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Empire Lanterns

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
French Empire Brass Steel Pool Table Double Lantern Light
Located in New York, NY
This piece was acquired from an estate located in Greenwich, Connecticut. This pool table light holds two metal shaded lamps. The arm of the light is made of cast brass. Good conditi...
Category

Early 20th Century Empire Lanterns

Materials

Brass, Steel

Pair French Empire Caryatids Gilded Bronze Cut Glass 4-Light Lantern Chandelier
Located in Coimbra, PT
Beautiful pair of antique large French Empire caryatids cast bronze lanterns. Fire gilded solid heavy bronze and cut glass shade with four-light. Measures: Diameter 12 in/ 30 cm Heig...
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Solid Brass and Glass Lantern or Pendant Lamp
Located in Verviers, BE
Beautiful solid brass lantern or pendant lamp made in the style of the Italian designer Gaetano Sciolari, circa 1960-1970, Rome, Italy. The fabulous of vintage light takes three E14 ...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Empire Lanterns

Materials

Brass

19thc French Empire Green Art Glass Lantern Intricately Patterned
Located in Opa Locka, FL
19thc French Empire Intricately Patterned Green Art Glass Lantern with Bronze Element. Lovely antique lantern which will arrive newly electrified and with 15 inches of chain and ceil...
Category

1880s French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Art Glass

French Empire Caryatids Gilded Bronze Cut Glass 4-Light Lantern Chandelier, Pair
Located in Coimbra, PT
Beautiful pair of antique large French Empire caryatids cast bronze lanterns. Fire gilded solid heavy bronze and cut glass shade with four-light. Measures: Diameter 12 in/ 30 cm H...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

1930's French Empire Style Lantern
Located in New York, NY
A circa 1930's French gilt bronze Empire style indoor lantern with glass panels inset.
Category

1930s French Vintage Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Empire Dore Lantern Chandelier, Frosted Etched Glass, 19th Century, Solid Bronze
Located in Stamford, CT
Empire Dore Lantern Chandelier, Frosted Etched Glass, 19th Century, Solid Bronze Pendant A finely cast dore bronze lantern pendant having etched frosted g...
Category

Early 20th Century European Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

French Ivory Lantern
Located in Westwood, NJ
French Ivory lantern, based on a French design, the delicate hand-painted decoration on the slatted glass adds texture. The motif on the coronet is reflec...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary English Empire Lanterns

Materials

Metal

French Empire Gilt and Patinated Bronze and Cut Glass 3-Light Lantern Chandelier
Located in Coimbra, PT
Beautiful antique large French Empire cast bronze lantern. Gilded solid heavy bronze and cut glass shade with 3-light bulbs. Dimensions: Diameter 13.8 in / 35 cm Height 37.41 in (...
Category

20th Century French Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze, Metal

Bohemian Crystal Bell Jar Lantern or Pendant Light
Located in Barcelona, ES
Empire Bohemian crystal and bronze bell jar pendant hanging light or chandelier. Czech Republic, 1920s-1930s This elegant hanging light or pendant has a bell in Classic form and featuring bronze leafed scrolled ending hooks. The crystal bell...
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Empire Lanterns

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

French Empire Neoclassical Gilt Bronze and Steel Figural Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A fine and unique Antique French Empire style gilt bronze and steel multi light figural chandelier of great detail embellished with gilt bronze Neoclassical kneeling figures of women depicting flames which represent light. This fine chandelier is further adorned with unusual gilt bronze neoclassical motifs, reticulated gilt...
Category

20th Century French Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze, Steel

Italian Florentine Hall Glass Chandelier by Banci Gilt and Green Wrought Iron
Located in Milan, IT
Italian Banci Firenze wrought iron verdigris painted lantern with glass bowl 1980s. Elegant three-light vintage bell jar lantern with a verdigris scav...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze, Iron

French Empire Style Bronze Lantern
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Large bronze French Empire style lantern.
Category

20th Century Spanish Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Empire Style Lantern Form Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A superb Louis WVI style lantern. Two toned patinated bronze, with curved glass panels. 3-light, France, circa 1900. Apparently unmarked. Measures: Height 42", diameter 19". Pair ...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Antique French Empire Style Neoclassical Gilt and Patina Bronze Eagle Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A superb and unique antique French Empire style neoclassical gilt and patinated bronze multi light chandelier of fine detail. This fine chandelier is embellished with reticulated gilt...
Category

20th Century French Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Wonderful French Neoclassical Large Empire Bronze Crystal Glass Bell Jar Lantern
Located in Roslyn, NY
A wonderful French neoclassical large Empire bronze and crystal adorning glass bell jar lantern fixture with 6 candelabra lights.
Category

1920s French Vintage Empire Lanterns

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

French Hexagonal Empire Gilt Bronze & Etched Glass 3-Light Lantern or Chandelier
Located in Coimbra, PT
Antique French Empire cast bronze lantern. Gilt bronze and etched glass shade with 3-light. Measures: Diameter 12 in/ 30 cm Height 20.5 in (10 in, chain)/ 75 cm (25 cm, chain) Weight...
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

19th Century French Empire Style Hall Lantern
Located in London, GB
19th century French Empire style hall lantern, of pentagonal form with gilt swan mounts to each vertex and three-light suspended fitti...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Small and Lovely Napoleon / Empire Style Bronze Chandelier / Pendant Light
Located in Lisse, NL
Rare size chandelier from the 1920s. If you look at the shape of the centre and the shape of the arms that grow out of this pendant then you capture the essence of it. It is stylish...
Category

1920s French Vintage Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Swedish Lantern on Street Post, Origin Sweden, circa 1850
Located in New York, NY
19th century Swedish lantern with street post, Sweden, circa 1850.
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Iron

Fine Antique French Empire Neoclassical Gilt and Patina Bronze Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A fine antique French empire neoclassical multi light gilt bronze and patinated bronze chandelier of great detail.
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Hanging Lantern
Located in New York, NY
American (glass attributed to Boston and Sandwich Glass Company, Sandwich, Massachusetts), circa 1830-1840. Glass, blown, partially frosted, and wheel cut, with cast and die-rolled brass, patinated. This hanging lamp is typical of the production of such lanterns by the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company of Sandwich, Massachusetts, during the 1830s, and perhaps as late as the early 1840s. The present example is an unusually elaborate specimen with its overall frosting and cutting. In their The Glass Industry in Sandwich, II (1989), Raymond E. Barlow and Joan E. Kaiser quote Boston & Sandwich Glass Company manager Deming Jarves on the fabrication of lamps of this general type (p. 225 no. 2398). These hanging lanterns could be supplied with a candle or with a peg lamp...
Category

19th Century American Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Brass

19th Century French Empire Gilt Bronze Beaded Crystal Chandelier
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
A wonderful Empire style bronze parcel brass crystal beaded chandelier, France mid-19th century. Beads, drops, and bottom ball are of genuine crystal, solid bronze and brass richly e...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Pair of Large and Important Antique French Empire Gilt Bronze Chandeliers
Located in New York, NY
Pair of large and spectacular important antique French Empire neoclassical gilt bronze and white patinated multi light chandeliers of superb quality and detail. These chandelier are ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Empire Gilt Bronze and Cut Crystal Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A superb antique Empire gilt bronze and cut crystal multi light chandelier of exquisite detail embellished with cut crystal prisms and chains, circa 1810.
Category

1810s European Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

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Pair of Art Deco Murano Glass and Brass Pendants or Lanterns by Barovier
Located in Rome, IT
A beautiful pair of Italian Art Deco chandeliers by Ercole Barovier, made of clear Murano glass and brass. Each with one E 27 light bulbs. We can rewire for your country standards. T...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Empire Lanterns

Materials

Blown Glass

A PAIR of Art Deco Murano Glass and Brass Pendants or Lanterns by Barovier
Located in Rome, IT
A Beautiful Pair of Italian Art Deco chandeliers by Ercole Barovier , made of clear Murano glass and brass. Each with two E 27 light bulbs. We can rewire for your country standar...
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Early 20th Century Italian Empire Lanterns

Materials

Blown Glass

Pair of Crystal Rod and Brass Chandelier or Lantern by Gaetano Sciolari, 1960s
Located in Rome, IT
Pair of midcentury Gaetano Sciolari clears glass rod modernist chandeliers with brass frame. Each with 20 E 14 light bulbs creates a fabulous light effect. Excellent vintage cond...
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Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Lanterns

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Crystal, Brass

French Art Nouveau Stained-Glass Lantern, 1890-1900
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
French Art Nouveau stained-glass lantern, France, 1890-1900. Stained-glass and iron. Hammered cathedral glass. Full height: 36.2"(92cm) can be shortened, Diameter: 14"(35.4cm). Deliv...
Category

1890s French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Wrought Iron

Iron and Glass Lantern Pendant
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Simple and elegant iron and glass pendants. Glass globe shaped as an octagon with inlaid iron with in clear glass. Oil rub bronze hardware. Newly re-wired. One available.
Category

20th Century Austrian Empire Lanterns

Large Bell Glass Lantern Chandelier Pendant with Bronze Finish
Located in Hopewell, NJ
A beautiful and unusually large bell glass lantern having rich bronze finish brass and original ceiling cap. 3 arms, 25 watt each Note: Pair available fo...
Category

1970s North American Vintage Empire Lanterns

Materials

Brass

Large French Bronze Lantern
Located in Washington, DC
A six sided large French Bronze Lantern. French.
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Large French Bronze Lantern
Large French Bronze Lantern
H 28 in W 20 in D 19 in
1900 Style Lantern, circa 1930-1950
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
1900 style lantern, circa 1930-1950.
Category

Mid-20th Century European Empire Lanterns

Materials

Metal

Arts & Crafts Bronze Brass & Cathedral Glass Hallway or Stable Lantern / Pendant
Located in Lisse, NL
Impressive and finer quality craftsmanship light fixture. If you are a collector of rare and all-handcrafted art and antiques then this sizable and one of a kind pendant could be f...
Category

Early 20th Century European Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze, Metal, Brass

19th Century French Green Lantern Pendant
Located in Milano, IT
A beautiful 19th century Green painted metal French lantern. This does not come wired.
Category

19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Metal

French Art Nouveau Stained-Glass Lantern, 1890-1900
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
French Art Nouveau stained-glass lantern, France, 1890-1900. Stained-glass and iron. Full height: 35.4"(90cm), overall diameter: 14.2"(36cm). Delivered wired for your country (US, UK...
Category

1890s French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Wrought Iron

Wonderful Large French Bronze Regency Empire Curved Glass Panel Lantern Fixture
Located in Roslyn, NY
A wonderful large french bronze read & x pattern Regency / Empire style curved glass panel lantern fixture with 4 candelabra lights.
Category

20th Century Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Previously Available Items
19th Century French Empire Gilt Bronze Beaded Crystal Chandelier
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
A wonderful Empire style bronze parcel brass crystal beaded chandelier, France mid-19th century. Beads, drops, and bottom ball are of genuine crystal, solid bronze and brass richly e...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Bohemia Crystal Beaded Chandelier, 1910-1920
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
A lovely small Bohemia crystal and brass tent and bag pendant, brought abroad from Czechoslovakia in the early 1900s. This is a wonderful chandelier with beautiful light effect and i...
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Empire Lanterns

Materials

Crystal, Brass

Wonderful Neoclassical Empire Glass Bell Jar Lantern Fixture Eagle Bronze Heads
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Neoclassical, Empire Style Glass & Bronze Bell Jar Lantern Fixture With 3 Eagle Heads, Fitted With 3 Candelabra Lights On The Inside, Rewired And Accompanied By Chain And...
Category

20th Century Empire Lanterns

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Large Gilt Bronze Hall Lantern, 19th Century
Located in Brussels, BE
Large gilt bronze hall lantern, 19th century.       
Category

19th Century Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

Large Gilt Bronze Hall Lantern, 19th Century
Large Gilt Bronze Hall Lantern, 19th Century
H 43.31 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Wonderful French Empire Neoclassical Bronze Bent Glass Petite Lantern Fixture
Located in Roslyn, NY
A wonderful French Empire neoclassical ormolu bronze and bent glass 3 candelabra light lantern fixture completely rewired with new sockets.
Category

20th Century French Empire Lanterns

Materials

Ormolu, Bronze

19th Century French Empire Bronze Cut Crystal Oil Lamp Converted to Electric
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
Empire style oil lamp converted to electric with cut crystal oil reservoir encircled by gilt bronze trefoil satyrs raised on a rose marble trefoil plinth. Original etched glass globe...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Large 19th Century French Empire Style Dore Bronze Crystal Six-Light Chandelier
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
High quality large Empire style solid gilt bronze and crystal six-light chandelier, France, circa 1870-1880. Richly ornate with height relief bronze details with fruit baskets and le...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Empire Style Small Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A charmingly elegant, yet simple, Empire style crystal chandelier perfect for a walk in closet, hallway, bath or entry. The metal has a patinated bronze patina with antique gold fini...
Category

1940s French Vintage Empire Lanterns

Materials

Crystal

French Empire Patinated and Gilt Bronze Cut Glass 3-Light Lantern Chandelier
Located in Coimbra, PT
Beautiful antique large French Empire cast bronze lantern. Gilded solid heavy bronze and cut glass shade with 3-light bulbs. Measures: Diameter 13.8 in / 35 cm Height 41.3 in (chain ...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Empire Lanterns

Materials

Metal, Bronze

Pair of English Nautical Copper & Brass Ship Lanterns, Griffiths & Sons. C. 1880
Located in Hollywood, SC
Pair of English nautical copper and brass port and starboard ship lanterns with polished steel carrying handles, vented tops, original Fresnel lenses, brass stamped badges, rear hand...
Category

1880s English Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Brass, Copper, Steel

Pair of French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Cut Glass Two-Light Lanterns Chandeliers
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
A pair of Empire style cast gilt bronze two-light candelabra lanterns with cut glass cylindrical shade surrounded by four figurine columns, France, late 19th century. Both lanterns ...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Bronze

19th Century French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Doré Rod Four-Light Chandelier
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
A fine Empire style bronze doré and rod four-light chandelier, France, 1880-1890. High quality fire-gilded bronze and finely elaborate in precise detail with two tiers long glass rod...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Lanterns

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Empire lanterns for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Empire lanterns 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 lanterns created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include lighting and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire lanterns 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 lanterns, popular names associated with this style include and Banci Firenze. 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 lanterns differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $877 and tops out at $19,800 while the average work can sell for $3,640.

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