About Us

The Empire Company Pty Ltd trading as BEECHWORTH WINE CENTRE has 10,000 sq. feet of shop display, which makes us the largest shop north of Melbourne. The Empire Company is an importer,retailer and wholesaler of fine European antiques, cast iron garden furniture and ornaments as well as general architectural items and antique design decor and accessories.

We have regular shipment from France, Holland, Belgium and Scandinavia, arriving at our new Beechworth wholesale warehouse in North East Victoria and is open by appointment only. Our retail showrooms are located in the heart of the historic old gold town of Beechworth ( the best preserved Gold Rush era Town in Australia), in the impressive Old Bank of New South Wales building, dated 1856. Here we combine fine local and imported wines including Beechworth's own Giaconda,Sorrenberg, Savaterre, Battely vineyards, with our antique furniture and decor, all of which are for sale.

You may select from carved and gilded mirrors, Swedish blonde wood furniture, hand woven wool tapestries, crystal chandeliers, French carved Provencal oak and fruitwood furniture and fine cherrywood Biedermeier and mahogany Empire period pieces. Our historic bank building,in the heart of Beechworth. The huge 3 metre high granite walled garden is filled with traditional cast iron Coalbrookdale furniture, wirework outdoor settings, gates & arches, columns, lanterns and fountains as well as glazed and antique French, terracotta and marble sculptures etc.

We proudly supply dealers throughout Australia. We also ship goods all over the world including to clients in Hong Kong,Germany, Sweden, Austria,Holland The USA and France, etc.

The Director of the Empire Company Pty Ltd Oliver Von Wilpert has had long established business relationships in the fine wine and antiques industry, stemming from the establishment of two shops in Sydney's premier antiques shopping strip, Queen Street, Woollahra in the 80's and 90's. Having specialised in Biedermeier furniture and neoclassical design as well as extended study tours throughout europe and it's Museums, including the Vienna Applied Arts Museum (MAK) and Hofmoebel Sammlung, Berlin's Schinkel Museum, St Petersburg Eastern Europe, Stockholm's Nordiska Museet, etc.

With this impeccable background and vast knowledge Mr von Wilpert accepted the post of CEO of The Empire Company in the mid 90's. At the Empire Company you can rely on us every time for value Quality and integrity.