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Antique Billiken

"Billiken" Cast Iron Still Bank, American, Circa 1909
By A.C. Williams Company
Located in Incline Village, NV
Original "Billiken" cast iron still bank patented in 1908 by Florence Pretz (patent number on the
Category

Early 1900s American Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Iron

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Art Deco Era German Tin Litho Mechanical Coin Bank
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This lithographed tin coin bank was produced in Germany in circa 1935 in the period Art Deco style. The bank is shaped like a coin box with a man's face on the front. When the lever ...
Category

Early 20th Century German Art Deco Antique Billiken

Materials

Metal

Collection of Antique Tin Litho Sand Toys
By J. Chein & Co.
Located in Peekskill, NY
This is a collection of 5 early sand toys. The look is very graphic. The are makers are McDowell, Chein, Wolverine and Ohio Art. They date from the 1920s. Condition varies please che...
Category

Early 20th Century Unknown Industrial Antique Billiken

Materials

Metal

Collection 1900s Edwardian Miniature Tin Toys Farm Animals People and Park Trees
Located in Haarlem, NL
Large collection of tin 1900s Edwardian miniature toy figures. A few tin houses a shed, gazebo's, flower arches, lots of trees and shrubs. Dovecote, pretty fences, a bench, a parro...
Category

Early 20th Century British Edwardian Antique Billiken

Materials

Metal, Tin

"Boy Riding a Turtle" Wind-Up Toy; by J. Chein, circa 1930s
By J. Chein & Co.
Located in Incline Village, NV
By J. Chein, circa 1930, this tin lithographed and hand painted American tin wind-up toy is all original and in working order. There are a few scratches here and there (from normal p...
Category

1930s American Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Tin

Tin Penny Toy Bi-Plane Horn, Germany, circa 1910
Located in Incline Village, NV
Penny Toys were just that; toys made to sell for a penny or very inexpensively. This particular toy was manufactured in Germany (probably Nuremberg) for the American market, circa 19...
Category

1910s German Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Tin

"Cat With A Bow Seated" Still Bank, American, circa 1970
By John Wright Company
Located in Incline Village, NV
"Cat With A Bow Seated" cast iron still bank is a re-issue of a bank by the same name and same casting made in the early 1900s by the Grey Iron Casting Company. It is documented in A...
Category

1970s American Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Iron

Mid Century Tin Litho Windup Toy by Louis Marx "Jumpin Jeep" C 1950
By Louis Marx and Company
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous colorful and full of unpredictable moves when fully wound. Louis Marx toy company was prolific during the mid century era producing a full array of tin windups. In excellent...
Category

1950s American Industrial Antique Billiken

Materials

Tin

"Magic Mouse" Mechanical Bank, Japan, circa 1964
Located in Incline Village, NV
For the mechanical bank and toy enthusiast, listed is a tin, lithographed and painted, all original 1960s mechanical bank made by the Yone Company of Japan (see image of logo on side...
Category

Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Tin

"Lincoln Bank" Still Toy Savings Bank, American, circa 1950
Located in Incline Village, NV
This seldom seen bank is technically a mechanical bank but basically it is a still bank with a slight mechanical function, that being; once it is full of coins, it opens up automatic...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Antique Billiken

Materials

Tin

"Toby" Jug Still Bank and Biscuit Tin, circa 1910
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is both a still bank and a biscuit tin. It would originally have been sold, filled with biscuits. After all of the cookies would have been consumed, the tin (rather than been th...
Category

1910s English Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Tin

"Cat Boat" Mechanical Toy Penny Bank, American, circa 1968
By Utexiqual Products
Located in Incline Village, NV
In near mint and all original condition this vintage mechanical bank appeals to both sailing enthusiasts and bank collectors; perhaps a collector of "cat" memorabelia as well. The th...
Category

1960s American Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Aluminum, Iron, Tin

"Lamb" Cast Iron Still Bank, American, Circa 1970
By John Wright Company
Located in Incline Village, NV
"Lamb" cast Iron still bank is a re-issue of a bank made in 1928. It was made by The John Wright Company in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania in 1970. They purchased the copyrights from the Gr...
Category

1970s American Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Iron

Seated "Cat with a Bow" Still Bank, American, circa 1922
By Grey Iron Casting Company
Located in Incline Village, NV
"Cat with a Bow Seated" cast iron still bank is a difficult bank to acquire and is listed in Andy Moore's "The Penny Bank Book" as #364 and rated a "D" (A to F rarity scale--A most c...
Category

1920s American Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Iron

Uncle Sam Still Bank 'Composition, ' circa 1940
Located in Incline Village, NV
American manufacture; this colorful hand-painted still bank depicting Uncle Sam is all original with no repairs and no repaint. Fabulous crazing throughout indicative of original pai...
Category

1940s American Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Composition

American Mechanical Bank "Melody-Bank, " circa 1946
Located in Incline Village, NV
"Melody-Bank" is a rare bank and was manufactured by "Electric Coding Machine Co., N.Y.C." in 1946. American made, this is a genuine and authentic vintage mechanical bank, albeit som...
Category

1940s American Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Metal

"Lady and Baby by The Wishing Well" Still Bank, German, circa 1910
Located in Incline Village, NV
Very interesting wooden still bank with lots going on. All hand-carved of wood with four small circular risers elevating the base. There is a water pump with a bucket hanging from it...
Category

1910s German Folk Art Antique Billiken

Materials

Wood

Recent Sales

Eskimo Vest
By Eskimo
Located in New York, NY
The face in the center goes by the name of Billiken - "God of things as they ought to be." The
Category

Early 20th Century Antique Billiken

Antique Eskimo Vest
Eskimo Vest
H 22 in W 15 in D 10 in
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Finding the Right folk-art for You

Folk art refers to a genre of art that shares the creator’s traditions, offering not just an artistic display but an opportunity to learn about a culture. Vintage, new and antique folk art typically reflects a heritage or location. It can include utilitarian objects and handmade art as diverse as weather vanes, portraiture and paintings, carnival art, quilts and duck decoys.

American folk art is frequently valued because of the traditional 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. Native American folk art includes functional objects reflecting their heritage, such as baskets, textiles and wooden pieces.

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 folk art on 1stDibs.