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.
Midcentury Folk Art Oak Box Hand Carved with Bear Attack
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Unusual box for cigars, tobacco or personal smalls. It is hand-tooled and features a hand-carved lid in solid oak. The scene is carved in a style that is expressionistic bordering on...
Oak
Colorful Semi Precious Stone Rectangular Jewelry or Trinket Box with Lid
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A beautiful colorful decorative box with a lid created from Carrara marble and inlaid with a variety of semi-precious stones. The sides are inlaid with a variety of stones in abstrac...
Stone, Jade, Carrara Marble
Moroccan Brass Berber Tribal Flask, Hand-Crafted Folk Art, 1920
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Great decorative Moroccan Tribal flask.. African decorative brass with front richly decorated with embossed brass and overlay. The valve stem turns and open. Truly a conversation mu...
Brass
18th Century Round Lacquer Wood Erotic Tobacco Snuffbox
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Small round 18th century tobacco snuffbox or pillbox with two painted separate scenes. Very versatile piece that could also hold jewelry or small trinkets. This piece makes a wonderf...
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
18th Century Likely Dutch Brass and Copper Toned Snuff or Tobacco Box.
Located in Seattle, WA
An exceptional 18th century likely Dutch snuff or tobacco box crafted from brass and copper toned materials, richly detailed with engraved narrative vignettes and handwritten script....
Brass
18/19th cent. Snuff box in solid wood with crucifixion
Located in Zemst, BE
18/19 th century snuff box Probably France Folk art Handcarved in solid wood box On the top a crucifixion scene in openwork technique On the sides extremely fine handcarved architu...
Hardwood
Russian tobacco containers with carved and painted decoration, treen, C 1890
Located in Central England, GB
This rare pair of Russian folk art treen tobacco containers are beautifully hand turned from one solid piece of limewood. They have well hollowed interiors with a neatly fitting lid ...
Wood
Wooden Hand Crafted French Art Deco Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Acquired in Paris France, a very unique and well made box. The rounded ribbed sides and pull on the lid are very well thought out, with an aluminum detail on the sides. A complimen...
Aluminum
Tiger Eye Lidded Semi Precious Stone Box
Located in New York, NY
Tiger eye lidded semi precious stone box. Gold, brown and yellow richly changing colour hardstone box with gold-wash silver hinge attributed ...
Stone, Silver
Early 18th Century Dutch Chest 'Box '
Located in Madrid, ES
Dutch chest in fruit wood and carved bone applications, 18th Century Dutch school. Measurements: 20 X 29 X 18cm Very good condition.
Wood
Carved Shoe Form Treen Snuff Box with Carved Shamrock, 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
Probably Irish given the carved shamrock, with hinged top and robust leaf like carving. A small chip to bottom of toe and two small holes on the bottom likely from former mounting.
Wood
Antique American Tramp Art Carved Box, Early 20th Century Folk Art
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique American Folk Art Tramp Art Carved Box, probably Late 19th/Early 20th Century. A decorative box ornamented with layers of classic Tramp Art chip carved borders enclosing velvet ground panels centered by elongated star...
Velvet, Wood
French Rococo Revival Snuff Box with Mermaids, Mid-19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The elaborately carved snuff box with a scene of two mermaids on the cover and deeply carved shell on the reverse.
Boxwood
Italian Tiger Eye Semi-Precious Stone Jewelry Trinket Box
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Classic Rectangular Tiger Eye Box featuring a black stone interior. Both form and function best describe this piece. We see this decorative box holding f...
Multi-gemstone
English 18th Century Gold-Mounted Agate Snuff-Box
Located in Peyraud, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Agate box or snuff-box in of circular form with gently bombé sides, the gold mounted lid is chased with scrollwork. Probably Georges II period. Unmarked gold...
Agate, Gold
American Folk Art Painted Toleware Tin Box
Located in Bradenton, FL
Charming American Toleware Tin Box. Box is hand-painted in vivid folk art floral motifs of red, gold, and green against a deep black background. The domed lid features an oval black tin handle, and the front of lid retains the front portion of its original latch. This example displays the warmth and character typical of the 19th century decorative tinware, where utilitarian household objects were elevated through hand-painted embellishment. The floral and foliate designs were often inspired by Pennsylvania German or New England folk art traditions. Artisans and tin peddlers offered these brightly adorned boxes, trays, etc to rural families. Each was uniquely decorated, often by women, to reflect floral motifs in domestic interiors of the Federal and Victorian periods. In today's interiors, this toleware box...
Tin
Solid 750 (18K) Gold Snuffbox - 19th Century
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Tricolor gold snuffbox with palms, floral motifs, richly embossed garlands, and a monogram card in the shape of a lozenge on the hinged lid. Metal: Gold Origin: French M...
Gold
$274Sale Price|20% Off
H 6.3 in W 6.3 in D 8.67 in
Old Wooden Tramp Art Box Jewelry Box Trinket Folk Art
Located in Poperinge, BE
Beautiful old tramp art box, jewelry box or trinket, trinket box, made in the first half of the 20th century, Belgium. Beautiful form of folk art, anyone could make a tramp art obje...
Glass, Wood
19th Century French Silver Snuff Box
Located in Delft, NL
19th century French silver snuff box Late 19th century silver snuffbox with engraved centre and gilt interior Hall marked by the Silversmith, Dubois Leon & Bauve Henri The Dutch...
Silver
Petite Indonesian Brass Betel Box, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This petite brass box was originally part of an early 20th century betel box set from Indonesia, one of several small containers that held the individual ingredients of a betel quid....
Brass
19th Century English Tobacco Jar
Located in Chicago, IL
A piece that bridges the line between function and quiet artistry, this 19th-century English tobacco jar carries the charm of something handmade, meant to be lived with. Its barrel f...
Maple, Walnut
Black Forest Hand-Carved Wooden Terrier Box
Located in Northport, MI
This is a joyful novelty- a Black Forest hand-carved Terrier box. A beautifully executed piece with exceptional detail, right down to the tail. This terrier’s hind legs are attached ...
Wood
Sold
H 1.19 in Dm 2.52 in
Small Danish 18th Century Pillbox or Snuffbox with King Christian 4th Monogram
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Small round Danish 18th century wooden pillbox or snuffbox with royal King Christian the 4th monogram. Very versatile piece that could also hold jewelry or small trinkets. This piece...
Wood
Sold
H 9 in W 12.25 in D 12.25 in
A whimsical antique Black Forest hand carved wood figural tobacco humidor box.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A whimsical antique Black Forest hand carved wood figural tobacco humidor box. Modeled as a dog with removable head and glass inset eyes.
Glass, Wood
Burmese Yun Lacquer Betel Box, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
In many southeast Asian cultures, offering guests a betel quid to chew was the fundamental symbol of hospitality. A blend of leaves, nuts, seasonings, and sometimes tobacco, betel was kept in finely worked and decorated boxes. This round Burmese betel box...
Bamboo
Early 20th Century, Amazing Hand Carved Indian Cigar Box
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century amazing hand carved Indian cigar box. We share what we love, and we love this Victorian Indian hand carved cigar box. Without doubt one of the best examples, we...
Wood
Square Russian Hand Painted Lacquered Wooden Box, Signed
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Rare Large Antique Russian Hand Painted Lacquered Wooden Box, Signed in Cyrillic. This square two part box has two signature at the lower right si...
Wood, Lacquer
Early 19th Century Pennsylvania Carved and Painted Pipe Box
Located in Nantucket, MA
Early 19th century Pennsylvania carved and painted pipe box. Masterfully carved and painted pipe box designed to hang on the wall or stand on a mantle. The backboard carved with a po...
Wood, Paint
Sold
H 1.5 in W 4 in D 3 in
Russian Lacquer Box "Morning in the Woods" after a Painting by Ivan Shishkin
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A handcrafted box of papier mâché and black lacquer. The work is done by a miniaturist coping the work of an original oil on canvas titled "Morning in the Woods" by Ivan Shishkin and...
Lacquer
19th Century Hand Carved Coquilla Nut Tobacco Box
Located in Stamford, CT
A wonderfully carved Coquilla nut tobacco or snuff box. Portuguese, first half of the 19th century. The top with a portrait of woman holding a flower with a ribbon in her hair. The f...
Nutwood
Early 20th Century Kashmir Papier Mâché Hand Painted Tobacco Jar
Located in London, GB
A wonderful example of an early 20th century handcrafted papier mâché tobacco jar. Hand painted detailing an intricate floral pattern in various colours and gold leaf. The base still...
Paper