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Folk Art Desk Accessories

FOLK ART STYLE

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.

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Style: Folk Art
Paperweight with Seashore Theme Handmade with Real Sea Shells & Crab, circa 1970
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a beautiful handmade English acrylic paperweight having a seashore theme with real items and dating to the 20th century, circa 1970. This paperweight is handmade of real i...
Category

20th Century English Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Acrylic

Royal Doulton "the Carpet Seller" Moroccan Decorative Porcelain Figurine
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Royal Doulton "the carpet seller," Moroccan figurine of a carpet seller. Made in England, by Royal Doulton England, the "Carpet Seller," Royal Doulto...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Porcelain

Vintage Wooden Letter Opener With Folk Style Art on Handles.
Located in Seattle, WA
Makers Mark Reading “Spindlermuhle” on the Back. Translate From German to a Town in the Czech Republic. Vintage Condition Consistent with Age as Pictured. Dimensions. 8 W ; 1 1/2 D
Category

1970s Vintage Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

Horse Shoe Leg Vienna Bronze Letter Opener, Antique Austria 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Classic early 1950s Austrian letter opener. It has a nice patina. I did not clean it, so the next owner can decide what he wants to do with it. This highly collectible vintage piece ...
Category

1950s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Vintage Christmas Nutcracker Figure Wood Erzgebirge Germany
Located in Kitzbuhel, AT
Folk Art vintage wooden nutcracker figure from the Erzgebirge. The region Erzgebirge formerly Eastern Germany is famous for this special kind of nutc...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

Pair of Lucite Bookends Ukraine Pysanka Easter Egg and Wheat
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Bookends Lucite Encased Ukraine Pysanka hand painted Easter egg and sprays of wheat, a pair. Traditional folk are stylishly encased in faceted Lucite "globes" on thick Lucite stand w...
Category

Late 20th Century Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Eggshell, Lucite

Unicorn Mythical Creature Vienna Bronze Letter Opener, Antique Austria 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Classic early 1960s Austrian letter opener. It has a nice patina. I did not clean it, so the next owner can decide what he wants to do with it. This highly collectible vintage piec...
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Late 19th Century Patinated Bronze Eagle on Black Marble Stand
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Large French Eagle on a Belgian Black Marble Stand, circa 1880-1900. This amazing Eagle sculpture is made in a solid bronze that still has the original patina, with a unbeatable age-...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Bronze

Decorative Scandinavian Antique Leather-Bound Books
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A collection of 8 tall and larger size decorative Swedish leather-bound books from the 1950s. This set consist of 3 plus 5 books describing Swedish town in Swedish.
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather, Paper

Hand Carved Marble Stone Pyramid Aztec Mayan
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Pair of vintage green and white marble Aztec Mayan stone bookends. Vintage handcrafted large heavy natural marble bookends with Aztec Mayan green head on a pyramidal form. These are very substantial, heavy and well handmade bookends. They are hand carved white with white natural color of the marble and the green marble carved Mayan head...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble

Royal Doulton "The Mendicant" Moroccan Decorative Porcelain Figurine
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Royal Doulton The Mendicant, Moroccan figurine of a man wearing a turban and playing a tamburine. Made in England, by Royal Doulton England. Royal Do...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Porcelain

19th Century Swedish Painted Child Size Vanity Mirror
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A second half of the 19th century Scandinavian vanity mirror for kids. This Little hand painted in "Faux bois" technique mirror has a little...
Category

1860s Swedish Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Mirror, Pine

Uredale Glass Paperwight Pebble Shape Star Decoration, North Yorkshire 20th C
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is an unusual hand-made Art-Glass paperweight from Uredale Glass, Masham, North Yorkshire, England which we date to the late 20th century. The paperweight is hand made in the...
Category

Late 20th Century English Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass

Charming Victorian Hand Carved Pine Stationary Box
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
A charming Victorian hand carved pine stationary box The Box is good quality and in very good condition for its age, the hand carved sloping doors on...
Category

Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Pine

Khaki Size 6 Log Bowl by Loyal Loot Hand Made from Reclaimed Wood
Located in calgary, CA
Perfect as a feature objet d'art on your table or shelves, a catch-all for jewellery and special items, or displayed as a group for a striking centrepiece. Each Log Bowl is unique and makes the perfect one of a kind gift. Log Bowls combine the beauty of a tree in its natural state with a high-gloss, vibrant finish. Each bowl is handmade using locally reclaimed trees of all varieties (fallen or cut down due to infrastructure or inclement weather). The trees are hand selected, gathered, turned and finished by Loyal Loot...
Category

Early 2000s Canadian Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood, Willow

African Tuareg Hand-Tooled Black Leather Box
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Hand tooled black leather box from Africa. Very fine workmanship with tribal traditional African symbols on black leather. Tuareg style probably Maurit...
Category

Early 20th Century Mauritanian Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather

African Tuareg Hand-Tooled Brown Leather Box
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Hand tooled brown leather box from Africa. Very fine workmanship with tribal traditional West African symbols on leather. Tuareg style probably Maurita...
Category

Early 20th Century Mauritanian Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather

Small Danish Wooden Tobacco Jar, circa 1800-1825
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Small Circular Danish wooden tobacco jar, circa 1800-1825 The jar has "TOBAK" and illustrations of two chalk pipes painted on one side of the jar...
Category

Early 19th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Birch

Lladro Collectors Society 1985 Don Quixote Porcelain Plaque
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Lladro Collectors Society 1985 Don Quixote porcelain plaque with signatures. This is a 1985 Lladro Collectors Society display sign, handmade in Spain. It contains the signatures of the three Lladro brothers Juan, Jose and Vicente, alongside the image of Don Quixote de la Mancha sitting in a chair with his left hand resting on a book and his right hand clinging to a sword on the floor. It has a shell like pattern on the reverse. It is in a wonderful condition. Excellent condition. Sculptor: Salvador Furio...
Category

Late 20th Century Spanish Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Porcelain

French Mounted Horse Hoof Inkwell and Pen Holder, Late 19th Century
Located in Labrit, Landes
Mounted horse hoof inkwell with horseshoe pen holder Inkwell shoe ferrer pen holder with beautiful finish, popular art work Shipping: L11 P19 ...
Category

1890s French Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Chrome, Wrought Iron

Early Swedish 19th Century Wooden Folk Art Box with Originally Paint
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A Swedish original painted Folk Art box. From the beginning of the 19th century, most likely used to keep writing supplies and office materials.
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Pine

Royal Doulton "The Gaffer" British Porcelain Figurine
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Royal Doulton "The Gaffer". Made in England, by Royal Doulton England, "The Gaffer". Royal Doulton, H.N. 2053, finely painted porcelain figure of "The Gaffer", collectable, high gl...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Porcelain

Set of Two Moroccan Antique Tribal Powder Case Flasks
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique Moroccan Decorative Bottle. Destined to be a conversation piece no matter where you place it, this is another of those rare items you'll only find at Mosaik. Moroccan Antique...
Category

1920s Moroccan Vintage Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass, Tin

Rolls Royce Musical Tantalus with the “Silver Sprit of Ecstasy” Mascot
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
1960s-1970s Rolls Royce musical tantalus with the “Silver Sprit of Ecstasy” Mascot by Charles Sykes on the Font Large desk ornament Rolls Royce Musical Brandy shot tantalus with d...
Category

Mid-20th Century Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Steel

Vintage Bronze Fire Hydrant Wrench
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage fire hydrant wrench, a solid bronze piece which can still be used as a wrench, however, due to the wonderful sheen and weight makes...
Category

20th Century Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Faux Bamboo Desk Accessory Brass Ruler
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
19th Century Faux Bamboo Desk Accessory Brass Ruler
Category

19th Century French Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Swedish 19th Century Wooden Folk Art Box With Shaving Knives
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A Swedish original painted Folk Art box. From the beginning of the 19th century, used to keep shaving knives and similar supplies. Included 3 knives with the razor blades in English ...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

Ceramic Inkwell, Late 19th Century, Sweden
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Fantastic ceramic inkwell, with what seems to be a pottery oven in the midst of two naivistic lions. You lift of the top lid to place pens and lift up the two lions heads for ink. Co...
Category

1870s Swedish Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Ceramic

Early 18th Century Wooden Folk Art Ink Sander
Located in Copenhagen, K
Very lovely wooden ink sander with small carvings all around it.
Category

Early 18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

18th Century Folk Art Wood and Wrought Iron Candleholder
Located in Copenhagen, K
Adjustable wrought iron and wood candle holder with wood base and snipe nail.
Category

Early 18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Desk Accessories

Materials

Iron

Folk Art desk accessories for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique folk art desk accessories for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage desk accessories created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, folk art, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art desk accessories made in a specific country, there are Europe, Scandinavia, and England pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original desk accessories, popular names associated with this style include Royal Doulton, Berber Tribes of Morocco, and Lladro. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for desk accessories differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $79 and tops out at $4,100 while the average work can sell for $399.

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