Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
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 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Metal, Brass
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Brass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Metal
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Metal, Brass
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Metal
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Brass
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Antler
Mid-20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Wood, Hide
Mid-20th Century Chinese Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Silver
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Brass
Early 20th Century Thai Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary European Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Paper
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Brass
Late 20th Century Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
20th Century English Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Brass, Copper
Early 1800s Antique Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Coconut
1920s Vintage Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Agate, Silver
15th Century and Earlier Malaysian Antique Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Metal, Silver
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Wrought Iron
1930s English Vintage Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Metal
Mid-20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Wood, Hide
Mid-20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Hide, Wood
1930s North American Vintage Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Silver Plate, Brass
1780s American Antique Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Horn
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Leather
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
1770s American Antique Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
1960s Finnish Vintage Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
1870s English Antique Folk Art Arms, Armor and Weapons
Iron