Vintage Cinco De Mayo Art

Evoking rusticity and relaxation through simple and elegant designs, vintage Adirondack furniture originated in the Adirondack Mountains of northeastern New York. The most famous piece is the Adirondack chair, which dates to 1903.

With its ample armrests and sturdy but comfortable slanted seat, the reclined Adirondack chair was designed by Thomas Lee for his own country home. The postwar golden age of modern patio and garden furniture production — led by the likes of Brown Jordan, Knoll, Salterini and Woodard — was decades away at the time, and there were few pieces of furniture specifically created for outdoor use.

Lee, a Massachusetts-born Harvard graduate raised in a wealthy family, was no furniture designer. He merely needed a durable, rugged chair for afternoons in the sun while he was vacationing on Lake Champlain in Westport, New York, in the summer. The amateur woodworker used just one wooden plank cut into 11 segments that were jointed together for his now-legendary seat, which is said to have been made of hemlock, hickory or basswood.

The story of the Adirondack chair continues with Lee’s friend, carpenter Harry Bunnell, covertly patenting the chair and going on to produce it as the Westport Plank chair for a growing audience over the next two decades. Over a century later, the Adirondack chair has gone through several design evolutions while maintaining its popularity and basic form with slats of wood such as pine offering comfort both indoors and out.

The widespread demand for rustic Adirondack outdoor furniture was bolstered by the turn-of-the-century establishment of rural escapes to treat diseases such as tuberculosis. The low-slung Adirondack chair became common in these places of convalescence, allowing patients to recline and breathe in the country air. It also complemented the camp-style architecture that was prevalent in the Adirondacks for recreation as well as restoration, where rugged furniture with exposed wood and minimal carving filled interiors and wide porches.

Today, Adirondack chairs are made in a range of materials and can be found around the world, from ski resorts to lakeside piers, their durability and classic form making them an enduring favorite for spending time in nature.

Find vintage Adirondack chairs, benches, lounge chairs, decorative objects, folk art and other furniture on 1stDibs.

As part of thoughtful home decor, antique and vintage Native American objects — works created by Native American artists and artisans — can bring rich textures and colors into a space.

Art collecting can be done in a socially and environmentally conscious way that reinvests in local communities. Tribal art is traditionally crafted with earth-friendly materials that respect the environment.

Textiles have long been objects of art and utility for Native Americans. Traditional weaving techniques involve material made from plant and animal fibers. Different tribes have woven distinctive patterns and colors into blankets, rugs and garments, such as the vibrant geometric shapes woven from wool by the Navajo.

After metal and glass beads were introduced to North America by Europeans, they became a popular form of art. Intricate beading appears on clothing, jewelry and other objects. Beadwork not only looks stunning, but it is also deeply emblematic of Native American ethnicity and can be used to pass stories handed down from generation to generation. Beaded garments have often been commissioned for important events like weddings, dances and celebrations.

Native Americans initially created pottery out of necessity to carry water and store food. For centuries, artists have decorated jugs, vases and other vessels, from designs etched into clay to experimentation with firing methods for unique finishes.

Find a diverse collection of colorful and culturally enriching antique and vintage Native American decorative items, objects and much more on 1stDibs.