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.
Black Marble Coffee Table with metal and Brass Base Handmade in Italy Cupioli
Located in Rimini, IT
Coffee Table, Black Marble Top, Metal Base, Handmade in Italy Cupioli Black Slate coffee table top with scagliola art inlays , whrought metal ...
Slate, Wrought Iron
Maitland Smith French Empire Cocktail Table
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on "Read More" or "View More Details" below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing is from 1st Dibs and they normally s...
Brass
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...
Metal
Square Coffee Table Scagliola Art Top wooden base Handmade in Italy by Cupioli
Located in Rimini, IT
Handmade coffee table with artistical decoration on the square top and carved edge made precious by gold leaf finishing. Hand painted wooden central base formed by 4curved elements, ...
Scagliola, Wood
Pair of Gilded Wrought Iron Empire Coffee Tables
Located in Miami, FL
This rare 1920's French Empire swan coffee tables are made of wrought iron with gilded accents. Very heavy and sturdy with two tier glass tops. Good vintage condition with normal cos...
Iron
Mid-Century Empire Style Pacel Gilt and Mahogany Coffee Table
Located in Germantown, MD
An impressive mid-century Empire Style parcel gilt and carved Mahogany coffee / cocktail Table. Measures 46" in width, 27.75" in depth and standing 17.5" tall.
Mahogany, Giltwood
Empire Ormolu Surtout-de-Table Mounted as a Coffee Table Attributed to Thomire
Located in London, GB
A Fine Ormolu Surtout-de-Table Attributed to Thomire of Paris Mounted as a Coffee Table Of oval shape, the mirrored glass centre surrounded by a finely cast Bacchanalian gallery of...
Ormolu
A Fine French Early 20th Century Gilt-Bronze Center Table Attr. Francois Linke
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French early 20th century Empire style ormolu and figural patinated bronze-mounted amboyna and veined Verde d'Alps marble top "Gueridon" attributed to François Linke (185...
Marble, Ormolu, Bronze
French Empire Style Blue Lapis Lazuli Gold Ormolu Gilt Bronze Coffee Table
Located in London, GB
French Empire Style Blue Lapis Lazuli Gold Ormolu Gilt Bronze Coffee Table French, 20th Century Height 52cm, width 122cm, depth 62cm This Empire-style coffee table, crafted in Fra...
Lapis Lazuli, Ormolu
Empire Style Card or Tea Table, Vienna 1880-1900
Located in Belmont, MA
This unique card or tea table dates back to around 1880-1900 and comes from Vienna. It has an elegant mahogany veneer and gorgeous bronze fittings. The small table has a fold out top...
Mahogany
French Empire-style gilt bronze mounted malachite coffee table
Located in London, GB
French Empire-style gilt bronze mounted malachite coffee table French, Early 20th Century Height 52cm, width 123cm, depth 63cm Exemplifying all that is grand and regal about the fan...
Malachite, Bronze, Ormolu
Empire Style Ebonized Cocktail Table with Marble Top
Located in Houston, TX
Early 20th Century rectangular cocktail table executed in the Empire style. The ebonized wood base is fitted with applied bronze ormolu mounts with shaped supports joined by a lower ...
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
French Empire Style Round Coffee Table
Located in Westwood, NJ
Anchored by a quartz top with a refined moulded surround, this table balances classical elegance with luxurious materials. Its bold brass frame features cast tapering legs adorned wi...
Quartz, Brass
Baltic Mahogany and Brass Mounted Games Table
Located in Stamford, CT
A Northern European Empire games table. Flamed mahogany top opens to reveal felt lined game surface. Brass mounts embellish a neoclassic sensibility.
Mahogany
Brass and marble jaguar coffee table, 1970s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Stunning coffee table with two brass jaguar sculptures mounted on marble column bases and a clear rectangular glass top. This empire style coffee table and style often attributed to...
Belgian Black Marble, Brass
Tavolino Ferro Battuto e Piano Marmo Bianco Intarsiato a mano in Italia Cupioli
Located in Rimini, IT
Tavolino da salotto realizzato con la tecnica decorativa dell' intarsio in scagliola su piano in marmo bianco Carrara, che appoggia su di un basamento in ferro battuto decorato in fo...
Carrara Marble, Wrought Iron
French Surtout De Plateau Three Piece Mirror and Bronze Coffee Table
Located in Queens, NY
French Empire style (19/20th Century) three-piece coffee table (Surtout De Plateau) with a mirrored surface supported on a bronze base with a stretcher having gilt bronze trim and ga...
Bronze
French Empire Round Marble Top Corinthian Column Wood Pedestal Base Coffee Table
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Please message us with your zip code to request a more reasonable domestic U.S. shipping quote. Antique French Empire Style Round Marble Top Corinthian Column Wooden Pedestal Base C...
Marble
Baker Furniture Empire Burl and Cherry Wood Coffee Table, Newly Refinished
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Empire or neoclassical style coffee table By Baker Furniture USA, Circa 1980s Cherry wood, with burl wood banding and satinwood string inlay. Measures: 38" W x...
Cherry, Satinwood, Burl
Tavolino Quadrato Intarsio Scagliola, Base Marmo Giallo, Fatto a Mano in Italia
Located in Rimini, IT
Handmade coffee table with artistical decoration on the square top and carved edge made precious by gold leaf finishing. Royal Yellow marble base. T...
Scagliola, Wood
A French ebonized Empire style marble top coffee table with bronze mounts.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A French ebonized Empire style marble top coffee table with bronze mounts circa 1940.
Marble
Vintage French Empire Mahogany 25" Round Coffee Table with Brass Gallery
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Empire Mahogany 25" Round Coffee Table with Ornate Brass Gallery and Carved Tapered Legs. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: 21.5" H (to gallery) x 25" W x 25" D. 2...
Brass
Inlaid empire side table circa 1800
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Inlaid empire side table circa 1800 professionally stained and repolished.
Wood
Empire Style Coffee Table Lacquer Speckled by Ira Yeager
By Ira Yeager
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Whimsical French empire style coffee cocktail table lacquer speckled by artist Ira Yeager (American 1938-2022). The oval table features a two-tier design with dramatic eagle's head l...
Wood
French Empire Neoclassical Cornucopia Base Round Pink Marble Top Coffee Table
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Empire Neoclassical Style Marble Top Coffee Table. Item features a triple cornucopia carved wood base, pink round marble-top, off white original painted finish and rol...
Marble
Vintage faux tusk coffee table, 1980s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Striking vintage faux tusk coffee table made from tesselated stone with a beveled clear oval glass top. Beautiful and elegant coffee table which will be, without a doubt an eye catc...
Stone
Original antique Empire Table circa 1860 - 1880 Mahogany veneer bronzed
Located in Berlin, DE
Original Empire table circa 1860-1870 from an Empire room. The table stands on 3 feet of each foot 1 empire head cast in bronze. Top condition.
Mahogany
H 16 in W 39.5 in D 39.5 in
Chinoiserie Oriental Maitland-Smith Post Modern Shagreen Coffee Table
Located in Chicago, IL
Maitland-Smith Shagreen coffee table/signed on bottom. a couple spots where the shagreen has chipped off. Should be fairly easy to repair if desired. the dim of the top is about 39...
Wood
H 17 in W 40 in D 21 in
Ramsay Travertine and Wrought Iron Coffee Table, France 1950's
Located in New York, NY
A Wrought Iron and Travertine table with a double layered top, the legs made of bent flat iron joined in the middle by a stretcher connected to a sphere. Original patina and gilt fin...
Travertine, Wrought Iron
H 16 in W 53 in D 37.5 in
Vintage French Wrought Iron Coffee Table
Located in New York, NY
A circa 1930s, French wrought iron coffee table with glass top. Original distressed painted finish. Measurements: Height:...
H 16.75 in W 37.25 in D 49.5 in
Maitland Smith Wedge Coffee Table, Mactan Stone & Glass, 1980s
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Vintage 1980s, this wedge-shaped tessellated Mactan stone coffee table exudes sculptural grandeur with textured sophistication. The top is triangular glass, clear and generously si...
Stone
Italian Marble and Gilt Metal Coffee Table Mid Century Modern Gio Ponti Style
Located in Atlanta, GA
Chic Italian Marble and Gilt Metal Coffee Table, in the style of Gio Ponti, Italy, circa 1950s. The black marble has gold and white veining that accentuate the gilt metal base. Retai...
Marble, Brass
H 19 in W 32 in D 19 in
French Empire Coffee Table Mahogany Interiors
Located in Potters Bar, GB
French Mahogany coffee table in the Empire style. This Coffee Table Stands Upon Typical French Style Shaped Legs with Gilt Toes and Gilt ...
Mahogany
H 19 in W 56 in D 18.5 in
Mid 20th century French Empire style hand painted coffee table
Located in Allentown, PA
This is a mid 20th century French Empire style hand painted coffee table. This coffee table is hand painted in tones of French blue and gold. The table has an empire leg that comes u...
Wood
H 12 in W 35 in D 19 in
Travertin Marble & Wrought Iron Coffee Table, France 1940's
Located in New York, NY
Substantial wrought iron and Travertine coffee table made of square bar with a double tapered stretcher.
Travertine, Wrought Iron
H 17.72 in W 31.5 in D 31.5 in
Brutalist Coffee Table with Copper Top and Wooden Base 1970
Located in Oirlo, LI
This striking Brutalist coffee table, crafted in Belgium during the 1970s, features a beautifully hand-worked copper top resting on a sculptural solid wood base. Its bold yet minimal...
Copper
H 17.72 in W 31.5 in D 47.25 in
Brutalist Coffee Table with Copper Top and Wooden Base 1970
Located in Oirlo, LI
This striking Brutalist coffee table, crafted in Belgium during the 1970s, features a beautifully hand-worked copper top resting on a sculptural solid wood base. Its bold yet minimal...
Copper
H 16.5 in W 36.75 in D 36.75 in
1970s Giacometti Style Forged Wrought Iron, Brass & Glass Square Coffee Table
By Paul Ferrante, Alberto and Diego Giacometti
Located in St. Louis, MO
I love this table! It dates from the late 1970s, and is takes inspiration from Diego Giacometti. This Etruscan style, hand wrought iron square glass top coffee table with brass deta...
Metal, Wrought Iron, Brass
H 16 in W 41.5 in D 41.4 in
French Art Deco Wrought Iron Coffee Table
Located in Long Island City, NY
A French Art Deco wrought iron square shaped coffee table, 1940's. With patterns motifs throughout, with angular legs complemented by three balls. Complimentary drop-off to the tri-s...
Wrought Iron
H 16 in Dm 25.25 in
1930s French Brass and Marble Top Round Coffee or Side Table
Located in Doylestown, PA
Vintage 1930s French Empire solid brass and Carrara marble top cocktail or side table. An elegant table with delicate floral motifs throughout and graceful cabriole legs. The inset ...
Carrara Marble, Brass
H 18.75 in W 40 in D 20.5 in
French Empire Style Coffee Table W/ Green Marble
Located in Astoria, NY
Exquisite mid-20th-century French Empire-style coffee table, sourced from Provence. The piece features a graceful oval top in deep green Italian marble with striking white veining, b...
Marble, Brass
H 28.35 in W 31.5 in D 31.5 in
Restored Empire Small Table, Mahogany, Cherry Wood, Lacquer, France, 1840s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant round classicist table comes from France from the mid-19th century. It is made of a combination of cherry and mahogany veneer with inlay and has brass fittings. The tabl...
Mahogany, Lacquer, Wood, Cherry
H 17 in W 38 in D 38 in
Baker, Knapp & Tubbs Empire Style Cocktail Table with Italian Portoro Marble
By Baker, Knapp & Tubbs
Located in Miami, FL
Baker, Knapp & Tubbs Empire Style Cocktail Table with Italian Portoro Marble Offered for sale is an elegant Baker, Knapp & Tubbs Empire-style coffee table. The table is created wit...
Marble, Brass
H 20.5 in W 30 in D 48 in
Baker Stately Homes Sir Humphry Wakefield Satinwood Empire Coffee Table
Located in Dayton, OH
Impressive rare vintage Baker Furniture English Sir Humphry Wakefield Collection Empire / Regency style coffee cocktail table. Made of Satinwood featuring a two tiered rectangular d...
Satinwood
H 29.53 in W 63 in D 45.28 in
Empire table, France, circa 1820.
Located in Chorzów, PL
Empire table, France, circa 1820. Currently under renovation. Wood: mahogany dimensions: height 75 cm x length 160 cm x depth 115 cm.
Mahogany
H 19 in W 60 in D 22 in
Vintage Empire Style Custom Mahogany Marble Top Coffee Table with 2 Drawers
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Empire Style Custom Mahogany Marble Top Coffee Table with 2 Drawers. Item features round column form legs, rectangular travert...
Marble
H 28.75 in Dm 51.19 in
French Extending Dining Table, Elm Burl & Brass, circa 1920
Located in Labrit, Landes
Round dining table table, in the Empire style and made in France circa 1920. Elm burl and brass. This table can be extended to 110 in. (280 cm) by adding four table extensions. As yo...
Elm
H 24.5 in W 40 in D 39.5 in
French Empire Style Cocktail Table Speckled by Ira Yeager
By Ira Yeager
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Whimsical round coffee or cocktail table lacquer speckled by artist Ira Yeager (American 1938-2022). The table is made in the French Napoleonic empire style featuring bronze mounted ...
Bronze
H 18.12 in W 39.38 in D 19.69 in
French Vintage Oval Marble & Brass Coffee Table-Cocktail Table-Lounge Table-70s
Located in Bussiere Dunoise, Nouvel Aquitaine
French Vintage Marble and Brass Coffee Table - Lounge Table - Cocktail Table Emporium Style from the 70s Massive Oval Marble T...
Marble, Brass, Bronze, Steel
H 20.87 in Dm 21.86 in
French "Bout de canapé" End or Side Table, Massive Mahogany & Marble, circa 1960
Located in Labrit, Landes
Little table, sellette side or end table in the Empire style. Massive mahogany and marble. The marble was broken and very properly glued. Made circa 1960 Good condition, few ma...
Marble
H 18.13 in W 45 in D 28 in
Baker Furniture French Empire Inlaid Cherry and Burl Wood Coffee Table
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous French Empire or neoclassical style coffee or cocktail table By Baker Furniture USA, Late 20th Century Inlaid cherry wood top, with burl wood banding, ebonized co...
Brass