Napoleon III Furniture
NAPOLEON III STYLE
Under Napoleon III’s rule, Paris underwent a great rebuilding overseen by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, which created grand avenues and lavish landmarks like the Paris Opera. Antique Napoleon III–style furniture was flamboyant and eclectic. It was also known as Second Empire style since it followed and referenced the Empire style of his uncle Napoleon I.
Developing from 1852–70, Napoleon III furniture was plush and ornate, matching the fashion for masked balls and socializing in salons. It borrowed freely from earlier French styles including Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI as well as aesthetics from around the world, from antiquity to Asian art. As writer Gustave Claudin remarked in 1867, the country’s architects worked in “a style which one would be tempted to call neo-Greco-Gothico-Pompadour-Pompeian.”
Napoleon III chairs were completely covered with velvet and lined with tassels; pouf footstools invited people to put up their feet. Sofas were upholstered with tapestries, and beds were adorned with gilt bronze and theatrical canopies. The addition of conservatories to homes led to new indoor-outdoor furniture, while the spirit of hygiene promoted by Baron Haussmann inspired bright, floral motifs.
Although the most ostentatious designs were for the elite, as seen in the Napoleon III apartments preserved in the Louvre, where red velvet, gilding and chandeliers create a cacophony of luxury, these trends influenced homes across classes as manufacturing made design increasingly accessible. Papier-mâché furniture allowed for elaborate shapes that would have been difficult to carve in wood. The malleable material was painted with chinoiserie patterns and decorative designs. It was mass-produced by factories such as Jennens and Bettridge with varnishing and mother-of-pearl inlays creating an effect reminiscent of Asian lacquer. (Surfaces that had been “japanned” — a specialty of Jennens and Bettridge — were intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia.)
Find a collection of antique Napoleon III decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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2,800
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156,203
70,994
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5,285
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Style: Napoleon III
Returnable Items Only
19th Century German Napoleon III 'Coat of Arms' Fireback
Located in Amerongen, NL
19th century German Napoleon II fireback with an unknown coat of arms.
The fireback is made of cast iron and has a black / pewter patina. It is in a good condition and does not h...
Category
19th Century German Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Iron
Oil on Canvas from the 19th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Oil on canvas from the 19th century, signed.
Painting - H: 73 cm, W: 57 cm
Frame - H: 95 cm, W: 82 cm, D: 4,5 cm, signed.
Category
1870s European Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Canvas
Pair of Crystal Vases
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of crystal vases
Napoleon III period, late 19th century.
In perfect condition.
Diameter : 19 cm
Height : 40 cm.
Category
1870s European Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
F.Barbedienne a Gilt Bronze and Cloisonné Enamel Candlestick
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892)
A very fine gilt bronze and great quality polychrome cloisonné enamel hand
candlestick.
Signed F.BARBEDIENNE
Circa 1875.
Category
1870s French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Enamel, Ormolu
19th Century French Napoleon III Three-Tier Marquetry Étagère, circa 1860
Located in Miami, FL
Quality antique French marquetry étagère, having a pierced gilt gallery with lovely marquetry inlaid shaped top, two shaped under-tiers with marquetr...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Antique French Napoleon III Fireplace Screen or Fire Screen, 19th Century
Located in Amerongen, NL
19th century French Napoleon III four-panel fireplace screen. The screen is made of brass, iron and iron mesh. It is in a good condition and is fit for use in front of the fireplace.
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Brass, Iron
French Napoleon III Giltwood Mirror
Located in Dallas, TX
Stunning giltwood French Napoleon III mirror with elaborate mirrored cartouche. Having image of torch, quiver and bow in mirrored glass, large capped ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Giltwood
19th Century French Napoleon III Black & Beige Paris Monuments Plates, Set of 12
By Luneville
Located in Dallas, TX
These elegant twelve antique plates were crafted in Luneville, France, circa 1870. Each hand painted plate features a famous Paris landmark including "Place de la Concorde", "Palais ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience
Antique French Fireplace Tools or Fire Tools, 19th Century
Located in Amerongen, NL
19th century French Napoleon III fireplace tool set. The toolset consists of a stand and two fire irons all made of polished brass. It is in a good condition and is fully functional....
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Brass
Napoleon III Nut Wood Half Cabinet/ Vertiko with Inlay Works, France, circa 1880
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Marvellous nut wood half cabinet/ Vertiko from the Napoleon III period in France, circa 1880. Veneered in fine nut wood, this prestigious antique half cabinet...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Brass
20th Century Wood and Bronze Napoleon III Style French Writing Desk, 1930
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Large French writing desk from the first half of the 20th century. Moved and rounded furniture in rosewood, walnut, mahogany and fruitwood richly adorned with gilded and chiseled bro...
Category
1930s French Vintage Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Wood
Antique Fireplace Screens
Located in Amerongen, NL
These fire screens can be bought separately. Prices vary somewhat. The indicated price is the average excluding shipping to North-America and Europe.
You can see all our current fir...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Brass, Iron
19th Century French Napoleon III Gesso Mirror with Mercury Glass
Located in Dallas, TX
Stunning 19th century French Napoleon III Gesso mirror with original mercury glass. Beautiful decorative carved details in an antique gold color. So pretty!
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Mercury Glass, Wood
19th Century Napoleon III Porcelain Vases Urn Royal Vienna Painted, 1870s
Located in Roma, RM
A real Vienna porcelain urn, with Classic figural scenes. Period 19th century in very good state of conservation, this is a beautiful example of fine Vienna royal...
Category
1860s Austrian Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
Set of 12 Talking Plates, French Military Signed by Creil Montereau 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Amazing complete set of 12 talking plates showing each one a different and incredible situations in the French military life by the 19th century.
Bea...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
French 19th Century Napoleon III Cabinet
Located in Vilnius, LT
French antique Napoleon III cabinet.
Wood is decorated with inlaid brass and bronze details ourside.
Inside the cabinet there are two shelves.
Cabinet top is marble.
This cabinet...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Palatial & Rare Napoleon III French Ormolu and Patinated Bronze Clock, Detouche
By C. Detouche
Located in New York, NY
A palatial, extremely rare, and important Napoleon III French ormolu and patinated bronze regulateur de parquet clock, by Louis-Constantin Detouche, Paris, circa 1850.
The clock case made form the finest French ormolu, with 2 very large patinated bronze seated putti
The white enamel dial Signed C. DETOUCHE/ PARIS. The clock movement is numbered 7064 and stamped with maker’s stamps C. Detouche RUE st. MARTIN and C. DETOUCHE 158 R. St MARTIN 160, with medaille d’argent stamp, on a serpentine part ebonized mahogany plinth.
At over six feet tall, the present clock is impressive in scale and rare in Detouche’s oeuvre. While other large clocks were produced by the firm, few of this scale are so overtly decorative and usually incorporate greater mechanical complication. For example, a gilt bronze astronomical regulator clock...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Large Rectangular French 19th Century Mirror with Gold and White Frame
Located in Buchanan, NY
Large scale 19th century French mercury mirror in a carved giltwood frame with off white painted contrast. The mercury glass and woo...
Category
1880s French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Mirror
Napoleon III Ribbon Top Ballroom Chairs
Located in Sheffield, MA
Pair of period Napoleon III petite side chairs with hand carved ribbon top, covered in black and white French toile fabric.
Keywords: vanity chair...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Wood
French Zinc Building Finial
Located in Sheffield, MA
Antique zinc finial has small scallops around the bottom with holes for nails or screws when it was once attached to a building.
Great as garden e...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Zinc
Horizontal Louis XVI Ornate Gold Giltwood Wide Mirror with Hand-Carved Details
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Large horizontal rectangular profile giltwood mirror. In a wide rectangular shape, with hand-carved details on top. Wear is consistent with age. Gorgeous over a mantel, or as an addi...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Mirror, Wood, Giltwood
Gilt Napoleon III Mirror with Small Flame Stitch Pattern Trim Frame
Located in Washington, DC
Gilt Napoleon III mirror with small flame stitch pattern trim frame.
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Giltwood, Mirror
19th Century Silvered Giltwood and Mirror Architectural
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautiful 19th century, silvered wood and mirror architectural.
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Wood
Fine French Carved Giltwood Barometer
Located in Westwood, NJ
An unusual and fine French carved giltwood barometer with military theme of carved instruments ad weaponry.
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
19th Century French Carved Terracotta Sculpture Composition Signed Baleaio
Located in Dallas, TX
Crafted in France, circa 1880, the antique clay composition features three cheerful children in traditional clothing and boots; they are sitting on a bench, laughing and talking with...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Earthenware, Terracotta
19th Century French Oak Cabinet
Located in Sheffield, MA
A large version of a French confiture, hand-carved with Rococo design on the front and double paneling on the sides. Hinged door with lock and key and...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Important Cercles Tournants Rotary Clock set by Deniere
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very Large Important and Rare Napoleon III Period Ormolu And Patinated Bronze Sculptural rotary 3-piece clock set ("Pendule A Cercles Tournants") compr...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Bronze
French Rouge Marble Gilt and Patinated Bronze Mantel Clock by Alfred Beurdeley
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A French Napoleon III Period Rouge Marble Gilt & Patinated Bronze Mantel Clock Alfred Emmanuel Louis Beurdeley
Movement marked: J. Lefebvre Fils Paris & Numbered1938
Movement stamped: Medaille De Bronze J. Marti & Cie & Numbered 92
Dial signed: A. Beurdeley Fila, Paris
France, Circa 1875
Dimensions: Height: 24" (61cm), Width: 22" (56cm) Depth: 11" (28cm)
Excellent Working Condition
Biography
French — Alfred Emmanuel Louis Beurdeley was a Parisian cabinetmaker who specialized in the manufacture of luxurious French furnishings...
Category
1870s French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Ormolu
Pair of Tufted and Scrolled Back Chairs in Printed Velvet
Located in Buchanan, NY
A stunning pair of 19th century French tufted and scrolled armchairs, reflecting the distinguished Napoleon III style. These sophisticated and elegant chairs have the potential to el...
Category
Late 19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Upholstery
Napoleon III Tufted Settee and Two Armchairs, France, 19th Century
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Napoleon III two-seater settee and two armchairs, with button-tufted backs, upholstered in a lustrous silvery-blue crushed velvet, with bullion fringe. The set has a rolled edge.
...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
19th Century Majolica Bust of a Woman
Located in High Point, NC
19th century French Majolica bust in the figure of a woman. Lovely detail in sculpture, glaze is vibrant, some glaze drips. Great molding detail. Slight nibbles around base of statue...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Pottery
Napoleon Iii furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Napoleon III 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 decorative objects, building and garden elements, case pieces and storage cabinets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Napoleon III 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 Europa Antiques, Baccarat, Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, and Ferdinand Barbedienne. 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 $49 and tops out at $2,500,000 while the average work can sell for $3,313.
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