Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco 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.
20th Century German Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Glass, Wood
20th Century Indian Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Stone, Jade, Carrara Marble
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Stone, Brass
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver, Enamel
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Metal
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Leather, Blown Glass, Paper
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Multi-gemstone
Mid-20th Century Italian Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Marble
20th Century Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood, Burl
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
1960s Vintage Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Stone, Silver Plate
Early 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Bamboo
1920s Indian Vintage Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
Early 20th Century Russian Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood, Lacquer
Early 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Paint, Wood
1980s Russian Vintage Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Lacquer
Early 19th Century Portuguese Antique Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Nutwood
1910s Pakistani Vintage Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Paper
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
19th Century Laotian Antique Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver
Late 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass