Empire Coffee and Cocktail 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.
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Carrara Marble, Wrought Iron
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Metal, Brass, Bronze
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Travertine, Marble
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Iron
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Steel
20th Century Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Earthenware
2010s European Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Marble
1960s French Vintage Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Marble, Aluminum
Mid-20th Century French Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Composition, Metal, Brass
2010s Italian Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Walnut
1970s French Vintage Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Spanish Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Wrought Iron
1970s French Vintage Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century North American Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Empire Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Brass, Steel