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 1900s Uzbek Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Late 20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Sterling Silver
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Silver, Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Quartz, Brass
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Brass, Bronze
1810s Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Leather, Wood
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Spelter
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Cast Stone
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal
Early 20th Century Empire Furniture
Alabaster
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wool
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Metal, Bronze
1970s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Onyx, Travertine, Gold, Gold Plate
Early 20th Century American Empire Furniture
Milk Glass
1830s French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Cotton, Upholstery, Ebony, Mahogany
19th Century English Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass, Ormolu
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1990s Philippine Empire Furniture
Iron
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Birch
1810s Dutch Antique Empire Furniture
Satinwood, Upholstery, Mahogany, Tulipwood
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Oak, Walnut, Burl
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Giltwood
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1950s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wood
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1930s European Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1830s Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Silver
Early 19th Century English Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Crystal, Iron, Wire
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Canvas, Wood
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Beech
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Paper
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
16th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze