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Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

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
Tibetan Buddhist Deity Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Cast Bronze Sculpture
Located in North Hollywood, CA
A metal cast bronze finish on brass in beautiful posture figure of Tibetan Buddhist Padmapani Deity Avalokiteshvara Beautiful Asian sculpture after the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Padmapani, bearer of the lotus) Dimensions: Height : 8.5 inches Width : 4 inches Depth : 2.75.inches. Asia, Nepal circa 1950's. "The bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is the Buddhist embodiment of compassion. He is often portrayed as an elegant and gracious youth. The cult of Avalokiteshvara worship originated in India and spread across Asia, along with other Buddhist philosophies and practices. In some places Avalokiteshvara eclipses the Buddha in importance. Buddhist rulers, such as Prince Shotoku in Japan and the Dalai Lama in Tibet, have been seen as incarnations of this saviour. In Nepal, Buddhism flourished alongside Hinduism long after the religion had lost favour in India. Although the kings of the Early Malla period who ruled the Kathmandu Valley were Hindu, some of the greatest artistic achievements of the age were Buddhist. This gilt copper figure...
Category

Mid-20th Century Nepalese Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Bronze

Tibetan Buddhist Deity Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Cast Bronze Sculpture
Tibetan Buddhist Deity Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Cast Bronze Sculpture

Tibetan Buddhist Deity Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Cast Bronze Sculpture

Large 19th Century Polychromed Statue of a Burmese Nat Temple Dancer
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
Hand-carved wooden sculpture representing a traditional guardian or deity figure, often referred to as the "Lady of Popa," originating from Vietnam or Southeast Asia. This striking p...
Category

Mid-19th Century Burmese Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Teak

Large 19th Century Polychromed Statue of a Burmese Nat Temple Dancer
Large 19th Century Polychromed Statue of a Burmese Nat Temple Dancer

Large 19th Century Polychromed Statue of a Burmese Nat Temple Dancer

Large 19th Century Polychromed Statue of a Burmese Nat Temple Dancer
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
Hand-carved wooden sculpture representing a traditional guardian or deity figure, often referred to as the "Lady of Popa," originating from Vietnam or Southeast Asia. This striking p...
Category

Mid-19th Century Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Teak

Large 19th Century Polychromed Statue of a Burmese Nat Temple Dancer
Large 19th Century Polychromed Statue of a Burmese Nat Temple Dancer

Large 19th Century Polychromed Statue of a Burmese Nat Temple Dancer

Vintage White Marble Mughal Jeweled Elephant Sculpture Paper Weight
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage white marble Mughal Jeweled elephant sculpture paper weight. Finely hand painted animal sculpture of an elephant with colorful gold, pink and red color paint. Collectible ceremonial hand...
Category

Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Marble

Vintage White Marble Mughal Jeweled Elephant Sculpture Paper Weight
Vintage White Marble Mughal Jeweled Elephant Sculpture Paper Weight

Vintage White Marble Mughal Jeweled Elephant Sculpture Paper Weight

Asian Bronze Pair of Hanuman Kneeling Buddhist Figure Candleholders
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Part human-part monkey, Hanuman is a central character in the Hindu epic Ramayana. He is generally depicted as a man with the face of a monkey and a long tail. Often described as t...
Category

1950s Indian Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Bronze

Asian Bronze Pair of Hanuman Kneeling Buddhist Figure Candleholders
Asian Bronze Pair of Hanuman Kneeling Buddhist Figure Candleholders

Asian Bronze Pair of Hanuman Kneeling Buddhist Figure Candleholders

Antique Thai Freestanding Red Ceremonial Drum with Reeded Accents and Round Base
Located in Yonkers, NY
A tall antique Thai freestanding ceremonial drum from the early 20th century, with red finish, reeded accents and circular base. This early 20th-century tall antique Thai ceremonial ...
Category

Early 20th Century Thai Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wood

Antique Thai Freestanding Red Ceremonial Drum with Reeded Accents and Round Base
Antique Thai Freestanding Red Ceremonial Drum with Reeded Accents and Round Base

Antique Thai Freestanding Red Ceremonial Drum with Reeded Accents and Round Base

Hampatong HAND-CARVED SCULPTURE: MAILE Mother & Child
Located in Hawthorne, CA
Dayak Hampatong Ancestral Figure – Borneo, Indonesia An evocative and rare carved wood figure from the Ban Dayak people of Borneo’s interior rainforests, this Hampatong sculpture de...
Category

Early 19th Century Indonesian Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Shell, Hardwood

Hampatong HAND-CARVED SCULPTURE: MAILE Mother & Child
Hampatong HAND-CARVED SCULPTURE: MAILE Mother & Child

Hampatong HAND-CARVED SCULPTURE: MAILE Mother & Child

Gilt Burmese Musician Figure, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This seated Burmese figure captures a musician in eternal song. The wooden figure is hand-carved with a seated posture, legs crossed and arms outstretch...
Category

Early 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Glass, Wood

Gilt Burmese Musician Figure, c. 1900
Gilt Burmese Musician Figure, c. 1900

Gilt Burmese Musician Figure, c. 1900

2 Antique Large Indian Terracotta Tent Pole Tops
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
2 Antique Large Indian Terracotta Tent Pole Tops These wonderful pieces have been made in the image of frightening characters to keep evil spirits at bay. The heads would have been...
Category

19th Century Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Terracotta

2 Antique Large Indian Terracotta Tent Pole Tops
2 Antique Large Indian Terracotta Tent Pole Tops

2 Antique Large Indian Terracotta Tent Pole Tops

Very Tall Pair of African Marriage Figure Panels This is a very heavy pair
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Very Tall Pair of African Marriage Figure Panels This is a very heavy pair of large full-length figures, wall panels, they are African, carved and polychrome painted, modelled as a ...
Category

19th Century Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Teak

Very Tall Pair of African Marriage Figure Panels This is a very heavy pair
Very Tall Pair of African Marriage Figure Panels This is a very heavy pair

Very Tall Pair of African Marriage Figure Panels This is a very heavy pair

19th Century Antique Large Carved Wood Asian Lions a Pair
Located in Portage, MI
A beautiful pair of 19th century large carved wooden asian lions with wonderful patina. Possibly Chinese as they were in a collection of mostly Chinese fur...
Category

Late 19th Century East Asian Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Hardwood, Paint

19th Century Antique Large Carved Wood Asian Lions a Pair
19th Century Antique Large Carved Wood Asian Lions a Pair

19th Century Antique Large Carved Wood Asian Lions a Pair

Folk Art sculptures and carvings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique folk art sculptures and carvings for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage sculptures and carvings created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include asian art and furniture, decorative objects, folk art and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art sculptures and carvings made in a specific country, there are Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. 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 sculptures and carvings differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $95 and tops out at $16,500 while the average work can sell for $1,150.

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