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.
1930s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Belgian Black Marble, Brass
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Mahogany
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
1870s French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century American Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Mahogany
1990s Philippine Empire Furniture
Iron
Early 19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
1820s American Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Linen, Upholstery, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble
Mid-20th Century American Empire Furniture
Metal, Gold
1950s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Wood, Glass
Late 19th Century Scandinavian Antique Empire Furniture
Wood, Mirror
Early 20th Century English Empire Furniture
Copper
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Belgian Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
1980s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Silver Plate
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
20th Century Dutch Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century German Empire Furniture
Gold
1950s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Glass, Oak
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 19th Century English Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Metal, Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Iron
Early 1900s European Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1980s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Cotton, Upholstery, Ebony, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fruitwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Canvas, Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Cast Stone
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool