Folk Art Boxes
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
Early 20th century Scandinavian pokerwork tine box
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Early 20th century Scandinavian pokerwork tine box circa 1904.
Beautiful quality small Norwegian pokerwork tine box. Stunning desktop item, with carved dragons to the sides and aro...
Category
Early 20th Century Norwegian Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Small Scandinavian 19th century original painted sarcophagus box
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Small 19th century original painted sarcophagus box circa 1870.
Beautiful decorative box with original paint. Sarcophagus shaped lidded box in original paint with traces of origin...
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine, Paint
Petite Indian Swivel Box
Located in Chicago, IL
This petite keepsake box with a swivel lid is crafted in the tradition of Indian bidri-ware, with a dark metal body decorated with simple silver inlay. Composed of a zinc and copper ...
Category
20th Century Indian Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Metal, Silver
Antique Tibetan Egg Shaped Box with Turquoise Blue Stone Inlay
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique Tibetan Nepal Egg Shaped Box with Gilt Interior and Turquoise Blue Stone Inlay.
Antique Chinese Tibetan brass filigree with turquoise beads egg ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Nepalese Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Multi-gemstone, Brass
19Th Century Large Tramp Art Box
Located in Hastings, GB
A good sized tramp art box, three dimensional decoration to each side, the brass capped feet of inverted pyramid form, the inside of the lid covered in a rich burgundy velvet.
Brass...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Brass
Russian Hand Painted Lacquerware Palekh Miniature Table Box
Located in Forney, TX
A rare and exceptional finely painted vintage Imperial Russian lacquerware box.
Exquisitely hand-crafted in the Palekhsky District (Палех) of wes...
Category
20th Century Russian Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Russian Lacquered Palekh Firebird Folk Art Keepsake Trinket Box USSR 5.5"
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage USSR Russian Firebird folklore / fairy tale keepake trinket box featuring hinged lid, footed base and red interior.
Palekh
Zhar-Ptitsa (Slavic Firebird)
Chernishova (last na...
Category
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Hardwood, Lacquer
Large Swedish Antique Folk Art Hand Made Pine Flour Box
Located in Kramfors, SE
Antique Swedish flour box made by hand in solid pine. The box is from northern Sweden and made around the mid 19th century, 1840 to 1850. The box is in untouched original condition w...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Folk Art Hand Painted Trinket Box in the Style of Peter Hunt Circa 1940s
By Peter Hunt
Located in Peabody, MA
Primitive hand decorated trinket box in the style of the noted Provincetown folk artist Peter Hunt, ca. 1940s. Humorous interior label indicates it is "four of four of a kind" and ...
Category
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wood, Paint
Bespoke Wine Box Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Caddy
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Bespoke Wine Box Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Caddy
This attractive piece can be put to many uses, with Christmas and Thanks Giving just around the corner, it would make a great hamper ...
Category
Early 2000s Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Cedar
1960s Vintage Moroccan Inlaid Hexagonal Wood Box
Located in North Hollywood, CA
1960s Handcrafted Bone Inlaid Trinket Moroccan Wood Trinket Box.
Handmade artisanal mid century inlaid trinket decorative lidded Moroccan box.
This hexagonal shaped decorative box ha...
Category
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Bone, Fruitwood
Bespoke Wine Box Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Container This attractive piece can b
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Bespoke Wine Box Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Container
This attractive piece can be put to many uses, with Christmas and Thanks Giving just around the corner, it would make a great ham...
Category
Early 2000s Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Cedar
1960s Vintage Asian Large Hand Carved Wooden Humidor Footed Box
Located in North Hollywood, CA
1950s Vintage Asian Large Hand Carved Wooden Humidor Box.
Hand-carved Kashmiri style Mid 20th century wood box richly decorated overall with s...
Category
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wood
Antique Swedish Small Handmade Folk Art Box
Located in Kramfors, SE
Swedish folk art box made by hand in solid Swedish pine. The box is in original condition with the untouched original paint. Made in northern Sweden around the 1860s. It has most lik...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
19th Century Swedish Provincial Spice Box
Located in Mjöhult, SE
Charming 19th century Swedish provincial spice box in its original condition with two sliding doors and one drawer. The interior contains eight compartments intended for different dr...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Folk Art 1930 Mechanical Desk Barrel Box In Polychromate Wood
Located in Miami, FL
Folk art desk barrel box.
Very unusual piece of folk art, created around the 1930. This is a mechanical desk barrel box carved in wood and decorated with painting. Shown a man dre...
Category
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wood, Paint
Rare Swedish Antique Blue Folk Art Box
Located in Kramfors, SE
Rare antique blue box in folk art from Sweden made during the mid 1800s. The box is an attractive size and can be used for anything from storing doc...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Antique Folk Art Northern Swedish Handmade Flour Box
Located in Kramfors, SE
Folk Art flour box from northern Sweden. The box was made by hand during the mid-1800s from pine and was used to store flour. Boxes like this would be standi...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Antique Silver Repousse Islamic Talisman Holder
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique Silver Repousse Islamic Talisman box Holder.
Large Berber tribal ethnic talisman pendant holder.
In triangular shape, silver repousse talisman miniature case which would have stored select verses of the Koran Revelation considered to hold special protective powers.
This would have originally been worn by someone to protect from the evil eye.
The front has intricate, dense design., the back is plain, the box have been sealed and soldered to protect the scriptures.
Large silver triangle pendant with hanging beads, embossed silver metal with geometrical relief and repousse.
This beautiful antique ethnic piece could be worn as a piece of jewelry, pendant or pin broch, necklace, pendant.
Silver Metal triangle shaped box with eleven hanging charms that will makes sounds to push away any bad spirit when moving.
Great Islamic Folk Art, metal work, bold, beautiful and musical.
The containers would have also held a miniature paper scroll containing a combination of prayers and Koranic verses.
Material: German nickel silver.
circa 1920s. Probably from North India, Kashmir, but similar to the North African Berber and Tuareg Jewelry...
Category
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Silver
Bespoke Wine Box Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Caddy
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Bespoke Wine Box Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Caddy
This attractive piece can be put to many uses, with Christmas and Thanks Giving just around the corner, it would make a great hamper o...
Category
Early 2000s Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Cedar
Antique Swedish Hand-Made Folk Art Pine Flour Box
Located in Kramfors, SE
Antique hand-made flour box from Sweden made in folk art during the second half of the 19th century, around 1860 to 1870. These boxes were either hung on the...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Carved and Painted Watermelon Box by Frank Finney
By Frank Finney
Located in Nantucket, MA
Carved and painted watermelon bowl by master carver Frank Finney. Lift top lid, with scraping style interior. Signed on bottom "Finney" with his initals.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wood
Rare Antique Swedish Blue Marbled Pine Chest
Located in Kramfors, SE
Antique blue marbled chest from northern Sweden made during the late 1700s. The chest is very unusual and in untouched original condition. Made in pine with working lock and key. The...
Category
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wrought Iron
Bespoke Wine Box Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Caddy
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Bespoke Wine Box Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Caddy
This attractive piece can be put to many uses, with Christmas and Thanks Giving just around the corner, it would make a great hamper ...
Category
Early 2000s Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Cedar
Anniversary Magnum Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Caddy
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Anniversary Magnum Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Caddy
This attractive piece can be put to many uses, with Christmas and Thanks Giving just around the corner, i...
Category
Early 2000s Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Cedar
Bespoke Wine Box Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Caddy
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Bespoke Wine Box Gift Box, Tidy, Hamper, Caddy
This attractive piece can be put to many uses, with Christmas and Thanks Giving just around the corner, it would make a great hamper ...
Category
1990s Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Cedar
Chippewa Birch Bark, Quills & Sweetgrass Box with Tulip - Canada - Early 20th C.
Located in Chatham, ON
Vintage Chippewa (also known as Ojibwe) birch bark lidded box with porcupine quill decoration and sweetgrass rims fastened with black thread - featuri...
Category
Early 20th Century Canadian Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Softwood
19th Century Blue Swedish Folk Art Chest or Box
Located in Kramfors, SE
Blue folk art chest or box from Sweden. The chest is in untouched original condition with the first layer of original paint. Hand wrought hardware in iron with functional lock and key.
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Antique Folk Art Rustic Farmhouse Log Cabin Shaped Toy Chest Storage Box
Located in Dayton, OH
Rare and antique folk art doll house box or toy chest in the shape of a rustic green cabin with two glass windows and a shingle roof.
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Glass, Hardwood, Paint
Wooden Turned Treen Pot, Container or Vide Pouche, England Late 20th Century
Located in London, GB
A skilfully crafted piece of turned treen with an interesting silhouette. The piece opens into two sections leaving an interior space to prize, hide or store a treasure or two. There...
Category
1990s English Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wood
French 19th Century Folk Art Leather Box
Located in Buisson, FR
Beautiful weathered Folk Art box made out of wood and covered with leather. Working lock and key.
France, circa 1850
Weathered, small losses.
Category
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Leather, Wood
Antique Tall Copper Storage Chest
Located in Bridgeport, CT
An authentic and all original condition copper Repoussé food storage chest. Tin lined with repousse palmettes on the hinged lid. Brass top handle and lock plate. Originally acquired from a large collection of Nautical items...
Category
19th Century Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Brass, Copper
Maitland Smith Neoclassical Painted Oval Metal Toleware Box Bin Yellow Roses 23"
Located in Dayton, OH
Large vintage maitland smith oval toleware box or bin with painted metal base, handles, and wooden lid, painted in black with yellow roses in a wreath pat...
Category
20th Century Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Metal
Scandinavian 18th Century Folk Art Hat Or Wick Box
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Large Danish wooden hat or wig box of wood with original painting.
Category
Mid-18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wood
Decorative Re Painted 19th Century Wine Box, Trug
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Decorative re painted 19th century wine box, trug.
A delightful piece painted over, advertising Roy Hugo Butcher.
The Carrier is made in pine and painted ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Whaler Made Bone and Ebonized Wood Round Lidded Box, circa 1850
Located in Stamford, CT
Whaler made antique bone and ebonized wood round box, circa 1850. With pierced bone medallion and delicately carved bone spiral decorative supports on the...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Bone, Wood
African Tuareg Hand-Tooled Brown Leather Box
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Hand tooled brown leather box from Africa.
Very fine workmanship with tribal traditional West African symbols on leather.
Tuareg style probably Maurita...
Category
Early 20th Century Mauritanian Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Leather
Superb Antique Folk Art Parquetry Casket Styled Writing Box or Lap Desk
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This exquisite antique parquetry writing box or lap desk is unsigned, but presumed to have been made in Canada in approximately 1900 in a Folk Art style. The box itself, including th...
Category
Early 20th Century Canadian Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Softwood
Antique Box Casket Australien Aboriginal Oil Painting of a Lizard
Located in Munich, DE
This highly unusual wooden box is painted int he tradition of Australien Aboriginies. The box is made from blackened wood and painted with oil colors.
Category
1910s Australian Vintage Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wood
"Campfire Supreme" Marshmallow Tin, Boy Scout Motif, American, Circa 1915
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is a rare tin that was used to sell and promote marshmallows. The top of the tin is decorated to reflect the Boy Scouts in their ubiquitous camping tradition of sitting around t...
Category
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Tin
Folk Art, Hand Executed Modernist, Art Deco Airplane /Trinket Box
Located in Buffalo, NY
Folk Art, hand executed modernist, Art deco Airplane sculpture with hand built and painted trinket box.
Category
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wood
Handcrafted Antique Tinned Copper Metal Betel Box, India
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Beautiful handcrafted antique tinned copper decorative octagonal betel box with with lid, handle and brass latch.
The metal is delicately and int...
Category
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Tin, Copper, Brass
Antique French Folk Art Keepsake Box
Located in Charleston, SC
This beautiful hand decorated keepsake box has a beautiful green velvet on the outside. The top shows a metal cross with shell decorations. The inside is Lined with a silk green on t...
Category
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Metal
Antique Hand Painted Four Drawer Jewelry Casket or Decorative Box
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique four drawer wooden jewelry or decorative box is unmarked, but believed to date to the early 20th century. The top and sides of the box are ornately painted with borders ...
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Softwood
19th Century Large Store Tea Tin Hand Painted Parnall & Sons Bristol, England
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous and large store tea tin by Parnall & Sons who were the people to see for outfitting your store and much more as the company grew from 1830. Hand painted showing a girl servi...
Category
Mid-19th Century British Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Metal
19th Century Original Grey Painted Large Candle Box from New England
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic 19th century original grey painted handmade large scale candle box from New England .This wonderful slide top box has such great personality and great construction. It is e...
Category
20th Century American Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Fantastic Oversized 19th Century Walnut Wall Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This wonderful handmade walnut wall box has a hinged lift top and is in great condition. This oversize box could be used on a counter or a wall. The construct...
Category
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Walnut
Decorated Box with Overlays
Located in Nantucket, MA
Stained pine with hinged top, decorated with geometric design out of recycled piano keys. The interior with a removable organizing drawer. Illegible names with numbers are faintly wr...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
19th Century Tramp Art Box with Chip-Carved Decoration, Date and Velvet Inside
Located in Atlanta, GA
A 19th century Tramp Art rectangular wooden box featuring elaborate chip-carved decoration. Each side of this box is adorned with hand-carved tiered frames of four-layered notches, characteristic of the traditional chip-carving technique of Tramp Art, a 19th century form Folk Art that transforms salvaged materials into furniture and art. The lid, attached to the base with hinges, is covered with a burgundy velvet pad bordered by a chip-carved trim centered around a carved lion head. The lid, which lifts by a ring pull, opens to reveal a velvety green storage...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wood
19th Century Swedish Table Top Box
Located in Mjöhult, SE
Charming 19th century table top box in it's original finish, ca 1850 Sweden.
Category
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Small Swedish Folk Art Painted Box
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A Swedish allmoge folk art painted little box with a combination lock most probably from the region of Dalarna in central Sweden. Hand carved and origi...
Category
1920s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine
Mid 19th century Swedish folk art painted box
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Mid 19th century Swedish folk art painted box circa 1865.
Good quality swedish pine metal bound box. Decorated with original ragwork paint and blue painted strap work. Hand painte...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Metal
Asian Black and Red Round Box Lacquer Offering Vessel Urn
Located in North Hollywood, CA
South Asian Burmese black and red lacquer box, offering vessel urn with compartment for storage.
This round lacquer ware box from Burma is made from bamboo and lacquer.
In Burma (now...
Category
Late 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Bamboo
Hand-Carved Vintage Folk Art Wooden Tramp Art Style Storage Box
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Hand-Carved vintage Folk Art wooden Tramp Art style storage box from Poland.
This handcrafted Tramp Art style box is covered with geometric designs creating alternating depths on all...
Category
Mid-20th Century Polish Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Wood
Early 19th century Swedish painted blanket box
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Early 19th century swedish painted blanket box circa 1816.
Traditional rag painted swedish box which is initialed and dated 1816. Flat top lid which makes it ideal for doubling up ...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Metal
Mid 19th century Swedish painted table top writing desk
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Mid 19th century swedish painted table top writing desk circa 1850.
Good quality table top bureau, presented in original scraped back paint. M...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine, Paint
Scandinavian hand painted folk art pine box
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Scandinavian hand painted folk art pine box circa 1850.
Fine example of traditional Swedish hand painted woodenware.
Slight dome topped lid which opens to reveal a unfitted interio...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine, Paint
Mid 18th century Swedish pine chest decorated with labyrinth
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Mid 18th century Swedish pine chest decorated with labyrinth circa 1730.
Rare and beautiful swedish pine chest. Traces of original paint to the outside with decorative metal strap...
Category
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Boxes
Materials
Pine, Paint
Folk Art boxes for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique folk art boxes for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage boxes created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, folk art, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, softwood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art boxes made in a specific country, there are Europe, Scandinavia, and Sweden pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original boxes, popular names associated with this style include Berber Tribes of Morocco, Anthony Redmile London, Arthur Court, and Frank Finney. 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 boxes 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 $4,600 while the average work can sell for $848.
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