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Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

EMPIRE STYLE

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.

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Style: Empire
Empire Mahogany Grandfather Clock, early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Large Empire grandfather clock with a mahogany-veneered case in the shape of a lyre. The grandfather clock stands on a chest with three drawers and diamond-shaped fillings. Above it ...
Category

Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

Materials

Enamel

Rare Antique Swedish Gustavian Empire Clock Cabinet
Located in Kramfors, SE
Rare antique clock cabinet from Sweden made during the transitional time between the gustavian and empire period. The cabinet is from Northern Sw...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

Materials

Pine

Isaac Pearson Reading PA Walnut Tall Clock with Rare Jacob Kunsman Case, C 1845
Located in Milford, NH
A splendid Empire walnut veneered tall clock with swan’s neck split pediment crest with bullseye rosettes and three wooden ball & spire finials surmounting an arched front glass door...
Category

1840s American Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

Materials

Metal

Late 19th Century Empire-Style Longcase Clock
Located in Paris, FR
Impressive mahogany longcase clock with gilt and sculpted decorative bronze elements such as fantastic animals, diamond-shaped patterns, scrollwork, and foliage. This floor clock is ...
Category

1880s French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

19th Century French Empire Period Walnut Eight-Day Comtoise Longcase Clock
Located in Birmingham, AL
A stunning early 19th century French Empire period chateau longcase clock with eight-day comtoise movement handcrafted of solid walnut, circa 1815, all original. This tall, handsome chateau longcase clock, with a deep, rich patina that reveals the beauty of age, features a hood with a stepped cornice over a shaped front dial case door...
Category

1810s French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

Materials

Bronze, Enamel

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American Walnut Tall Case Clock by Solomon Gorgas
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By Solomon Gorgas. Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania. Works just cleaned and in good working order. With arched bonnet with pinwheel inlay in the scrolls. Glazed door opening to enameled wo...
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19th Century French Comtoise Grandfather Clock
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Antique Mora Clock Swedish White Gustavian Early 1800s Jacob Oberg
Located in LONDON, GB
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19th Century French Comtoise Grandfather Clock
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19th Swedish Gustavian Longcase Painted Mora Clock
Located in Bradenton, FL
19th century Swedish Gustavian longcase painted clock, featuring an elegant and slender wooden case with decorative details. Scraped down to the original Polychromed painted and hand...
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19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

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Mora Clock 1800s Swedish Green Gold Antique Swedish Painted Gustavian
Located in LONDON, GB
Swedish antique mora clock dating from early/mid-1800s featuring green paint with gold detail painted on the body and it has a clean face. It is structurally sound and will be check...
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19th Century Clock Empire Clock in Siena Marble
Located in Madrid, ES
XIX CENTURY CLOCK EMPIRE CLOCK IN SIENA MARBLE AND DECORATED WITH BRONZE. SUSPENSION MECHANISM WITH FILE. COMPLETE WITH ITS KEY AND PENDULUM. MEASURES: 45 CM HIGH good condition.
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Antique Mora Clock Swedish Fryksdall Green Gold 1800s Gustavian Ekerstrom
Located in LONDON, GB
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Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

Materials

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19th Century Swedish Longcase Clock, Painted
Located in San Francisco, CA
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Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

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Antique French Empire Crystal Regulator Clock
Located in Toledo, OH
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20th Century European Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

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Previously Available Items
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Located in Potters Bar, GB
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White Swedish Empire Long Case Clock
Located in Kramfors, SE
Swedish Empire long case clock from the early 1800s. The clock is made between 1820 and 1840 in pine with old distressed paint. The model is rare with a cutout design on the door. Th...
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Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

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Pine

White Swedish Empire Long Case Clock
White Swedish Empire Long Case Clock
H 91.74 in W 19.69 in D 8.27 in
19th Century Swedish Empire Mora Clock
Located in Kramfors, SE
Swedish mora clock in Empire style from circa 1820. The clock is dry scraped to the original paint The clock comes with the original clockwork, two iron weights and pendulum. The ...
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Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

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Pine

19th Century Swedish Empire Mora Clock
19th Century Swedish Empire Mora Clock
H 78.75 in W 24.81 in D 7.49 in
19th Century Swedish Mora Clock
Located in Kramfors, SE
Large and tall mora clock from the early 1800s, right at the time when the gustavian style transitioned over to the empire style. The woodwork below the head is typical Swedish gusta...
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Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

19th Century Swedish Mora Clock
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H 93.71 in W 23.23 in D 11.03 in
Scottish Mahogany Case Clock Retaining Original Works, Glasgow, circa 1810-1820
Located in Atlanta, GA
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Located in Swedesboro, NJ
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Located in Kramfors, SE
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Located in Paris, FR
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Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Antique Country French comtoise longcase clock from the French Empire period. This charming longcase clock houses an enameled dial with Roman numerals and stamped brass hands in the ...
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Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks

Empire grandfather clocks and longcase clocks for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Empire grandfather clocks and longcase clocks for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 19th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage grandfather clocks and longcase clocks created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, case pieces and storage cabinets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire grandfather clocks and longcase clocks made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Germany 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 grandfather clocks and longcase clocks differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $7,792 and tops out at $12,938 while the average work can sell for $8,450.

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