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Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

NAPOLEON III STYLE

Under Napoleon III’s rule, Paris underwent a great rebuilding overseen by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, which created grand avenues and lavish landmarks like the Paris Opera. Antique Napoleon III–style furniture was flamboyant and eclectic. It was also known as Second Empire style since it followed and referenced the Empire style of his uncle Napoleon I.

Developing from 1852–70, Napoleon III furniture was plush and ornate, matching the fashion for masked balls and socializing in salons. It borrowed freely from earlier French styles including Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI as well as aesthetics from around the world, from antiquity to Asian art. As writer Gustave Claudin remarked in 1867, the country’s architects worked in “a style which one would be tempted to call neo-Greco-Gothico-Pompadour-Pompeian.”

Napoleon III chairs were completely covered with velvet and lined with tassels; pouf footstools invited people to put up their feet. Sofas were upholstered with tapestries, and beds were adorned with gilt bronze and theatrical canopies. The addition of conservatories to homes led to new indoor-outdoor furniture, while the spirit of hygiene promoted by Baron Haussmann inspired bright, floral motifs.

Although the most ostentatious designs were for the elite, as seen in the Napoleon III apartments preserved in the Louvre, where red velvet, gilding and chandeliers create a cacophony of luxury, these trends influenced homes across classes as manufacturing made design increasingly accessible. Papier-mâché furniture allowed for elaborate shapes that would have been difficult to carve in wood. The malleable material was painted with chinoiserie patterns and decorative designs. It was mass-produced by factories such as Jennens and Bettridge with varnishing and mother-of-pearl inlays creating an effect reminiscent of Asian lacquer. (Surfaces that had been “japanned” — a specialty of Jennens and Bettridge — were intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia.)

Find a collection of antique Napoleon III decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Napoleon III
French Napoleon III Black Carved Ebonized Bed with Cherubs
Located in Miami, FL
King-size bed with an impressive Renaissance-style headboard and footboard, crafted from beautiful walnut wood. The bed has a fabulous large heavily carved cherub This original Itali...
Category

Mid-19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Walnut

19th Century French Napoleon III Rosewood Bed
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century French Napoleon III Rosewood Bed is a testament both to expert craftsmanship and exotic imported material from the Americas. Designed in a neoclassical style, it featur...
Category

1880s French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Rosewood

French Bed Headboards in golden bronze Bed Frame
Located in Valladolid, ES
Beautiful French bed headboards in gilt bronze, Napoleon III. Measurements 140 cm tall and 134 cm the other, 7 cm wide and 95 cm wide both, they ...
Category

1890s French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Bronze

French Napoleon III Hand Carved Bed
Located in Lisbon, PT
A rare 19th Century Napoleon III period french palatial King sized bed in solid high quality tropical wood (size 181.5 x 210 cm) with painted floral lacquer panels. Very rare period ...
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19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Metal, Brass

19th Century Napoleon III Period Mahogany Wall Bed
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century Napoleon III Period mahogany wall bed is a superbly well-preserved example of French style and ingenuity from the Second Empire! Hand-crafted from exotic imported mahoga...
Category

1870s French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Mahogany

19th Century French Napoleon III Mahogany Day Bed
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French Napoleon III mahogany day bed is a masterful study in classical architecture melded with timeless French craftsmanship and an understated elegance that will trans...
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1860s French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Rosewood

19th Century French Napoleon III Child's Bed
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th century French Napoleon III Period child's bed made of solid cherry wood, with column form supports and iron curtain rails. Beautiful book matched...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Brass, Iron

Pair of 3rd Quarter 19th Century Napoleon III French Tole & Iron Single Beds
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
3rd quarter 19th century pair of French tole & iron single beds. Napoleon III period. Superb faux bois walnut & satinwood paintwork on the head & foot boards inlaid with mother of pe...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Metal, Iron

ANTIQUE FRENCH DUCK EGG BLUE HAND PAiNTED ORNATELY DECORATED BED FRAME IN OAK
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this sublime quality, antique French Duck Egg Blue hand painted Napoleon II style bed frame Please note th...
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20th Century French Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Oak

Large 19th Century Italian Giltwood Upholstered Headboard
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Mid 19th Century Italian hand-carved giltwood and painted wall mounted headboard from the Piedmont region. The pop-out panel is upholstered in nat...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Linen, Giltwood

Antique French Hand Painted Ornately Decorated Bed Frame in Oak Pine Slats
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this sublime quality, antique French hand painted Napoleon II style bed frame This bed is of the finest quality, it has some good age to it, it is an original hand painted French piece not later reproduction model, it looks every bit of French opulence...
Category

20th Century French Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Oak, Pine

Patinated Steel Bed, Width 140cm, 19th Century
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Beautiful bed in patinated steel, decorated with volutes, Greek frieze and ending with bronze spinning tops. Bears a WC mark surrounded by a circle. Good general condition, w...
Category

19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Steel

Outstanding Napoleon style bedroom set
Located in Meulebeke, BE
Outstanding Napoleon style bedroom set. This high quality complete set is made high standards by Decoene Belgium. The beautiful details in the lion's f...
Category

1950s Belgian Vintage Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Fabric, Wood

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French Double Caned & Carved White Twin Bed with Rose Swags
Located in Malibu, CA
Stunning French Antique Cane long twin beds featuring caned headboard embellished with floral swags & a central medallion with rare circular caning. The footboards in Berger style wi...
Category

Early 20th Century French Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Cane, Hardwood

1940's French Carved Wood Bed by Charles Dudouyt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Incredible and rare vintage twin bed frame by Charles Dudouyt, circa 1940's France. Long oak wood frame with carved circle details. Original finish ...
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20th Century French Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Oak

Boo Bed • Hand-Carved Dog Bed with Sheepskin by Odditi
Located in CAROOL, NSW, AU
The Boo Bed is a contemporary architectural throne for your doggo. Upholstered in luxurious long haired sheepskin for your fur baby’s comfort. Featuring hand-c...
Category

2010s Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Sheepskin, Cedar

19th Century French Louis XV Period Carved Walnut Daybed
Located in Miami, FL
Magnificent 18th century French Louis XV period daybed. The bed needs a reupholstered , we can do it with the color velvet you choose.
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Velvet, Walnut

French 19th Century Directoire Full Bed Frame
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A French 19th century bed from the Directoire period with a warm gray and French blue color scheme. Both the headboard and the footboard have a low and wide pitch across the top to f...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Wood, Paint

French 19th Century Directoire Full Bed Frame
French 19th Century Directoire Full Bed Frame
H 46.25 in W 51.13 in D 77.38 in
19th Century Faux Bamboo Bed
Located in Bradenton, FL
Attributed to R.J. Horner & Co. Aesthetic Movement Faux Bamboo bed. The bed is beautifully designed utilizing various type of maple--birds-eye maple. The faux bamboo spindles are fin...
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Birdseye Maple

19th Century Faux Bamboo Bed
19th Century Faux Bamboo Bed
H 66 in W 84 in D 46 in
Antique French Napoleon III Carved Mahogany 5 Piece Bedroom Suite, Circa 1880.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Rare Antique French Napoleon III Carved Mahogany 5 Piece Bedroom Suite, Circa 1875-1885. Extraordinary workmanship. Bed: 58" x 76" Interior. Headboar...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Marble

Sculptural form brass day bed by Osvaldo Borsani, Arredamento Borsani, circa 1958
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Beautiful and important sculpturakl form brass single bed or day bed circa 1958-1963 by Osvaldo Borsani for 'Arredamento Borsani', Varedo , Italy. The small series of Borsani beds designed were produced in several different designs ,each in very limited numbers and all hand made by the Arredamento Borsani in Varedo, italy. This series of beds never went into serial industrial production , a fact confirmed to me by the Arredamento Borsani archives. Beginning in the late 1950s,Osvaldo Borsani went on to collaborate with many great artists such as Lucio Fontana, Fausto Melotti, Agenore Fabbri, Aligi Sassu and Arnaldo Pomodoro, amongst others entrusting each to provide decorative elements to his designs. The brass headboard features a series of heavy cast solid brass interlocking geometric elements each featuring a beautiful organic three dimensional surface finish creating a supremely elegant and timeless repetitive motif . The bed still retains all its original decorative brass nuts ,bolts and finials which feature the same three dimensional decorative finish as the decorative sculptural forms contained in the headboard. We have had a new bespoke mattress and bolster pillow made with a natural latex foam surface as they would have originally had which also has the benefit that latex breathes. The mattress has an opulent decorative buttoned finish . Botht the mattress and pillow have been finished in 100% wool 'PLOEGWOOL' fabric by the high quality Dutch fabric manufacturer DE PLOEG. MATTRESS DIMENSIONS : Width 100cm x length 200cm / 3ft 3.37inch x 6ft 6.74inch BOLSTER PILLOW DIMENSIONS: Width 100cm diameter 24cm / 3ft 3.37inch x 9.45inch The mattress is supported on a 20mm ( 0.75 inch ) thick plywood board ,with breathing holes, which spans across the transverse brass plated steel frame elements. When used as a day bed SEATING...
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Brass

Restoration Period Mahogany and Gilt Bronze Sofa Bed, 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Restoration period mahogany veneered boat-shaped bed with a slightly overturned bedside. The front is soberly dressed with an ormolu plaque with scrolls and flowers framing a female face with antique...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Bronze

French 19th Century Empire Daybed & Bed Crown
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A gorgeous French Empire mahogany alcove daybed and bed crown hand-crafted in France in the 19th Century. A rare lit de repos made of mahogany most likely from Cuba or the Antilles and fitted with brass and ormolu figurines...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Brass

19th Century Refinished Mahogany Spindle Full Size Bed
Located in Germantown, MD
19th Century Refinished Mahogany Spindle Full Size Bed on wheels. Measures 53" in width, 77" in depth and 43" in height at the headboard, 38. 5" in height at the footboard. Underb...
Category

19th Century American Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Mahogany

Mahogany Neoclassical Bed Frame, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
"Boat" bed in carved mahogany wood, 19th century. Head and feet of the same height, are decorated with a circular molding, while the rear, by harmony, follows the lines of the front...
Category

19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Wood, Mahogany

Mahogany Neoclassical Bed Frame, 19th Century
Mahogany Neoclassical Bed Frame, 19th Century
H 59.85 in W 85.83 in D 50.4 in
Previously Available Items
Amazing Napoleon III Empire bed, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Napoleon III Empire bed, 19th century France made of mahogany and ormolu decorated with "swan necks" and supported on claw feet, upholstered in green floral fabric on a beige backgro...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Wood

Amazing Napoleon III Empire bed, 19th Century
Amazing Napoleon III Empire bed, 19th Century
H 37.41 in W 72.84 in D 53.15 in
Brass Inlaid French Dor'e Figural Bronze Boulle Ebonized Near Queen Bed
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a superb bed which is decadently adorned in dor'e gilt bronze with figures and flaming septres and inlaid in tortoise with brass. The bed is part of an entire set including a...
Category

1870s French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Bronze

Large Headboard in Painted Iron, Genoa, Xixth Century
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Large iron headboard (180cm) painted in burgundy-brown tones, decorated with flowers and scrolls painted in silver and gold Good condition Italian work from the 19th century, from...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Iron

Important French Headboard in Carved and Gilded Wood 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Important French headboard in carved and gilded wood 19th century. France Dimensioni 190x150 cm Very good condition.
Category

19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Wood

Napoleon III Bed with Hand Painted Florals and Mother of Pearl Detailing
Located in Trensacq, FR
Charming Napoleon III bed with hand-painted florals and inlaid mother of pearl. Black Lacquered four-post bed with gilded detailing and brass finials, prettily adorned with beautif...
Category

1880s French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Iron

19th Century French Napoleon III Carved Giltwood Ciel de Lit or Bed Canopy
Located in Dallas, TX
Dress a master bedroom with this elegant antique canopy. Crafted in France circa 1870 and curved in shape, the "Ciel de Lit" is decorated with a cherub ...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Giltwood

Napoleonic Style Solid Walnut and Iron Queen Width Bed Circa 1820s
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Wood. Iron. With headboard, footboard and rails. 50 1/2" h x 60 1/4" w x 2 1/8" d. Condition Missing pieces of wood. Scratches.
Category

1820s French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Wrought Iron

Antique Napoleon III Empire Mahogany & Ormolu Sleigh Bed, Full Size, c1870
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique Napoleon III French Empire sleigh full size bed frame offers mahogany construction with scroll form head and foot boards raised on scroll ...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Ormolu

19th Century Austrian Hand Painted Iron Pair of Bed Frames, 1890s
By Joz. & Leop. Quittner
Located in LEGNY, FR
Iron bed, child’s bed frame includes factory symbol from Jos & Leop Quittner Factory in Vienna, ca. 1889 The two bed frame are made of iron, and the decorations are finely hand pain...
Category

1890s Austrian Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Iron

Napoleon III Style Brass and Iron Decorated King Headboard
Located in Sheffield, MA
Napoleon III style king bed headboard is constructed of iron and bronze painted black with elaborate solid brass detailing, including filigree rosettes and pediments. The outer posts...
Category

20th Century French Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Iron, Brass

19th Century French Napoleon III Period Queen Bed
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French Napoleon III period queen bed represents the epitome of the Revival of the Late Renaissance in France during the waning years of the Epoch. Handcrafted using time...
Category

1870s French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Oak

19th Century French Napoleon III Period Rolling Black Metal Single Bed
Located in LEGNY, FR
Exceptional and rare French Napoleon III rolling black metal single bed. Beautiful metal and details work. Four wheels. Entirely removable. The two sides and two jambs. Mattress in...
Category

1870s French Antique Napoleon III Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Metal

Napoleon Iii beds and bed frames for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Napoleon III beds and bed frames for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Mid-20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage beds and bed frames created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, seating and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Napoleon III beds and bed frames made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Belgium pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for beds and bed frames differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,600 and tops out at $25,000 while the average work can sell for $3,821.

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