Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
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.
1950s Javanese Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
Early 20th Century Chinese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wool
1960s Indonesian Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
1960s Indonesian Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
1970s Javanese Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Cypress
1980s Nigerian Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton, Silk
Early 20th Century Chinese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wool
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Chinese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Cotton
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Textile, Beads, Sequins
1960s Indonesian Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Iron
20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Metal
1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton, Paint
Early 20th Century Japanese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Stone
16th Century Vietnamese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Southeast Asian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cut Glass, Wood, Giltwood, Lacquer
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Cedar
20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
20th Century American Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Ebony
Mid-20th Century Burmese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bamboo, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
1970s Indian Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Balinese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton, Paint
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
1960s Beninese Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Korean Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Japanese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Stone
16th Century Vietnamese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Ceramic
15th Century and Earlier Thai Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Teak
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
Late 19th Century Omani Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Brass, Copper
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
20th Century Indonesian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
20th Century German Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Stoneware
Mid-20th Century Burmese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bamboo, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Tin, Copper, Brass
20th Century Korean Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Brocade, Silk, Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
19th Century Asian Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Cambodian Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century Japanese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Cedar