Apache Indian Art On Sale
20th Century American Native American Native American Objects
Natural Fiber
People Also Browsed
Antique 1890s American Native American Decorative Baskets
Hemp
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Decorative Baskets
Hemp
Vintage 1930s American Decorative Baskets
Straw
Mid-20th Century American Native American Native American Objects
Pottery
Antique Late 19th Century American Native American Decorative Baskets
Other
Antique 19th Century American Native American Native American Objects
Earthenware
Mid-20th Century American Native American Decorative Baskets
Other
Early 20th Century American Native American Decorative Baskets
Reed
Vintage 1950s Canadian Native American Native American Objects
Cedar
Antique Early 1900s American Native American Decorative Baskets
Other
Early 20th Century American Native American Native American Objects
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Native American Native American Objects
Leather
Antique Late 19th Century American Native American Decorative Baskets
Other
Antique 1880s American Native American Decorative Baskets
Other
Antique Early 1900s American Native American Decorative Baskets
Twig
Antique Late 19th Century American Native American Decorative Baskets
Other
Recent Sales
Early 20th Century American Native American Decorative Baskets
Willow
A Close Look at native-american Furniture
Native American broadly describes any Indigenous people in North America and encompasses hundreds of tribes and groups, all with distinct cultures. Native American–style furniture and decor likewise varies widely, from pieces created by Indigenous people to those appropriated by non-native designers.
Indigenous furniture’s rich heritage includes the bentwood boxes of the Northwest Coast carved from cedar for storing household or ceremonial objects. Generations of Native American people have made baskets for holding household items, with those in the Northeast using sweetgrass and those in the Southeast using pine needles and wicker. Artisans in the Plateau region wove watertight pieces like cradles from plant materials. Although these objects were intricately made, they were usually utilitarian rather than decorative.
The colonization of North America and the removal of Indigenous people from their lands led to the suppression of these practices. Many styles that used Native American motifs — such as Southwestern style, which was heavily influenced by the geometric patterns of Navajo textiles — have historically not involved Indigenous creators and, instead, have taken their traditions without their tribal context.
When decorating a home with Native American–style furniture, it is important to do so respectfully, by understanding the origins of motifs and objects and examining who profits from their sale. There are now Indigenous-led companies, such as Cherokee designer Cray Bauxmont-Flynn’s Amatoya and Totem House Design, promoting Indigenous work in furniture and home decor. Supporting Indigenous artists and artisans is essential to confronting the still pervasive issue of cultural appropriation in design.
Find a collection of Native American living room furniture, folk art, rugs and carpets, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.