Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
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.
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Marble
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Fruitwood
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany, Giltwood
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Brass
1880s Austrian Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
1830s Danish Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
1810s Russian Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Brass
19th Century English Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Rosewood
2010s American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany, Walnut
2010s American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Metal
2010s American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany, Walnut
Late 20th Century Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Walnut
20th Century North American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Rosewood
1970s American Vintage Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Leather, Walnut
1790s English Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany, Burl
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Metal
18th Century and Earlier British Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
1950s Danish Vintage Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Wood, Sycamore, Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Walnut, Burl
Late 20th Century Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
1870s Swedish Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Cherry
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Brass
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Card Tables and Tea Tables
Walnut