Folk Art Decorative Boxes
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.
1870s British Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Wood, Rosewood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Wood
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Brass
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Pine
Mid-20th Century Finnish Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Fir
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Pine
Mid-19th Century British Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Metal
Mid-18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Wood
20th Century Indian Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Leather, Faux Leather, Paint
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Walnut, Boxwood, Olive
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Pine
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Brass
19th Century English Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Metal
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Pine
20th Century English Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Shell, Fabric, Paper
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Softwood
Early 20th Century South Asian Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Bamboo
20th Century English Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Shell, Silk, Paper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Brass
Late 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Bamboo
19th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Pine
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Wood
Early 20th Century South Asian Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Bamboo
1970s Scandinavian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Wood
19th Century Indonesian Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Teak
20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Pine
Late 19th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Ceramic
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Wood
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Wood
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Fruitwood, Walnut
20th Century German Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Bentwood