Folk Art Furniture
Folk art is a genre of art that shares the creator’s traditions, offering not just an artistic display but an opportunity to learn about a culture. Antique, new and vintage folk art typically reflects a heritage or location. It can include utilitarian objects and handmade art as diverse as weather vanes, duck decoys, portraiture and paintings, carnival art and quilts.
Quilts are a quintessential part of American folk art but their roots are international, with quilting dating back to Ancient Egypt. The practice spread to Europe and was especially prominent in the Middle Ages, with one of the oldest surviving examples being the Tristan quilt made in Sicily in the 14th century. They were made as bedcovers and clothing, including as a layer for knights to wear beneath their armor. Native American folk art includes functional objects reflecting their heritage, such as baskets, textiles and wooden pieces.
Elsewhere, the vast range of work associated with Mexican folk art includes masks made by Mexican craftspeople for traditional celebrations and ceremonial dances. Mexican masks are part of the country’s folk-art traditions that go back thousands of years and play a role in festivals and theater.
Works in the folk art tradition are valuable because of the skills involved, like weaving, hand-carving wood and even stonework. Many folk artists are self-taught, while some train as apprentices within their community. By using available materials and taking a personal approach to their creations, artists ensure each piece is unique and conveys a story.
During the Great Depression, artistic materials in America were hard to come by, so artisans used discarded wood from cigar boxes and shipping crates to make highly stylized, notched pieces — most often picture frames and boxes — that are today sought after by collectors. This folk art style is called tramp art and was popular from roughly 1870 until the 1940s.
Folk art brings vibrant culture and traditions into your home. Browse an extensive collection of antique, new and vintage folk art on 1stDibs.
Late 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood
Late 19th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Furniture
Earthenware
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1960s English Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1930s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary African Folk Art Furniture
Metal
20th Century Portuguese Folk Art Furniture
Terracotta
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Steel
1960s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Birch
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Beech
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Stoneware
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Terracotta
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1980s Italian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Fabric, Wood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
2010s African Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1950s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
19th Century Tibetan Antique Folk Art Furniture
Silver
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1840s Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Fir
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bentwood, Pine
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
18th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Late 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Hardwood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1930s Spanish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
Late 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
1960s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1770s Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Fir
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
1830s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Linen
1980s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Silver
2010s Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Clay
Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Iron
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Paint
1920s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 18th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Wood, Paper
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Walnut