Empire 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.
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Carrara Marble
Early 20th Century French Empire Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Empire Tables
Wood
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Tables
Limestone
1830s Swedish Antique Empire Tables
Mahogany
1870s Unknown Antique Empire Tables
Walnut
20th Century French Empire Tables
Wood, Walnut, Burl
19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Marble, Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Marble, Bronze
19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Tables
Marble, Bronze, Gold Leaf
19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Mahogany
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Tables
Metal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Tables
Walnut
Early 1800s Austrian Antique Empire Tables
Ebony
Early 20th Century French Empire Tables
Bronze
Early 18th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Bronze
1810s French Antique Empire Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century European Empire Tables
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Marble, Bronze
1810s Irish Antique Empire Tables
Marble
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Tables
Marble, Bronze
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Tables
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Marble
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Tables
Mahogany
1860s Swedish Antique Empire Tables
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Marble, Bronze
19th Century American Antique Empire Tables
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Wood
20th Century German Empire Tables
Marble
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Tables
Walnut
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Tables
Wood, Mahogany
1810s German Antique Empire Tables
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Tables
Marble, Bronze
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Tables
Brass
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Tables
Metal
1850s Italian Antique Empire Tables
Plaster, Fruitwood
1960s French Vintage Empire Tables
Bronze
19th Century German Antique Empire Tables
Marble
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Bronze
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Tables
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Marble, Brass
20th Century Empire Tables
Wood
1810s French Antique Empire Tables
Carrara Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Tables
Marble
20th Century Empire Tables
Metal
1980s Vintage Empire Tables
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Tables
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Tables
Brass
19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Tables
Marble
20th Century French Empire Tables
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Tables
Pine
Early 20th Century Empire Tables
Mahogany
1810s French Antique Empire Tables
Mahogany