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.
Petite Empire Console with Marble Top, France 19th century
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Empire Period mahogany console table of small size. The rectangular top inset with a white and green variegated marble top and the frieze inset with a drawer and flanked by paint...
Mahogany
19th C. French Empire Crotch Mahogany Bronze Ormolu 1 Drawer Console Hall Table
Located in Philadelphia, PA
19th C. French Empire Crotch Mahogany Bronze Ormolu One Drawer Console Hall Table. Item features beautiful wood grain with attractive mounts including human form feet, rear back spla...
Metal
French Early 19th Century Empire Neoclassical Style Center Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A spectacular French early 19th century Empire style mahogany, ormolu and Vert de Patricia marble center table. The most impressive circular center table is raised by three stunning ...
Marble, Ormolu
A French Napoleon III Empire Style Mahogany & Ormolu Secretaire - Knee-Hole Desk
By François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Fine and Rare French Napoleon III Empire Style Mahogany and Ormolu Mounted Knee-Hole Secretaire with a Pull-Drawer Desk and Three Upper-Drawers with Two-Side Door Compartments, the...
Ormolu
19th Century Swedish Empire Centre Console Table
Located in Allerum, SE
Fine and unusual 19th century Swedish Empire centre console table with Italian pink Calacatta marble top, Ca 1830.
Marble
French Mahogany Desk, circa 1850
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The rectangular top inset with a beige tooled leather writing surface and slide outs on both ends. Above five drawers, the reverse side with dummy drawers raised on columnar legs wit...
Brass
Empire Demilune Lyre Console in Mahogany with St. Anne Marble Top
Located in Dallas, TX
A graceful Empire style demilune console in mahogany, crowned with a richly veined St. Anne marble top. The half-moon form gives the piece an elegant architectural presence, while t...
Marble, Brass
Classic French 18th Century Empire Walnut Kneehole Writing Desk
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Found near Paris, France, we purchased this museum quality 18th century Empire style desk for its impeccable quality and style. Made predominantly from walnut and featuring Empiric s...
Walnut
Vintage Stone Top Flame Mahogany Pier Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This magnificent Empire-style pier table is a masterwork of Neoclassical design, characterized by its architectural strength and luxurious material palette. The piece features a stri...
Marble
$2,553Sale Price|50% Off
19th Century French Mahogany Vanity Table with Swan's Heads in Empire Style
Located in Sofia, BG
French hand carved mahogany vanity table with black marble top. There is an original crystal oval mirror on the top part surrounded by two asymme...
Marble
$8,487 / item
French Empire Style Round End Table
Located in Westwood, NJ
Early 19th-century French design, anchored by a quartz top with a refined moulded surround, this table balances classical elegance with luxurious materials. Its bold brass frame feat...
Quartz, Brass
Antique French Empire Walnut Console Table
Located in London, GB
A gorgeous antique French empire walnut console table, dating from around the 1870-1890 period. It is of wonderful quality and has a beautiful, useful design. The top has a cross ba...
Walnut
$4,339
Beidermier Pedestal
Located in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset
A Beidermier design blonde wood and ebonised jardiniere or torchere stand. A circular wooden top sits above an ebonised band with S scroll supports on a carved triangular plinth, ter...
Birch
19th Century Italian Empire Console Table with Marble Top and Giltwood
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Large, important early 19th Century North Italian console or side table of monumental proportions. This outstanding table is of large size and retains its original marble top of 42...
Marble
Pair of Empire Gilt and Patinated and Mahogany Veneered Wood Gueridons
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
A pair of Empire gilt and patinated wood and mahogany veneered Gueridons, early 19th century.
Wood
A 19th Century Rafraichissoir Table
Located in Dallas, TX
A 19th century rafraichissoir table with gilt and ebonized swan supports. Mahogany, circa 1845. France.
Mahogany
$5,680Sale Price|64% Off
Spanish Empire Console Table with Mirror in Mahogany, circa 1810
Located in Miami, FL
Fine Spanish Empire console with mirror in mahogany and rosewood with satinwood inlays, circa 1810.
Rosewood
Italian Bleached Walnut Burl Veneer Round Empire Center Table
Located in Viterbo, VT
Round center table hand-crafted in Italy in the early 1800s and decorated with beautiful walnut burl veneer. The top of the table is absolutely stunning featuring radially-placed boo...
Walnut
$11,907 / item
French Empire Style Center Table
Located in Westwood, NJ
Early 19th-century French design anchored by a sleek quartz top with a refined moulded surround and elegant canted corners, this table blends architectural grace with timeless luxury...
Quartz, Brass
Empire Style Side Table, French Wood with Black Marble Top, 1910
Located in Austin, TX
Gueridon, French, in the Empire style. This piece has three swan legs on a triangular base supporting the top covered with a veined black marble top (professionally repaired).
Marble
$3,936Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Trouvailles Metal and Brass Side Tables with Swan Necks and Doors, Frenc
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A PAIR OF FRENCH PATINATED STEEL AND PARCEL-GILT GUERIDONS Each with removable galleried top above two cupboards on turned legs headed by swan-neck-shaped handles 21½ in. (57 cm.) h...
Gold Plate, Brass, Steel
A Continental early 19th century Empire st. Mahogany Fruitwood center table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking and most handsome Continental early 19th century Empire st. Mahogany and Ebonized Fruitwood center table. The wonderful table is raised on Ebonized Fruitwood bun feet belo...
Fruitwood, Mahogany
Mirrored and gilt wood console by Deknudt Belgium, 1970s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Hollywood regency style console by Belgian company Lusterie Deknudt with a gilt wood frame and a mirrored top. Elegant piedce of furniture for your hall or living room,... Dimensi...
Wood
$21,759Sale Price|25% Off
Italian Empire Style 19th Century Oval Cherrywood and Ebony Dining Room Table
Located in Firenze, IT
This simply stunning antique 19th century Tuscan large oval dining room table has a gorgeous shape, thanks to its soft and sober lines- ty...
Cherry, Ebony
French Empire Bronze Pedestals with Green Marble Top, 20th Century
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of French Empire style (20th Cent) bronze dore brazier style pedestals with round green marble top and cross leg supports.(PRICED AS PAIR)
Bronze
French 19th century Empire st. Mahogany and Ormolu center table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An impressive and most handsome French 19th century Empire st. Mahogany and Ormolu center table. This exceptional table is raised by solid Mahogany bun feet with concealed interior B...
Ormolu
French Empire Gueridon Side Table, Ebonized Mahogany, Marble Top, 1880
Located in Austin, TX
Side table from France in the French Empire style. This piece is made of mahogany that has been ebonized and finished with a high gloss French polish finish. The “gueridon” has a tri...
Carrara Marble, Brass
$11,180 / set
Pair of Empire Style Mahogany Console Tables
Located in Westwood, NJ
French Empire style mahogany veneered console table with two drawers. Fine geometric herringbone inlays throughout and raised on tapering square legs and a Y-frame stretcher. Dime...
Mahogany
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
Period Charles X Vide Poche or Dished Occasional Table
Located in Hudson, NY
This table made in expensive imported mahogany was made in France, circa 1820. Stylish in an Empire form but in a then new easy less formulaic way showing the end of the countries ne...
Mahogany
Empire-Style Pedestal Table in Walnut Veneer with Gray Marble Top
Located in Atlanta, GA
A refined 19th-century Empire-style pedestal table crafted in walnut veneer, featuring a stately circular gray marble top resting on a neoclassical columnar base. The table is suppor...
Marble
French Empire Style Desk with Gilt Metal Mounts
Located in Miami, FL
A perfect example of the Bureau Plat. French Empire style desk with wood marquetry and gilt metal mounts at all angles. This piece features three working drawers on the front with three faux drawers on the back. The superb gilt metal hardware is on the front as well as the back. The four arched legs grace gorgeous gilt metal decor...
Metal
Empire Table with Palmettes, possibly Berlin / Gotha, circa 1820/25
Located in Greding, DE
This oval Empire salon table is supported by two columnar legs in the form of stylized palms, partly gilt and partly ebonized. The plinth and the oval top are veneered in mahogany an...
Mahogany
$9,600Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of French Empire Demilune Flip-Top Consoles by Ira Yeager
By Ira Yeager
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Opulent pair of 19th century French empire demi-lune console tables or round dining tables with a flip top that has been faux-marble lacquered on top by artist Ira Yeager (American 1...
Brass
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 Burr Walnut and Ormolu Games Table, Chess and Backgammon
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
French Empire Style Burr Walnut and Ormolu Games Table, Chess and Backgammon This is a charming piece, the table stands on bombe style cabriole legs and has ormolu decoration in the...
Walnut
Empire Style Console Table
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This is a very sophisticated Empire style console table, the ebonized plank top, over an ebonized wall centered with a carved parcel gilt la...
Ebony, Satinwood
$1,960Sale Price|39% Off
Russian Baltic Brass Bound Marble Top Empire Style Center Occasional Table
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This Russian Baltic Empire style occasional table is a striking example of neoclassical refinement, crafted with timeless artistry and elegance. The circular top is fitted with a ric...
Marble, Brass
$34,950Sale Price / set|22% Off
Pair of French 19th Century Empire Style Giltwood & Gesso Carved Console Tables
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine and rare pair of French 19th century Empire style giltwood carved and ebonized gesso figural console tables with figures of winged lions and f...
Marble
Pair of French Midcentury Steel and Clear Glass Side Tables, Empire Design
Located in London, GB
A good pair of steel and glass side tables, made in France in the 1960s. Made with an empire design, with pine cone finials and flower details. This pair of minimalist side tables ...
Steel
$603Sale Price|20% Off
Italian metal folding side table Empire style, yellow and black, Mid century
Located in Hamburg, DE
Transport your living space back to the opulent Empire era with this Italian folding table crafted from metal, dating back to around 1970. The Em...
Metal
French Empire Figural Bronze Gueridon/side table w/ Pietra Dore Top
Located in New York, NY
A 19th Century French Empire-Style Pietra Dura Top Table/Gueridon with Gilt Bronze Maiden Base. This table features a gilt bronze caryatid support and an octagonal pietra dura top. ...
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century Empire Mahogany Console Table with Marble Top
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
This finely crafted console table impresses with its strict architectural form and a striking, rare marble top. The frieze houses a large drawer (without lock), subtly integrated int...
Marble, Bronze
19th Century Pair of Empire Style Italian Walnut Consoles
Located in Dallas, TX
The product is a pair of Italian walnut consoles from the 19th century, which exudes an Empire style design. These antique pieces add a touch of elegance and history to any space wit...
Marble
Early 19th Century Italian Empire Commodino with Ebonized Detail
Located in Atlanta, GA
The early 19th century Italian Empire commodino with ebonized detail, 1 drawer above cabinet below and gilt metal mounts. All resting on raised shaped legs.
Bronze
Maitland Smith Empire Style Large Banded Inlay Mahogany Glass Top Coffee Table
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Please message us with your zip code to request a more reasonable domestic U.S. shipping quote. Maitland Smith Empire Style Large Banded Inlay Mahogany Glass Top Coffee Table. Item ...
Glass, Mahogany
French Empire Mahogany End Table with Griffins and Marble Top
Located in Queens, NY
French Empire-style (19th Century) mahogany end/center table with bronze trim and winged griffins on legs with a green rectangular marble top.
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Style Gilt Metal Mahogany Table
Located in Astoria, NY
French Empire Style Gilt Metal Mounted Mahogany Pedestal, early 20th century, the circular top on a tapering column on a quadripartite plinth and ball feet. 35.5" H x 15.25" D...
Metal
French Empire Style Mahogany Roll Top Desk with Bronze Gilt Trim
Located in Queens, NY
French Empire style (19th Century) mahogany roll top desk with bronze trim.
Bronze
$12,465
Empire Centre Table
Located in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire
Empire Centre Table A large French Empire centre table in figured mahogany with ormolu mounts, bronze feet and the original dished yellow-veined da...
Mahogany
$1,104Sale Price|29% Off
19th Century Walnut Empire Style French Opening Side Table Called "Somno"
Located in LEGNY, FR
19th century walnut Empire style French side table called "Somno". Beautiful green marble top. Opening door with one shelf. Nice quality.
Walnut
Ebonised Empire Gueridon Table with Belgian Marble Top, Circa 1860
Located in Arundel, GB
A very elegant 19thc, Ebonised, Empire Gueridon. With bronze Caryatid mounts topping faux, Siena marble tapered columns. The table has triform ebonised base and a speckled, grey marb...
Belgian Black Marble
Empire Style Round Wooden Games Table with Chessboard and Green Felt Top
Located in Lisbon, PT
Elegant round wooden games table in the Empire style, distinguished by its versatile reversible playing top and refined architectural base. One side presents an integrated inlaid che...
Wood
Italian Empire style pedestal in wood and brass, mid 1800s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Empire style pedestal in wood and brass, mid 1800s Pedestal or display column with square top in wood. The top is supported by four round wooden strips with brass finishes at...
Brass
Early 19th Century Swedish Empire Sofa Table by Johan Oman
By Johan Öman
Located in Essex, MA
Period early 19th century Swedish mahogany sofa table by Johan Oman. Stylized double headed axe, a Swedish motif, original ormolu mounts and gilded winged feet...
Mahogany, Fir
Empire Style Eglomise Mirrored Center Table E.J. Victor
By E. J. Victor
Located in Toledo, OH
Empire style eglomise mirrored round center table. Black finish painted leaf details and trim in gold. Distressed mirror top. Excellent condition. 38" diameter x 30.5"
Mirror
Early 19th Century, Lombard Empire Chest of Drawers with Marble Top
Located in IT
Walnut-veneered cabinet with solid walnut interior. Fitted with original brass handles with gilt finish, brass capitals with matching gilt finish, and a grey marble top. Complete wi...
Brass
$10,827 / item
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
French Empire-Style Round End Table, Ebonized Wood, Gilt Trim, 1940s
Located in Queens, NY
French Empire-Style (1940s) ebonized and gilt trim round end table with bronze trim on apron and a top rim surrounding a mottled mirrored round top. (At...
Bronze, Gold Leaf
Antique Victorian Carved Oak Console Table
Located in London, GB
A large and very impressive antique Victorian carved oak console table. This was made in England, it dates from around the 1840-1860 period. It is of extremely fine quality, with a ...
Oak