Empire Furniture
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.
Early 20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Marble
Late 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fruitwood
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Tin
1980s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Silver Plate
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
1870s French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1810s German Antique Empire Furniture
Cherry
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
17th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood, Birch
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Glass, Mahogany
1930s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
Early 1800s Scandinavian Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1930s Unknown Vintage Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1930s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
1950s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Wood, Glass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Wood, Mirror
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Pewter
20th Century Austrian Empire Furniture
Crystal, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass, Iron
1910s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 1900s Czech Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Velvet, Walnut
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Malachite, Bronze
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century German Empire Furniture
Porcelain
2010s Australian Empire Furniture
Fur
1820s American Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Mahogany
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Stone
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Silver
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
1870s North American Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood, Mahogany, Satinwood
1970s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Leather
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1980s Asian Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass, Chrome
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Metal
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Brass, Wire
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble
20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Lapis Lazuli
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Linen, Upholstery, Mahogany
1990s Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1910s Danish Vintage Empire Furniture
Silver
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass