Empire Night Stands
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.
1980s Vintage Empire Night Stands
Marble
Early 20th Century French Empire Night Stands
Bronze
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Night Stands
Marble
Early 20th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Marble, Brass
Mid-19th Century Balkan Antique Empire Night Stands
Belgian Black Marble, Bronze
1960s American Vintage Empire Night Stands
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Marble, Brass
Early 1800s Danish Antique Empire Night Stands
Bronze
1940s American Vintage Empire Night Stands
Brass
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Night Stands
Glass, Wood
1960s American Vintage Empire Night Stands
Brass
1960s American Vintage Empire Night Stands
Cherry, Satinwood, Burl
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Night Stands
Wood
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Night Stands
Carrara Marble
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Night Stands
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Marble, Brass
19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Night Stands
Burl
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Belgian Black Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Metal
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Night Stands
Marble
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Night Stands
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Marble, Breccia Marble
1980s French Vintage Empire Night Stands
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Night Stands
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Night Stands
Wood
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Night Stands
Poplar
1860s Antique Empire Night Stands
Marble
20th Century French Empire Night Stands
Siena Marble, Bronze