Folk Art Decorative Objects
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.
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass, Copper
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cast Stone
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Copper
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
Mid-19th Century Burmese Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Teak
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1970s Canadian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
1890s Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Sheet Metal
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
1950s Polish Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Gesso, Paint
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bronze, Wrought Iron
1980s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Enamel
Early 20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Glass, Hardwood, Paint
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stone
1960s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
20th Century Belgian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 20th Century Canadian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Softwood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Birch
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
1890s Italian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1910s French Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
19th Century African Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal, Enamel
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Decorative Objects
Hardwood, Elm, Oak
Mid-20th Century North American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
1870s American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Rattan, Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Paste, Paint, Paper
1960s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass, Bronze
Early 20th Century European Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass, Bronze, Copper
19th Century Balinese Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Early 1900s Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Leather, Paper
Early 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bamboo
Mid-20th Century Greenlandic Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
20th Century Czech Folk Art Decorative Objects
Concrete
Late 20th Century Beninese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ebony
19th Century Balinese Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1930s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Twig
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
1960s Danish Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
1960s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone