Secretaires
Mahogany, Glass
19th Century French Antique Empire Secretaires
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Secretaires
Oak
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Secretaires
Birch
1920s French Vintage Empire Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Secretaires
1880s French Antique Empire Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Secretaires
Bronze