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Empire Furniture

EMPIRE STYLE

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.

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Style: Empire
French Restauration Antique Mahogany Cylinder Roll-Top Desk circa 1830
Located in Shippensburg, PA
FINE RESTAURATION PERIOD ORMOLU-MOUNTED FLAMED MAHOGANY BUREAU À CYLINDER France, circa 1830 Item # 403ZGP18C An exceedingly fine bureau à cylinder from the Restauration period in F...
Category

19th Century English Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Marble, Brass, Ormolu

Turkish Sofa From The Empire Period
Located in Charmes, FR
Elegant Empire period sofa, early 19th century, with a solid mahogany frame. It features a straight backrest framed by flat uprights topped with turned pommels, typical of the Empire...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Wood

French Empire Sword Bench Ottoman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
French gilt Empire sword bench with ultra sueded fabric. Beautiful carving details. Leave as is or have your upholstery shop recover and tighten frame.
Category

1950s French Vintage Empire Furniture

Materials

Wood

A pair (2) of figural Empire candelabra candles. Paris, 19th century.
Located in Berlin, DE
A pair (2) of figural Empire candelabra candles. Paris, 1815s Gilt bronze. Recessed pedestal base with palmette and floral decoration on a square plinth. The pair, dressed in antiqu...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Putti Face Empire Chandelier Crystal Gold Basket Antique Brass Classic
Located in Berlin, DE
Restored Crystal Chandelier – Handcrafted Elegance We are offering a unique, fully restored chandelier in excellent condition: Completely restored, including fully renewed wiring Ha...
Category

1920s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Brass, Wire

Camille Le Tallec Gilded Porcelain Tureen Empire-Style Set
Located in Roma, IT
Camille Le Tallec Gilded Porcelain Tureen Empire-Style Set Spectacular set of ornately gilt service plates hand-painted by Le Tallec of France Important and magnificent Empire-styl...
Category

1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

French Painted Zinc Bathtub from 1800
Located in Vienna, Austria
This French zinc bathtub is in original condition: without a drainage hole, with a wood subframe, two handles and beautiful blue painting and decoration on both sides. Seems to be wa...
Category

Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Zinc

Empire Style Burlwood Desk
Located in Houston, TX
Mid 20th century Empire style leather top desk constructed with hardwood and burl wood veneers featuring ormolu, three drawers and stretcher.  
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Empire Style Black Neoclassical Corinthian Column Six Light Chandelier
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Empire Style Black Neoclassical Corinthian column six light chandelier Priced each Additional information: Materials: Lights Color: Black Pe...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Empire Furniture

Materials

Metal

Large Empire Style Alabaster and Bronze Sixteen-Light Chandelier, ca. 1920
Located in Barntrup, DE
Large Empire-style alabaster and bronze chandelier, Germany, ca. 1920. An impressive sixteen-light alabaster and bronze chandelier. The extra large, exceptional, and masterfully carv...
Category

1920s German Vintage Empire Furniture

Materials

Alabaster, Bronze

Empire Mantel Clock with Putto in Chariot, signed Thiery à Paris, Early 19th C.
Located in Greding, DE
Empire mantel clock made of fire-gilded bronze. The scene shows a putto in a richly decorated chariot pulled by a jumping poodle. The clockwork is elegantly integrated into the wheel...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Antique 'Swan Neck' Bed c1900 France
Located in Trensacq, FR
Handsome and rare antique swan neck bed c1900 France. Rich warm brown cherry frame with gorgeously carved naive swan detailing at each of the four corners. A wonderfully naive take ...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Cherry

Early 19th Century French Empire Mahogany Console W/ Dark Gray Granite Top
Located in Astoria, NY
An early 19th century French Empire console table, sourced in Provence. The piece is constructed in solid mahogany with a rectangular dark grey granite top resting above a single apr...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Granite

Lacquered Empire Style Sofa with Leopard Fabric
Located in San Francisco, CA
Great statement piece with white lacquer wood finish and leopard printed upholstery. Loads of drama for either a simple or layered decor.
Category

1950s American Vintage Empire Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood

French Empire Mahogany and Bronze Queen Bed
Located in Queens, NY
French Empire-style mahogany and bronze and gilt trimmed queen size bed with swan design (includes: headboard, footboard, rails). (19th Century reproduction of Josephine Bonaparte's swan bed...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Gold Leaf

French Empire Revival Alabaster & Bronze Chandelier, Early 20th Century
Located in Antwerp, BE
Monumental French Empire Revival Chandelier with Alabaster Bowl, Patinated and Gilt Bronze, Early 20th Century An impressive Empire style chandelier, dating from the early 20th cent...
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture

Materials

Alabaster, Bronze, Copper

French Empire Bronze Mount of an Eagle Subduing a Serpent, Desmalter / Thomire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
French Empire Bronze Mount of an Eagle Subduing a Serpent, circa 1800–1820 School or Workshop Jacob-Desmalter/Thomire A finely cast French Empire bronze mount depicting Napoleon’s ...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

French Empire Period Ormolu Bronze Mantel Clock of Ceres, circa 1815
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A fine Empire period mantel clock with bun feet raising a rectangular base with a central portrait of Bacchus flanked by exquisitely chiseled motif of swirling foliage surmounted by a figure of the goddess Ceres grasping in her lowered hand a wreath woven with foliage and berries while in her garment she collects a bountiful harvest; she rests beside the clock tower with a framed lens opening to access the white enamel dial with black Roman numerals inscribed Etn. Tavernier set with Breguet style hands, raising an urn filled with fruits of the soil; against the tower rest the implements of labor, a shovel and flat rake. The movement is engraved "B". A significant clock movement maker, Etienne Tavernier (French, 1756-1839) is listed in Tardy's horology reference as working closely with the house of Abraham-Louis Breguet as well as providing clock movements...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

19th Century French Empire Gilt Bronze Three-Light Sconce, Wall Candelabra
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
French Empire gilt bronze three-arm wall candleholder finely ornate with foliate, acorn motifs and three female faces, circa 1850-1870. This wall candelabra can easily be converted ...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Empire style large chandelier
Located in Houston, TX
Elegant style makes this fixture highly desirable. It has a crown at the crest and has brilliant crystals That cascade downward in an arc shape that attach To a large bowl forming a...
Category

Late 20th Century French Empire Furniture

Materials

Crystal

Mid 19th century Swedish birch chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Mid 19th century Swedish birch chest of drawers circa 1860. Good quality Swedish commode, fitted with 3 near equally sized drawers that open on the key. Rectangular top with moulde...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Birch

Antique American Empire Crotch Mahogany Chest Drawers Step Back Dresser Paw Feet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique American Empire Crotch Mahogany Chest Drawers Step Back Dresser with Paw Feet. Item features column supports, lift off upper small 3 drawer sect...
Category

Early 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Mahogany

Crystal and bronze chest
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Crystal and bronze chest Empire style chest Crystal and gilded bronze materials Origin France Circa 1920 Excellent condition The Empire style (in French: style Empire) is a dominant ...
Category

1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Empire Period Portrait of the Comte Gustave de Galard (1779–1841)
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th Century, Empire Period Portrait of the Comte Gustave de Galard (1779–1841), French School, c. 1805, Oil on canvas Canvas: 15.75" W × 21.5" H Framed: 19" W × 24.5" H A refined ...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Canvas, Giltwood

An Antique French Empire Style Gilt Brass And Patinated Bronze Lantern
Located in London, GB
A large Empire style lantern in patinated bronze with gilt brass accents. Four curved glass panels, decorative scrolled inner branch arms. Gilt br...
Category

1890s French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Square French Empire Brass Swans and Wrought Iron Coffee Table
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This Square French Empire brass swans and wrought iron coffee table is a striking example of neoclassical design, blending refined craftsmanship with timeless elegance. The table fea...
Category

20th Century French Empire Furniture

Materials

Metal

French Antique Bronze Bouillotte Table Lamp in with Tole Lampshade
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A late 19th century three-light 'Bouillotte' table lamp in gilded bronze and brass, with unusual duck's head styled arms and a typical green lacquered metal (tole) shade. Designed in...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

19th C. French Silver Commemorative Three-Dimensional Napoleon Portrait Spoon
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th Century French Silver Commemorative 3-Dimensional Napoleon Portrait Spoon  Unmarked, France, 19th Century  A remarkable 19th-century French si...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

19th Century Empire Writing Desk With Roll Top, Nutwood, Austria ca. 1800
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Absolute extraordinary crafted, rare early 19th century roll top writing desk from the turn of the century around 1800 in Austria. This remarkable, elegantly designed nutwood writing desk was artfully made in the transition period from the so-called "Josephinism" (1780-1790) to the renowed Empire era (1800 - 1810). The extravagant executed mirrored veneer work as well as the superb shape, reflects perfectly the form language of this famous, long past period. According to the previous owner´s story who owned the castle where we found this outstanding looking, valuable Empire roll top desk...
Category

Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Brass

Wonderful Pair French Empire Dore Bronze Neoclassical Bouillotte Column Lamps
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Pair Of French Empire Dore Bronze Neoclassical Bouillotte Column Form Lamps With Black Paper Shades
Category

20th Century French Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Late Empire Bench in Cuban Mahogany, Denmark c. 1820
Located in Kastrup, DK
Elegant Late Empire bench crafted in beautiful Cuban mahogany with profiled round legs in the classic Empire style. The bench has been newly upholstered in a soft dove-blue fabric, c...
Category

Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Mahogany

Rider Gold Velvet and Brass Dining Chair
Located in New York, NY
Parisian Flair. Our modern homage to an Empire style dining chair. Our rider dining chair is petite and glamorous, but ultra-comfy. Great as a dinin...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Furniture

Materials

Nickel

Brass Basket Empire Sac a Pearl Chandelier Beaded Crystal Lustre Lamp Antique
Located in Berlin, DE
Introducing a stunning Brass Basket Empire Sac a Pearl Chandelier, an exquisite piece adorned with captivating crystals, reminiscent of the classical style of the Empire era. This is...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Brass, Wire

19th Century Pair of French Empire Porcelain Vases Dagoty Paris
Located in Roma, IT
Beautiful, important pair of hand-painted Parisian porcelain Medici vases. They feature elegant neoclassical motifs on the bodies: swans with outstretched wings and panoplies. The to...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Early 19th century French Empire Period Burl Elm Console Table with Marble Top
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This small scale early nineteenth century French Empire period console table is constructed of solid burl elm and features a black marble top. A single drawer of dovetail constructio...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Marble

Stunning French Empire Style Walnut Writing Desk
Located in Crawley, GB
We delight to offer sell this stunning large French Empire style walnut desk having a gilt tooled green leather top with a ormolu edge and scrolling mounts flanked by an arrangement ...
Category

Early 20th Century British Empire Furniture

Materials

Brass, Ormolu

Petit Danish Late Empire Antique Chest of Drawers
Located in Kastrup, DK
Small 19th century Danish Late Empire chest of drawers in flamed birch. French polished. The façade showcases an arrangement of four drawers (a smaller drawer over 3 larger drawers)...
Category

Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Beech

French Empire Neoclassical Bronze Three Candelabras Bouillotte Lamp Tole Shade
Located in Roslyn, NY
A wonderful French Empire / neoclassical bronze three candelabras Bouillotte lamp with two Edison sockets and dark forest green tole shade.
Category

20th Century French Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

French Empire Gilt Bronze and Crystal Chandelier
Located in Queens, NY
French Empire (circa 1810) gilt bronze and cut glass chandelier with cut crystal strands emanating from a gilt bronze center ring with 8 arms.
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

French 19th Century Mahogany Empire Enfilade
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A tremendous 19th century French enfilade of classic Empire styling, made of richly figured bookmatched mahogany adorned with gilt bronze accents. The original marble top of dark sto...
Category

18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century Empire Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Settee / Sofa
Located in Tarry Town, NY
19th century French Empire style handcrafted gilt bronze mahogany framed upholstered settee / sofa. The settee features four straight mahogany legs, the front two of which are set on...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Circa 1860 Antique French Aubusson Tapestry Pillow
Located in Los Angeles, US
Ca.1860 Antique French Aubusson Tapestry Pillow - 25'' X 22''
Category

1860s French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Wool

Pair of French Empire Period Brass Candle Sconces
Located in Austin, TX
Candle holder sconces from France from the Empire period. This finely cast pair of sconces features a solid brass structure with a swan holding two chained candle...
Category

1820s French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Italian Iron Safe / Cassaforte / Side Table / Nightstand
Located in Viterbo, VT
Hand-wrought iron safe hand-made in Italy in the early 1800s. The safe is made of thin sheets of iron folded and nailed together over a wooden case. Thicker bands of iron were then u...
Category

Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Wrought Iron

Fine French Empire Neoclassical Gilt Bronze Red Glass Crystal Baltic Chandelier
Located in Roslyn, NY
A fine French Empire / neoclassical style gilt bronze and red glass centerpiece with crystal drop Baltic chandelier having four swan arms rewired...
Category

20th Century French Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

19th Century French Antique Gilded Pinewood Wall Glass Mirror
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An antique French rectangular wall mirror made of hand carved gilded Pinewood with its original mirror glass, in good condition. The arched mirror is particularized by detailed flower carvings and fittings. The Parisian décor piece represents the First French Empire...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Pine, Giltwood

French 19th Century Empire Style Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A French marble top commode made of bookmatched burl mahogany and decorative Empire style ormolu. The commode’s top is a Saint Anne marble with curved front edges making for a durabl...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Marble, Brass

Empire Dark Green Four-Arm Chandelier Made of Leather and Brass, France 1960s
Located in Hannover, DE
This lovely French chandelier was found in a villa built in the late 1950s. The beautiful, high-quality craftsmanship is impressive. The lampshades are made of metal and then covered...
Category

1960s French Vintage Empire Furniture

Materials

Brass

Antique Empire Bed Maple Burl & Brass Ancient Grece Theme French 19th C
Located in Labrit, Landes
Antique Empire maple and brass bed. This bed, which has already survived almost two centuries, is in excellent condition: solid and sound, the inlaid illustrations are of exceptiona...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Brass

19th C. Kirk & Son "Repoussé" 117-Piece Sterling Silver Flat Service, 111.8 Oz
Located in Germantown, MD
A S. Kirk & Son, Sterling Silver Repousse set of flatware. 117 gorgeous pieces. Hand chased and hand decorated by prominent American silversmith Samuel Kirk who introduced the Repou...
Category

19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

Antique French Empire Mahogany Marble Top Ormolu Commode Chest of Drawers 1810
Located in Portland, OR
A fine quality early 19th century antique French Empire mahogany marble top commode, with Neo-Classical ormolu mounts, circa 1810. The commode is of the finest quality, the top is ma...
Category

1810s French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Early 19th Century French Empire Walnut Console
Located in Atlanta, GA
Early 19th Century French Empire Walnut Console with Ebonized Marble Top & Bronze Dore Details, ca. 1810
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Walnut

19th Century Antique Bronze Statue Of Napoleon Bonaparte
Located in Bilzen, BE
Old bronze statue from the beginning of the 19th century of Napoleon Bonaparte of fine quality. Original aged patina Total height 22 cm, base 8.8 x 8.8 cm, heigth figure 9 cm
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Vintage Stiffel Empire Style Burnished Brass & Porcelain Table Lamps (A) - Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Stiffel Empire Style Lacquered Burnished Brass & Porcelain Table Lamps (A) - Pair. Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 37" H (to finial) x 27" H (to light socket) x 6.5" W...
Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture

Materials

Brass

French Empire-Style Commode / Chest of Drawers with Marble Top
Located in Houston, TX
This is a handsome chest of drawers having four drawers that Draw easily. A column flanks each side and is accented with Original bronze dore mounts. The drawers are dove tailed an...
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture

Materials

Mahogany

French Empire Style Alabaster and Gilt Bronze Domed Plafonnier, 20th/21st C.
Located in Morristown, NJ
Late 20th C./Early 21st C., a large and imposing French Empire style plafonnier from Spain featuring a rich cream alabaster bowl suspended by three gilt-bronze supports with classica...
Category

Early 2000s Spanish Empire Furniture

Materials

Stone, Alabaster, Metal, Bronze

Monumental Marble and Bronze Dore’ Clock Adorned with Psyche and Amor Figures
Located in Houston, TX
Amazing clock depicting the tale of Amor and Psyche which Is about the god of love in Greek mythology. Large bronze Dore figures adorn the pediment standing on a rectangular Marble b...
Category

1870s French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Bronze

French 19th Century Empire Console with Marble Top
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A substantial French 19th century Empire mahogany console. The thick Carrara marble top is in wonderful antique condition, showing exciting gray veining that forms a nice contrast to...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Marble

French 19th Century Chest of Drawers - Commode
Located in Greenwich, CT
A French Empire Period Fruitwwod commode or chest of drawers of rectangular shape, the three drawers raised on gilt wood paw feet, with Empire bronze escutcheons and pulls , having ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Fruitwood

Empire Style Crystal Box with Classical Gilt Ormulo Mounts
Located in London, GB
A French late 19th century Empire style crystal box with classical gilt bronze mounts.
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Empire furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Empire furniture for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include lighting, decorative objects, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Modenese Gastone, Europa Antiques, Baker Furniture Company, and Gherardo Degli Albizzi. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $56 and tops out at $955,603 while the average work can sell for $4,296.

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