Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
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
Pair of Fine Ormolu and Green Marble Eight-Light Torcheres/Centerpieces
Located in New York, NY
An unusual and rare pair of ormolu and green marble eight-light torcheres/floor centerpieces attributed to E. F. Caldwell and Co New York. In the Empire style, the circular pierced f...
Category
1890s American Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Pair of 19th Century Empire Bronze Center Pieces
Located in London, GB
A fine large pair of 19th century French Empire bronze center pieces modeled as classical figures holding a loft acanthus capped crystal bowls.
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Bronze
Empire Style Marble and Bronze Antique Centrepiece by Robbe
Located in London, GB
In an ornamental style, with rouge griotte marble and burnished bronze depicting the three Graces, signed 'A. ROBBE. Paris.'
This stunning French centrepiece...
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Pair of Medici-Form Vases
Located in New York, NY
Attributed to Schoelcher, Paris, France, circa 1830.
Porcelain, painted and gilded.
16 1/4 in. high, 9 1/2 in. wide, 9 1/2 in. deep.
Ex Coll.: by repute, Joseph Bonaparte...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of 19th Century Paris Porcelain Neoclassical Corbeille or Centrepieces
Located in Essex, MA
19th century pair of gilt and bisque porcelain Empire centrepieces
Of Sevres form though Old Paris porcelain
Each with three neoclassical female...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Russian Imperial Cut Crystal and Doré Bronze Centerpieces W/ Masks
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful pair of hand diamond cut Russian crystal and doré bronze mounted oval shaped centerpieces in the Louis XVI style, attributed to the Imperial Russian Glass Manufactory, early 1800s. Each beautiful hand diamond cut crystal bowl...
Category
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Rare Antique Royal Copenhagen Blue Flower Tureen in Empire Style
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Rare antique Royal Copenhagen blue flower tureen in Empire style,
circa 1850s.
Measures: 40 x 25 cm.
In good condition. 1st. factory q...
Category
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Italian Empire Silver and Silver Gilt Inkstand
Located in Kittery Point, ME
Of oval shape, with a cupid holding a bow and arrow riding aloft a gilt dolphin forming a lid over a compartment, flanked by ink and sand pots on masked plinths cast with Medusa masks and mounted to a lion's-paw footed oval galleried tray...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Silver
Large 19th Century Bronze and Cut-Glass Centrepiece
Located in London, GB
A spectacular Napoleonic tazza, with a hobnailed -cut blue glass bowl surrounded by an ormolu acanthus leaf crown, upheld by three vestal virgins standing on an ormolu base decorated...
Category
Late 19th Century European Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Bronze
Coffee Pot Silver European 19th Century Empire Blackened Handle, Austria
Located in New York, NY
Coffee pot silver European 19th century blackened handle Austria. An exquisite example of a empire coffee pot made during the 19th century in Austria. Ov...
Category
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Silver
Set of Ten Empire Floral Decorated Gilt Banded Plates
Located in New York, NY
Antique set of ten Empire white and gilt plates with center floral bouquets; with underglaze red markings for L. Ernie 61 Rue du Bac., France, early 180...
Category
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
Gilded and Painted Paris Porcelain Vase, France circa 1815
Located in CH
A large gilded and painted Paris Porcelain Vase, France circa 1815
The picture in the front reproduces a painting by the French artist Louis Ducis (14 July 1775, Versailles - 2 March 1847, Paris) of Torquato Tasso...
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Russian Empire Malachite, French Bronze Centrepiece/Tazzas by Thomier
Located in New York, NY
A magnificent pair of Russian Empire Period malachite, French doré bronze and cut crystal Tazzas, signed THOMIRE A PARIS. The square malachite bowls are upheld by putti (cupids) stan...
Category
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Crystal, Malachite, Bronze
Empire Sèvres Porcelain Centerpiece
Located in New Orleans, LA
Fabulous Empire porcelain centerpiece.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century, Silver Dredging Spoon
Located in Copenhagen, K
Danish silver dredging spoon from circa 1820.
Category
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Silver
Magnificent Pair of Russian Imperial Ruby Glass Vases w/ Gilded Bronze Mounts
Located in New York, NY
While Napoleon's armies never conquered Russian, French taste did, and in a big way. This pair made at the Imperial Glass Workshop, under the Sponsorship of the Imperial Family would have been at home in a Paris drawing room as easily as in St. Petersburg.
The Intense Ruby Red color of the Crystal is created by adding large quantities of gold to the molten glass before the object is created. The resulting color is dense yet full of light just like its namesake the precious jewel. The Dore bronze mounts use motifs taken from antiquity. Likewise, the shape of the handles is inspired by Greco-Roman amphora...
Category
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Bronze
Pair of “Old Paris” Porcelain Coolers, Yellow Bands, Floral Wreaths
By Darte Frères
Located in New York, NY
Darte Frères, Paris, made, circa 1820.
Porcelain, partially painted and gilded.
Measures: 14 1/4 in. high, 10 3/8 in. wide (through the handles), 7 3/4 in. deep.
Signed (with stencil, in black, on the bottom of each): Darte. f.
Recorded: cf. Régine de Plinval de Guillebon, Porcelain of Paris, 1770–1850 (New York: Walker and Company, 1972), p. 333 no. 79 illustrates the mark on these coolers.
Some of the most beautiful porcelain produced in Paris during the Empire/Restauration periods was made or sold by the firm of Darte Frères. Although the Darte family, which came from Namur, then in The Netherlands, had set themselves up in the business of the manufacture of porcelain as early as 1794–95, by 1803 the three Darte brothers had decided, as Régine de Plinval de Guillebon notes (ibid., p. 231), that “each should have his own establishment,” and, indeed, by 1804 their prior business partnership had been “annulled,” and from that point forward there were two businesses using the name Darte.
The Darte brothers, Louis Joseph and Jean François, began independent operation in 1804 at the Hôtel Montalembert, at 90, rue de la Roquette. Their business arrangements were only formalized in 1808, at which time they began to use the name “Darte Frères.” They remained in the business until 1825, when their partnership was dissolved.
Darte Frères produced a large variety of porcelain, including vast dinner and...
Category
19th Century Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
Large Antique B&G Bing & Grondahl Vase in Purple with Handles in Gold
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Large antique B&G Bing & Grondahl vase in purple with handles in gold with faun-face.
Early stamp. Dated 1888, with monogram.
1st. factory quality. In perfect condition...
Category
1880s Danish Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
A Rare Pair of Antique Russian Crystal and Dore Bronze dolphin Centerpieces
Located in New York, NY
A Pair of Russian Diamond Patterned Cut Crystal Centerpieces with Gilt Bronze Mounts and Mercury Gilded Bronze Dolphin Heads. The wavy edge of the elegantly cut bowls perfectly frame...
Category
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Set of Four Elegant French Silver Open Salt Cellars
Located in Montreal, QC
Set of four 800 French silver oval open slat cellars decorated with eagle heads, Provincial hallmarks, 1798-1809.
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Paris Porcelain Gilt Chinoiserie Cup
Located in New York, NY
Paris porcelain gilt chinoiserie cup. French footed coffee can with richly painted and gilt chinoiserie figures within gilt arcade on brown ground w...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
Neoclassical Porcelain Center Piece
Located in New Haven, CT
We have collected quite a few centerpieces over the years, but I have never handled one this scale. Three biscque porcelain winged women rise out of foliate tails bear the weight of ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
French Mirrored Plateau
Located in Stamford, CT
A French Empire bronze dore, reticulated feather and paw foot, mirrored plateau.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Bronze
Set of Five 19th Century Glasses with Gold Leaf Motive
Located in Copenhagen, K
Very nice set of five German glasses with gold motives. Gilding very nicely preserved.
Category
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Glass
Pair of Sceaux Faux Porphyry Tobacco Jars, 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The pair of jars with covers with old repairs and chips.
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Faience
Neoclassical Green and Gilt Faux Marble Samovar Coffee Urn
Located in New York, NY
Neoclassical green and gilt faux marble samovar coffee urn. Gilt and green faux marble painted samovar with Greco Roman mask issuing spout on pedestal abov...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Metal
Sensational B&G 'Bing & Grondahl' Large Egg Shaped Vase in Empire Style
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Sensational B&G (Bing & Grondahl) large egg shaped vase in Empire style on stand. Lid with mythological figures in biscuit. Decorated with the Stock Ex...
Category
20th Century Danish Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Paris Porcelain Vase with Landscape Scene, France c. 1820
Located in Atlanta, GA
A large Paris porcelain vase of good quality, almost two feet in height. The body with painted figural and landscape vignettes on opposing sides, contained by acid-etched gilt border...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Empire Period Porcelain Campana Vases, Parisian, circa 1815
Located in Atlanta, GA
A fine pair of Paris porcelain vases, designed in campana form with the front featuring circular vignettes with landscape scenes, on the reverse are framed musical trophies created t...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
Pair Of Antique 3-Flame Empire Silver Candle Holders, by Anton Köll, Vienna 1807
Located in Vienna, AT
Two elegant 3-flame silver girandoles on a round base, smooth shaft raised in the centre, the lower third constricted by a profiled beaded ring, the shaft widening conically towards ...
Category
Early 1800s Austrian Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Silver
Saint-Louis, Platinium Thistle Carafe, France 2000s
By Saint Louis
Located in PARIS, FR
Beautiful platinum Thistle model carafe by the Saint-Louis manufacture, France 2000s.
Excellent condition.
Dimensions in cm ( H x L x l ) : 30.5 x 15 x 10
Secure shipping.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Crystal
Rare Edition Baccarat Empire Harcourt Gilded Grape Motif Whiskey Decanter
By Baccarat
Located in New York, NY
Fine Baccarat Empire Harcourt whiskey decanter in a rare special edition featuring gilded grape motif. We have only come across this design once before in the thirty or so years of selling Baccarat pieces. This attractive model features the classic Baccarat body with an artistically rendered clusters of grapes and large grape leaves in gilt. A gilded circle at the rim of the decanter and a gilded border at the octagonal stopper complete the design.
Distinctive barware piece, perfect for a special vintage whiskey...
Category
20th Century French Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Crystal
Empire Style Teapot in Paris Porcelain
Located in BARSAC, FR
Very beautiful teapot in Paris porcelain with gilded decoration in the Empire style.
Superb model of good quality from the end of the 19th or beginning of the 20th century.
In ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
Empire Style Teapot in Paris Porcelain
Located in BARSAC, FR
Very beautiful teapot in Paris porcelain decorated with fine gold and Bordeaux color in the Empire style.
Superb model of good quality from the end of the 19th or beginning of the...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century Tea Coffee Water Silver Pot Rechaud Vienna 1817 Arms of Nobility
Located in Epfach, DE
Tea, coffee or water pot with rechaud, Vienna about 1817
silver 15 lot, like more as sterling silver Engraved coat of arms
The weight is 860 gr Silver, the content of the jug is 0...
Category
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Sterling Silver
Richard Ginori Porcelain "Voliere" Set of Six Coffee Cups, Italy, 2018
Located in Cagliari, IT
The Volière collection is pure poetry, however you want to write it, your table will be like a score. Between colors, tones and shades, fall in love with the perfect agreement. Each piece has been decomposed into its features, to create variations of shades. Every detail, every sign is designed to create color paths in over 50 color variations.
In this set are depicted six birds out of...
Category
2010s Italian Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
Plate Imperial Viennese Porcelain 1802 Amor Cherub Nymphs Angelika Kauffmann
Located in Vienna, AT
Gorgeous multicolored Picture Plate of Viennese Imperial Porcelain Manufactory.
Stunning quality / the edged areas are decorated with finest patterns, made in following manner: Rose red shaded background is decorated with finest golden painted patterns enclosed in lockets with violet as well as with dark red background - there are golden leaves and scrolls, dolphins and lady's masks as well as golden flower's bouquets visible. - The plate's middle area is surrounded by a golden painted border / the centre shows a figural scene which describes Amor Cherub Chasing Nymphs: Little winged Amor floating in air is busy with bowhunting, i.e. chasing three nymphs (one of these has fallen to ground already, trying to fend off the attack... / two of them have turned away from Amor cherub, trying to flee from him)
Important note:
This painting is made in style of Angelika Kauffmann...
Category
Mid-19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Porcelain
French Empire Plated Soup Tureen
Located in Torino, IT
A French Sheffield plated Empire soup tureen, round shape with stiff-leaf borders, France, circa 1810.
Category
1810s European Antique Empire Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Materials
Sheffield Plate
Empire serveware, ceramics, silver and glass for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Empire serveware, ceramics, silver and glass for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage serveware, ceramics, silver and glass created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, decorative objects, lighting and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, ceramic and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire serveware, ceramics, silver and glass made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, popular names associated with this style include Baccarat, Giorgio Salimbeni, Franco Salimbeni, and Christofle. 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 serveware, ceramics, silver and glass differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $56 and tops out at $126,260 while the average work can sell for $2,396.
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