Of the reign of the French Emperor Napoleon (Bonaparte) from 1804-1815. Grand, symmetrical designs using classical forms in a formal Greek way were combined with motifs associated with Napoleon, such as eagles, bees, laurel wreaths and Egyptian subjects. See Directoire and Second Empire.

A very thin layer of gold applied to brass or bronze.

Often now referred to as 'crystal', the glass was blown and shaped, then passed to a specialist cutter, who would polish and cut patterns to enhance its brilliance.

A palmette motif in the form of a stylised honeysuckle, found on classical Greek buildings such as the Erechtheum, in Athens, and often used as part of neo-classical decoration.

Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751–1843) a French sculptor, was the most prominent bronzier of the First French Empire in the late 1700's. Before setting up his own establishment in 1775, Thomire trained in the workshop of Pierre Gouthière. He began assisting Jean-Claude-Thomas Duplessis, the artistic director of the Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory, in making mounts. When Duplessis died in 1783, Thomire took over his job, supplying all the gilt bronze mounts for the porcelain. This work kept him in business throughout the French Revolution, when many other producers went bankrupt. In 1804 he bought the business of a marchand-mercier, thus allowing him to sell furniture, Sèvres porcelain, and decorative objects, which he produced in his own workshops. In 1809 the Emperor Napoleon made him ciseleur de l'empereur (Engraver to the Emperor); Two years later, because of the large number of pieces Thomire supplied to the palaces, his firm became fournisseur de leurs majestés (Furniture Suppliers to their Majesties). Thomire's business survived even after Napoleon's downfall (1814-15). He continued to win numerous medals at various exhibitions and retired himself in 1823.