Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
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.
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Enamel
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Pine
1840s American Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Metal
1880s French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Bronze, Ormolu
1810s French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Bronze, Enamel
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass
Late 18th Century American Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Metal, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass, Enamel
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass, Enamel
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood, Paint
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Pine
19th Century French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Marble
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
20th Century European Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass
1930s French Vintage Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Kingwood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Pine
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Pine
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
1810s Scottish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Bronze
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Pine
1880s French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Ormolu, Bronze