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.
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
18th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art Furniture
Velvet, Oak
1940s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Plastic, Hardwood, Paint
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Late 18th Century Finnish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Cuban Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wrought Iron
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1990s American Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
Early 20th Century Persian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Fruitwood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Other
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Steel
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Folk Art Furniture
Linen
Late 18th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin, Steel
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Fruitwood
Late 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Early 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pearlware, Pottery
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Silver
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
1960s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Silver
20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Composition, Metal
Early 2000s American Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
1940s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Hungarian Folk Art Furniture
Earthenware
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Composition
Early 20th Century Scandinavian Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1920s Chinese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool