Empire 1799-1815
The German antique furniture of the empire takes on monumental proportions.
Highly polished mahogany with bronze fittings reminiscent of Egyptian kings. Lions paws, swans, palms, caryatids and so forth.
New veneer cutting techniques allow long and wide sheets of veneer to be cut. This gives the cabinet makers the chance to enhance the furniture with book matched figures.
Chairs stay mostly straight, becoming heavier with straight front legs and sabre back legs.
Plant tables make an appearance.
The fall front secretaire is large and masculine.
Antique German furniture of the empire period is particularly hard to find and much copied.
This was furniture found in big houses and not afforded by the average middle and lower class families.
The lower classes were quite content with the Zopf style and the Empire Style never caught on here as it did with the rich.