Under Napoleon III’s rule, Paris underwent a great rebuilding overseen by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, which created grand avenues and lavish landmarks like the Paris Opera. Antique Napoleon III–style furniture was flamboyant and eclectic. It was also known as Second Empire style since it followed and referenced the Empire style of his uncle Napoleon I.
Developing from 1852–70, Napoleon III furniture was plush and ornate, matching the fashion for masked balls and socializing in salons. It borrowed freely from earlier French styles including Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI as well as aesthetics from around the world, from antiquity to Asian art. As writer Gustave Claudin remarked in 1867, the country’s architects worked in “a style which one would be tempted to call neo-Greco-Gothico-Pompadour-Pompeian.”
Napoleon III chairs were completely covered with velvet and lined with tassels; pouf footstools invited people to put up their feet. Sofas were upholstered with tapestries, and beds were adorned with gilt bronze and theatrical canopies. The addition of conservatories to homes led to new indoor-outdoor furniture, while the spirit of hygiene promoted by Baron Haussmann inspired bright, floral motifs.
Although the most ostentatious designs were for the elite, as seen in the Napoleon III apartments preserved in the Louvre, where red velvet, gilding and chandeliers create a cacophony of luxury, these trends influenced homes across classes as manufacturing made design increasingly accessible. Papier-mâché furniture allowed for elaborate shapes that would have been difficult to carve in wood. The malleable material was painted with chinoiserie patterns and decorative designs. It was mass-produced by factories such as Jennens and Bettridge with varnishing and mother-of-pearl inlays creating an effect reminiscent of Asian lacquer. (Surfaces that had been “japanned” — a specialty of Jennens and Bettridge — were intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia.)
Find a collection of antique Napoleon III decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
19th Century French Burl Walnut Sideboard
Located in Louisville, KY
Stunning 19th Century French Burl Walnut Sideboard with two panel drawers each with intricately carved floral motifs within the center panels, each drawer has brass hardware with orn...
Brass
French 19th Century Napoleon III Cabinet
Located in Vilnius, LT
French antique Napoleon III cabinet. Wood is black color polished surface, decorated with inlaid brass decor and bronze details ourside. Inside the cabinet there are two shelves. ...
Marble, Bronze, Brass
$13,300
French Oak Enfilade
Located in Woodbury, CT
French oak enfilade with three-plank top, breadboard ends and thumb moulded edge over three drawers and three paneled doors. Robust carved doors se...
Oak
$4,834Sale Price|25% Off
Napoleon III Sideboard in Blackened Wood and Gilded Bronzes
Located in Paris, FR
Blackened wood cabinet with fluted columns and arched sides topped by a white marble top. The cabinet is decorated with chiseled and gilded ...
Bronze
Napoleon III Sideboard 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Napoleon III sideboard 19th Century 113 x 90 x 37 cm with ebonized wood door and brass inlays, gilded bronze applications. Upper floor with character. French manufacture, Napoleon II...
Wood
Napoleon III Marble Top & Marquetry Sideboard Cabinet
Located in Hanover, MA
Napoleon III kingwood, satinwood and fruitwood marquetry inlayed salon cabinet with surmounted by a conforming inset black veined marble top and having gilt brass moldings and mounts...
Marble, Brass
Large Boulle Credenza Sideboard Napoleon III Inlay
Located in Potters Bar, GB
You are viewing a gorgeous large French credenza in the Boulle manner We date this piece to circa 1860 and it features the classic Boulle style inlay on all surfaces Two doors in mid...
Wood
French cabinet Marqueterie Boulle signed "SUSSE Frères" Napoleon III era
By Susse Freres
Located in Pistoia, IT
Exceptional Boulle inlay coin set bearing the signature "Susse Frères," Paris, Napoleon III era, circa 1870. This rare jewel belongs to the luxurious production of the Victor and...
Bronze
Rare Large Sideboard in Blackened Pear with Inlaid Brass Decorations, Napoleon 3
Located in Mouscron, WHT
rare large sideboard in blackened pear with inlaid brass decorations, Napoleon III period top quality. small flaws, but overall in good condition.
Brass
PAIR OF FRENCH COLUMNS EMPIRE Napoleon III 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
PAIR OF FRENCH COLUMNS EMPIRE Napoleon III 19th Century in mahogany wood and others, with applications in relief bronze. Marble tops. Minor flaws. Dim.: 147 x 48 cm good conditions
Mahogany
A NAPOLEON III EMPIRE Chess of Drawers CABINET in BOULLE Style France 1860
Located in PARIS, FR
An authentic and elegant chess of drawers cabinet usually called "Semainier" (weekly cabinet) as it offers 7 drawers, one per week day, with thin, rich and sensual lines, sometime at...
Bronze
Important Jeune Belfort (1813) Sideboard, France, Napoleon III 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Important Jeune Belfort (1813) Sideboard, France, Napoleon III 19th Century Sideboard, France, Napoleon III era 101 x 49 x 139cm with single central glass door. Ebony plated over oa...
Wood
Italian Contemporary Napoleon III Style - Black and Gold Antiqued Wood Bookcase
Located in Scandicci, Florence
Beautiful Bookcase designed and handcrafted by us with structure in solid wood, lacquered in black and antique gold and entirely hand-carved. These bookcase, made from high-quality ...
Wood
Pair of Napoleon III Ormolu-Mounted Marquetry Side Cabinets
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Pair of Napoleon III Ormolu-Mounted Marquetry side cabinets. Each cabinet having an eared rectangular marble top above a frieze and doors finely inlaid with elaborate foliate ma...
Ormolu
French Neoclassical Sideboard with Gilt Bronze Mounts
Located in BŘECLAV, CZ
Antique French Neoclassical sideboard cabinet with gilt bronze mounts, Napoleon III style, late 19th century craftsmanship define this richly decorated and elegant piece. The cabinet...
Metal, Bronze
$7,857Sale Price|30% Off
Napoleon III French Sideboard Inlaid with Geometric Floral Motifs, 1850
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Elegant sideboard finely inlaid with floral and geometric motifs. It has three drawers and two doors with panels inlaid in various essences with geometric patterns. Enriched with cap...
Bronze
Pair of Napoleon III Satinwood Side Tables or Bedside Tables
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A pair of Napoleon III satinwood side tables or bedside tables, each of rectangular form with a marble top (repaired) surrounded by a brass pierced gallery, all above a single frieze...
Satinwood
$4,886Sale Price|30% Off
19th Century French Napoleon III Period Walnut Buffet with Carrara Marble
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century French Napoleon III period walnut buffet with carrara marble reflects a fascinating period in French history when all the styles were revived, including the timeless neo...
Carrara Marble
Maison Pretot, Sideboard in Marquetry and Bronze, Napoleon III, Xixth Centurywoo
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Very beautiful sideboard t in marquetry with gilded bronze ornamentations: the upper part is decorated with a frieze with floral motifs, the 3 curved and glazed doors are separated b...
Bronze
$6,320Sale Price|20% Off
French Napoleon III Credenza Gilt Bronze Mounted Ebonized Cabinet Sideboard
Located in Brooklyn, NY
19th century French Napoleon III Boulle inlaid ebonized marble-top side cabinet. Large single door, gilt bronze mounts, fluted columns, and shelves o...
Wood
$2,688Sale Price|36% Off
H 35 in W 75 in D 22.38 in
Early 19th Century George III English Serpentine Form Sideboard
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Early 19th century serpentine form sideboard, English, George III Period. Lion mask backplate ring pulls. Deep drawers (one retaining cellarette dividers), flank the shaped central d...
Wood, Oak
19th Century French Oak Sideboard Buffet
Located in Round Top, TX
French oak sideboard buffet featuring three central drawers flanked by two paneled doors with inviting deep patina. Original French brass hinges and pulls remain; locks may operate ...
Oak
$8,496
H 37.01 in W 78.75 in D 19.69 in
Guillerme & Chambron - Spirit - Buffet - Oak - 1960 - France - Brutalist
By Pierre Chapo, Guillerme et Chambron
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Evoking the architectural language of repetition and relief, this elongated French buffet presents a tactile meditation in solid oak. Its four-panelled façade is rhythmically punctua...
Oak
1920s French Art Deco Rosewood Chrome Sideboard Cabinet Marble top
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
1930s Art Deco sideboard with Marble top. Introducing an exquisite French Art Deco display sideboard, a timeless piece that seamlessly marries functionality with elegance. Crafted ci...
Glass, Wood
Antique Marble-Topped Sideboard
Located in Atlanta, GA
French hand-carved sideboard with Breche D'Alep marble top
Marble
Bleached French Large Art Deco Sideboard Oak, 1940s
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
French Art Deco Bleached Oak Sideboard After Charles Dudouyt, 1940s A composition of quiet authority, this French sideboard reveals a language of sculptural clarity and disciplined ...
Oak
French Alpine Rustic Folk Art Cabinet, France 19th Century
Located in Aartselaar, BE
This 19th-century French Alpine rustic folk art cabinet embodies the charm and authenticity of traditional mountain craftsmanship. Handcrafted from solid oak wood, its surface bears ...
Wood, Oak
19th Century French Painted Sideboard
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
19th Century French painted sideboard. With significant storage space, counting three single top drawers and double shelving inside that r...
Wood
19th Century Solid cherrywood sideboard
Located in Malton, GB
This is a fabulous quality 19th century solid cherrywood sideboard. The condition is very clean with a nice aged patina. The design of the panelled doors and diamond details give thi...
Cherry
$10,974
H 42.52 in W 94.49 in D 20.08 in
Jean-Charles Moreux - Spirit - Buffet - Oak - Marble - 1940 - France - Art Deco
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Buffet in Carved Oak with Marble Top, France, 1940s The façade of this monumental buffet unfolds like a pastoral frieze—four paneled doors, each framed in pyramidal relief, bear han...
Marble
19th Century Swedish 19th Century Sideboard Circa 1870
Located in Atlanta, GA
This 19th-century Swedish sideboard, circa 1870, is a beautiful example of Gustavian design, showcasing its characteristic elegance and functionality. Crafted from solid pine wood, t...
Pine, Paint
Alpine Chalet Chic Sideboard in Oak, France
By Guillerme et Chambron, Votre Maison
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Step into the world of authentic French design with this exquisite cabinet, a delightful sideboard crafted from solid oak and inspired by the renowned French designer duo Guillerme e...
Oak
19th Century French Renaissance Revival Walnut Buffet
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French Renaissance Revival Walnut Buffet is a masterpiece of the artisans around the environs of Paris who strove...
Brass
French Bronze Mounted and Inlaid Napoleon III Cabinet/Sideboard
Located in Vilnius, LT
French antique Napoleon III cabinet. Wood is black color polished surface, decorated with inlaid brass stripes, bronze details outside and natural stone lapis lazuli/ lazurite. Insid...
Lapis Lazuli, Marble, Brass, Bronze
Sold
H 38 in W 81.5 in D 22.5 in
Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Period Hand Carved Oak Enfilade, Sideboard
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This mid nineteenth century French Napoleon III period oak enfilade features a beveled top and hand pegged paneled sides and doors flanked by fluted half columns with acanthus leaf c...
Iron
Sold
H 40.75 in W 72.5 in D 17.5 in
Superb Napoleonic Ebonized Mirrored Doors Gilt Incised Burled Walnut Sidebaord
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This a gorgeous Napoleonic style ebonized case and burled walnut sideboard or credenza. The sideboard features a beautiful contrast between light and dark woods and is in good antiqu...
Mirror, Walnut
Sold
H 45 in W 58 in D 17 in
19th Century French Napoleon III Gilt Bronze Ebonized Side Cabinet / Sideboard
Located in New York, NY
Antique (mid/late 19th century) ebonized side cabinet from the Napoleon III period measuring 45 by 58 by 17 inches, featuring gilt brass mounts and charcoal colored marble top.
Bronze
Sold
H 43.71 in W 42.72 in D 16.54 in
A NAPOLEON III EMPIRE SIDEBOARD CABINET CONSOLE in BOULLE Style France 1860
Located in PARIS, FR
An authentic and elegant sideboard cabinet or console with thin, rich and sensual lines, sometime attributed to André-Charles Bpulle. This piece stands up with its strong Napoleon I...
Bronze
Sold
H 39.38 in W 66.15 in D 25.99 in
19th Century Wood with Marble Top French Napoleon III Stamped Chapuis Sideboard
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Antique French/Belgian sideboard from the mid-19th century. Napoleon III period Retour d'Egypt style half moon cabinet stamped Chapuis of exceptional...
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Sold
H 36.23 in W 39.38 in D 17.72 in
20th Century Inlaid Wood French Napoleon III Style Sideboard, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
French sideboard from the second half of the 20th century. Furniture carved and veneered in mahogany, beech, maple and rosewood with decorations on the front and sides in gilded and ...
Wood
Sold
H 35.83 in W 42.92 in D 16.15 in
20th Century Inlaid Wood with Marble French Napoleon III Style Sideboard, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
French sideboard from the second half of the 20th century. Napoleon III style curved and rounded cabinet inlaid with floral decorations in walnut, rosewood, mahogany and fruitwood, a...
Marble
Sold
H 45.28 in W 100.4 in D 21.66 in
Boulle style Large Black Sideboard Credenza 4 doors, Napoleon III, France 19thC
Located in Paris, FR
Very Large long Buffet Sideboard Credenza cabinet with 4 Doors in Napoleon III Boulle Style. Rare as such a large buffet cabinet in oak ...
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Napoleon III Boulle Style Wdgewood Cabinet, France, 1870
By Wedgewood, Auguste Delafontaine, André-Charles Boulle
Located in Paris, FR
Beautiful Napoleon III and Boulle style Cabinet with rich brass filets and gilt bronze ornemantions all over. Blue and white Porcelain Medallion by Wedgewood in the center. Top in A...
Brass, Bronze
Pair of 19th Century French Dessert Buffets
Located in High Point, NC
Rare pair of 19th century oak dessert buffets from France with banded tops that have beveled and carved decorated edges and open to reveal a serving surface. The aprons are hand pane...
Oak