What characterises French Empire Revival furniture?

French Empire Revival furniture, popular during the late 19th century, draws inspiration from Classical antiquity, incorporating Neoclassical symmetry, dark mahogany timbers, and detailed gilt-bronze or ormolu mounts.

What materials were traditionally used in crafting Empire armchairs?

These armchairs typically feature solid mahogany or mahogany veneers, cast gilt-bronze ormolu embellishments, and woven textiles such as silk damask or velvet.

How can authentic 19th-century Empire Revival pieces be identified?

Authentic period pieces feature hand-carved mahogany framing, heavy cast bronze mounts with hand-chiselled detailing, traditional joinery such as mortise and tenon joints, and natural age-related wear.

How can French Empire Revival armchairs be styled in a modern interior?

Positioning a pair of these armchairs beside a simple contemporary console table or within a neutral living room creates an architectural contrast between period craftsmanship and modern minimalism.

How should mahogany wood and ormolu mounts be maintained?

Dust mahogany surfaces regularly with a dry microfibre cloth and apply beeswax sparingly, while cleaning gilt-bronze mounts gently with a soft dry brush to avoid scratching or tarnishing the metal.

for sale €5,031 $5,461

£4,300

Regent Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Sep 2016

View Dealers Stock Page

About Us

We specialise in english and continental furniture, silver, porcelain and decorative items.
Trade Associations

Regent Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA CINOA

Relevant Links

French Empire Chairs

Blue Damask Armchairs

Ormolu Mounted Armchairs

Gilt Bronze Mounted Chairs

Empire Style Accent Chairs

Carved Mahogany Elbow Chairs

Id #SA998762

PDF

SAVE

Antique Pair French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Armchairs C1870 19th C

Name: Antique Pair French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Armchairs C1870 19th C
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA998762
Price: 4300 GBP
Availability: InStock

19th century

For Sale by Regent Antiques

Description

This is a fantastic and highly decorative antique pair of French gilt bronze mounted Empire Revival fauteuil armchairs, circa 1870 in date.

They have been crafted from fabulous solid mahogany and are smothered in fabulous high quality ormolu mounts reminiscent of the Empire style with Egyptian motifs and Napoleonic symbols.

The arms terminating in gilded anthemion roundels above gilded ormolu female masques and standing on elegant tapering legs that terminate in ormolu feet and upholstered in a fabulous silk fabric

Add elegance to your home with this exceptional pair of armchairs.

Condition:

In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and reupholstered in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 98 x Width 61 x Depth 64

Height 48 - Seat Height

Dimensions in inches:

Height 3 foot, 3 inches x Width 2 foot x Depth 2 feet, 1 inch

Height 1 foot, 7 inches - Seat Height

Mahogany

is probably one of the largest ‘families’ of hardwood, having many different varieties within its own species.

Mahogany has been used for centuries in ship building, house building, furniture making etc and is the core structure of just about every 19th century vanity box, dressing case or jewellery box. It became more of a Victorian trend to dress Mahogany with these decorative veneers, such as Rosewood, Kingwood, Burr Walnut and Coromandel, so that the actual Mahogany was almost hidden from view.

Mahogany itself is a rich reddish brown wood that can range from being plain in appearance to something that is so vibrant, figured and almost three dimensional in effect.

Although Mahogany was most often used in its solid form, it also provided some beautifully figured varieties of veneer like ‘Flame’ Mahogany and ‘Fiddleback’ Mahogany (named after its preferred use in the manufacture of fine musical instruments).

Cuban Mahogany was so sought after, that by the late 1850's, this particular variety became all but extinct.

Empire style,

is an early-19th-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts followed in Europe and America until around 1830.

The style originated in and takes its name from the rule of Napoleon I in the First French Empire, where it was intended to idealize Napoleon's leadership and the French state. The style corresponds to the Biedermeier style in the German-speaking lands, Federal style in the United States and to the Regency style in Britain. The previous style was called Louis XVI style, in France.

The Empire style was based on aspects of the Roman Empire. It is the second phase of neoclassicism which is also called "Directoire", after a goverment system.

Furniture typically had symbols and ornaments borrowed from the glorious ancient Greek and Roman empires.

The furniture was made from heavy woods such as mahogany and ebony, imported from the colonies, with dark finishes often with decorative bronze mounts. Marble tops were popular as were Egyptian motifs like sphinxes, griffins, urns and eagles and the Napoleonic symbols, the eagle, the bee, the initials "I" and a large "N."

Gilded bronze (ormolu) details displayed a high level of craftsmanship.

Our reference: A3253

Physical Dimensions

Height

98cm (38.58")

Width

61cm (24.02")

Depth

64cm (25.20")

Declaration

Regent Antiques has dated these French Empire Revival Armchairs to the 1870s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA998762

Dealers Internal Reference

A3253

Description

This is a fantastic and highly decorative antique pair of French gilt bronze mounted Empire Revival fauteuil armchairs, circa 1870 in date.

“

They have been crafted from fabulous solid mahogany and are smothered in fabulous high quality ormolu mounts reminiscent of the Empire style with Egyptian motifs and Napoleonic symbols.

Regent Antiques

fig 1. A pair of 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany armchairs upholstered in blue and gold patterned silk damask featuring gilt ormolu mounts. — fig 1. Antique Pair French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Armchairs C1870 19th C

The arms terminating in gilded anthemion roundels above gilded ormolu female masques and standing on elegant tapering legs that terminate in ormolu feet and upholstered in a fabulous silk fabric

Add elegance to your home with this exceptional pair of armchairs.

fig 2. A pair of 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany armchairs upholstered in blue and gold patterned silk damask featuring gilt ormolu mounts. — fig 2. Antique Pair French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Armchairs C1870 19th C

Condition:

In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and reupholstered in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 98 x Width 61 x Depth 64

Height 48 - Seat Height

fig 3. A pair of 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany armchairs upholstered in blue and gold patterned silk damask featuring gilt ormolu mounts. — fig 3. Antique Pair French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Armchairs C1870 19th C

Dimensions in inches:

Height 3 foot, 3 inches x Width 2 foot x Depth 2 feet, 1 inch

Height 1 foot, 7 inches - Seat Height

Mahogany

is probably one of the largest ‘families’ of hardwood, having many different varieties within its own species.

Mahogany has been used for centuries in ship building, house building, furniture making etc and is the core structure of just about every 19th century vanity box, dressing case or jewellery box. It became more of a Victorian trend to dress Mahogany with these decorative veneers, such as Rosewood, Kingwood, Burr Walnut and Coromandel, so that the actual Mahogany was almost hidden from view.

fig 5. A pair of 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany armchairs upholstered in blue and gold patterned silk damask featuring gilt ormolu mounts. — fig 5. Antique Pair French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Armchairs C1870 19th C

Mahogany itself is a rich reddish brown wood that can range from being plain in appearance to something that is so vibrant, figured and almost three dimensional in effect.

Although Mahogany was most often used in its solid form, it also provided some beautifully figured varieties of veneer like ‘Flame’ Mahogany and ‘Fiddleback’ Mahogany (named after its preferred use in the manufacture of fine musical instruments).

fig 6. A pair of 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany armchairs upholstered in blue and gold patterned silk damask featuring gilt ormolu mounts. — fig 6. Antique Pair French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Armchairs C1870 19th C

Cuban Mahogany was so sought after, that by the late 1850's, this particular variety became all but extinct.

Empire style,

is an early-19th-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts followed in Europe and America until around 1830.

fig 7. A pair of 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany armchairs upholstered in blue and gold patterned silk damask featuring gilt ormolu mounts. — fig 7. Antique Pair French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Armchairs C1870 19th C

The style originated in and takes its name from the rule of Napoleon I in the First French Empire, where it was intended to idealize Napoleon's leadership and the French state. The style corresponds to the Biedermeier style in the German-speaking lands, Federal style in the United States and to the Regency style in Britain. The previous style was called Louis XVI style, in France.

fig 8. A pair of 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany armchairs upholstered in blue and gold patterned silk damask featuring gilt ormolu mounts. — fig 8. Antique Pair French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Armchairs C1870 19th C

The Empire style was based on aspects of the Roman Empire. It is the second phase of neoclassicism which is also called "Directoire", after a goverment system.

Furniture typically had symbols and ornaments borrowed from the glorious ancient Greek and Roman empires.

fig 9. A pair of 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany armchairs upholstered in blue and gold patterned silk damask featuring gilt ormolu mounts. — fig 9. Antique Pair French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Armchairs C1870 19th C

The furniture was made from heavy woods such as mahogany and ebony, imported from the colonies, with dark finishes often with decorative bronze mounts. Marble tops were popular as were Egyptian motifs like sphinxes, griffins, urns and eagles and the Napoleonic symbols, the eagle, the bee, the initials "I" and a large "N."

Gilded bronze (ormolu) details displayed a high level of craftsmanship.

Our reference: A3253