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 20th Century Haitian Folk Art Furniture
Acrylic, Canvas
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Maple, Walnut
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Copper
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Early 19th Century Peruvian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood, Paint
1920s Persian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood
1920s Indian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Nepalese Folk Art Furniture
Bronze, Brass
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1920s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 1800s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Stone
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wrought Iron
1910s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Wood, Paper
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Wood, Paper
Early 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Late 18th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1960s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Clay
1960s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Steel
1960s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Beech, Birdseye Maple
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint, Paper
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper, Wood, Glass
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1870s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Wood, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary French Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1960s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Beech
1920s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Porcelain
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Olive
21st Century and Contemporary French Folk Art Furniture
Paper