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.
20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Iron
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 2000s Australian Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1990s English Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Paper, Wood, Paint
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century British Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1970s Ethiopian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
1960s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Asian Folk Art Furniture
Cast Stone
1860s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Cedar
1940s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Other
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo
Early 1900s Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Paint, Fruitwood
1970s Ethiopian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Majolica
1850s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood, Fruitwood, Paint
Late 20th Century Italian Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
1860s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Pine
Mid-19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century Balkan Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Wool
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1990s Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Wool
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Copper
Early 1800s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1850s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1910s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1950s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Fir
Mid-19th Century Canadian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1970s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Organic Material
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century European Folk Art Furniture
Oak
1880s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1940s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Copper
Late 20th Century Chinese Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint, Paper
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Leather
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Brass
Early 2000s American Folk Art Furniture
Acrylic, Wood, Paint, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Peruvian Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Terracotta
1960s Balkan Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Plaster, Plywood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paint, Paper
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Metal