Understanding French Antique Napoleon III Furniture
You may have heard of Napoleon Bonaparte, the diminutive French emperor who ruled France in the early 19th century. He was followed by Napoleon II who only lived from 1811 to 1832, then Napoleon III who reigned from as the President of the French Republic from 1848 to 1851, then as Emperor from 1852 to 1870. He has the distinction of being the last French monarch to rule and inspired a popular furniture style. French antique Napoleon III furniture, also commonly called Second Empire furniture, is quite popular with today’s collectors.
One of the defining things about this period was that it borrowed from a variety of previous time periods. Influences from the Renaissance period and reign of Louis XVI and XVII were seen, as was boulle style furniture. Boulle was a style that featured tortoise-shell marquetry which depicted human form as well as flora and fauna. Furniture pieces made during this time were intricate, ornate and decorative. The emperor’s interest in Roman style was evident, as was his wife’s interest in the reign of Marie Antoinette. These aspects came together nicely in many of the designs of this time.
In general, Second Empire furniture featured dark woods but also sometimes featured black lacquer pieces hand painted with floral motifs. There was lots of scrollwork, marquetry, carving and ornamentation. Pieces were rather heavy and extravagant. When shopping for antiques from this period, it is helpful to read up on the subject in more depth and consult with an expert. You will find many original pieces are housed in French museums. Many collectors may decide to go with an antique reproduction rather than the real thing.
Antique furniture reproductions are a great way to fill your home with gorgeous pieces of handmade furniture. Egyptian made French antique reproductions represent the best available today and are meticulously crafted by hand. You can also commission a reproduction of French antique Napoleon III furniture to be made especially for you. Today’s reproductions are so authentic looking that you will be the only one who knows they’re not real antiques, that is unless you have an appraiser over for dinner! When caring for your French antique furniture or reproduction furniture, use beeswax polish and a soft cloth rather than spray polishes.
