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Folk Art Sculptures

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
Papier Mâché Cat Sculpture in Black and White
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A black and white papier mâché kitten sculpture. This fun figurine depicts a cat with white paws and nose, and a black body. Its soft black eyes see...
Category

20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Paint, Paper

Mexican Tonala Pottery Hand Painted Bird Folk Art
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Mexican Tonala hand painted pottery bird Folk Art. Flora de la Cruz Acapulco Gro Mexico hand painted bird dove ceramic. Warm earth tone polych...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic, Pottery

Late 19th Century Sheet Iron and Metal Trotting Horse Weathervane
Located in Incline Village, NV
Late 19th century sheet iron and metal "Trotting Horse" weathervane. It has a nice weathered color and patina and is very authentic with six "healthy" bullet holes to boot. I basica...
Category

1890s Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Sheet Metal

African Folk Art Hand Carved Sculpture Fork and Spoon
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Hand carved African tribal wood carved sculpture of a men and women, Africa tribal Art Decor. Kenyan tribal sculpture featuring an elongated standing man and women with a crown and metal choker. Very simple modern look carved ethnic sculpture...
Category

20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Sculpture in Burnt Wood 'Ofrenda I' by Carmworks
Located in Paris, IDF
Sculpture in burnt wood 'Ofrenda I' by Camilo Andres Rodriguez Marquez (aka CarmWorks) Solid oak or cedar / burnt wood or natural Signed and numbered by the artist. -- Cami...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Colombian Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Oak, Cedar

Grønlandica, Figure of a Wild Duck Made of Soapstone, Approximately 1960/1970s.
Located in København, Copenhagen
Grønlandica, figure of a wild duck made of soapstone. Approximately 1960/1970s. In good condition, signs of use. Marked. Dimensions: L 7.5 x D 3.0 x H 5.0 cm.
Category

1960s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Soapstone

Moroccan Decorative Horse Sculpture Handbuilt and Handpainted by Potter Houda
Located in Marseille, FR
- Hand built decorative horse sculpture - made of clay collected from the potter's surroundings. - decorative motifs painted with a goat hair brush made by the potter to apply natu...
Category

2010s Moroccan Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Clay, Earthenware

Pair of American Folk Art Tin Clad Pug Dog Bookends
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of American Folk Art Tin Clad Pug dog bookends USA, circa 1940s A great pair of hand-crafted, possibly one of kind American Folk Art Tin Clad pug d...
Category

20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Tin

Blue Glazed Redware Character Jug Signed, 19th Century
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
An antique folk art blue glazed redware pottery pottery jug or flask modelled as a man wears a night gown and night cap with a spout behind the man’s head wi...
Category

Late 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Pottery

Found and Salvaged Industrial Steel Object Sculpture Figure with Face
Located in Chicago, IL
Jim Rose Standing found industrial objects 41h x 10w x 10d in 104.14h x 25.40w x 25.40d cm JR0355 Jim Rose b. 1966, d. 2023 Bio Born in Indiana, Jim Rose lived in Europe until he returned to the United States to attend college. After one year at Bard College, Jim transferred to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (SAIC) where he graduated in 1988 with a BFA. His skillful interpretation of the Shaker design is a result of intense research and field study of Shaker furniture, architecture, culture and history. After over two decades of dedicated work, he has mastered the minimalism of the Shaker technique and created his own unique visual vernacular. The quilts of Gee's Bend have become a monumental influence taking this artist's work to new levels of unique interpretation and artistry. His selection of aged steel results in a patina directly related to that of aged wood while his colored strips beautifully mimic worn cloth. Each piece of furniture is masterfully made and intended for daily use. Jim Rose’s steel furniture is featured every year at SOFA Chicago for the past 25 years. Jim Rose b. 1966, Wisconsin Education 1989 B.F.A., Sculpture, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1988 Student at Large, Welding Technology, Triton College, Chicago, IL 1985 Undergraduate Photography Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Awards 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship Award, Madison, WI. 2005 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2003 Grant Recipient for Shaker Interpretations in Cast Iron, PA Arts Assoc / WI Arts Board 2003 Arts/Industry Residency Program for Visual Artists, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Solo Exhibitions 2017 New Work, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2012 Simply Steel, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2007 Variation, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 Hands and Heart to Steel III, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL National Exhibitions 2017-2018 SOFA Chicago – Gallery Victor Armendariz 2016 - 1995 SOFA Chicago, New York, Palm Beach - Ann Nathan Gallery 2011 - 2002 Art Chicago - Ann Nathan Gallery Group Exhibitions 2017 Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Living with Art: The Newman Collection, 108 Contemporary, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2016 Form Follows Function: The Intersection of Art and Craft, The Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, Wi 2015 NEO, Chipstone Foundation, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2015 ICFF, Furniture Society, Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY 2013 Vahki Revisited, The Enduring Spirit of a Craft Collection” Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2013 Fearless Furniture, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN 2013 Inaugural Exhibition, Museum Wisconsin of Art, West Bend, WI 2012 Sitting Pretty: Furniture from RAM’s Collection, Racine Art Museum, WI 2011 Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, WI 2010 Living with Art, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua Institution, NY 2009 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2009 High Honors, James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI 2008 Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary, Museum of Art and Design, NY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Art Association, Jackson, WY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX (traveling exhibition) 2006 Show us Your Drawers, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN 2006 Marriage of the Minds, Fairfield Center for Contemporary Art, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2006 27th Annual Contemporary Crafts, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2006 Containers of All Dimensions, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2005 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2004 Right at Home: American Studio Furniture, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. 2004 American Collections, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2004 More Than Drawers-Wisconsin Cabinets, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2004 Objects of Wonder, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI 2003 Planting, Potting and Pruning, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI 2003 Men at Work, Miller Art Museum, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2002 Case Pieces: Contemporary Studio Furniture, Elvehjem Museum of Art, Univ of WI-Madison 2002 Sitting Pretty: Contemporary Wisconsin Chairs, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2001 Anything with a Drawer - Award Recipient, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2001 23rd Annual Contemporary Crafts - Award Recipient, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2000 New Talent in Craft, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin 2000 Who Knows Where or When, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin 1999 The End is Near! Artists look at the 20th Century, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI Selected collections Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, Arizona The Museum of Arts and Design, New York, New York John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Kohler Company, Kohler, Wisconsin Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, Arkansas Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, Indiana The Chipstone Foundation, Fox Point, Wisconsin Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, Wisconsin Publications “Selected Artists of Door County” Stonehill Publishing, 2016 “Galvanized Chest” Door County Living Magazine, Autumn 2012 “100 Artists of the Midwest” Schiffer Books, 2012 “Piecework” American Craft Magazine, February 2012 “Hiding Places, Memory in the Arts” John Michael Kohler Arts Center, June 2011 “Second Lives, Remixing the Ordinary” Museum of Arts and Design, NY, August 2008 “Studio Furniture” Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, DC, May 2008 “Discoveries by Designers” Architectural Digest, December 2005 “Contemporary Metal Furniture” Metalsmith Magazine, Winter 2003 “Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story” American Craft Magazine, October 2002 “Contemporary Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story” Elvehjem Museum of Art, 2002 “Chicago Style...
Category

2010s American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Primitive Horse Carving
Located in Nantucket, MA
A Folk Art carved wood and gesso painted standing horse with painted cloth saddle and horse hair tail Mounted on a later made black painted platform.               
Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Gesso, Pine, Paint

Scottish Brass and Nickel Silver Horse Hobble, Bide A Blink, Circa 1830
Located in Charleston, SC
Scottish brass and nickel silver horse hobble with an eagle heads horse shoe handle and resting on the faithful servant creature Bide a Blink. Signature...
Category

1830s Scottish Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Brass, Iron, Nickel

Boston Terrier Heavy Cast Iron Doorstop
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sweet faced Boston Terrier cast iron doorstop. This doorstop is very heavy with great patina. The Boston Terrier hasa very soft look due to the wear.
Category

20th Century North American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Iron

Early 19th Century Scandinavian Folk Art Mangle Board
Located in Greenwich, CT
Charming early 19th Century Swedish folk art mangle board having a stylized horse handle, the body with geometric carving and traces of original polychrom...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Large Antique Southeast Asian Thai Carved Polychrome Rabbit Folk Art Sculpture
Located in Forney, TX
A large whimsical hand carved and painted antique Southeast Asian wooden hare sculpture with incised detailing, polychrome decoration and beautifully aged patina. Hand-crafted in th...
Category

Early 20th Century Asian Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Paint

Monumental 80" Figurative Hand Carved Sculpture by Robert Brady
By Robert Brady 2
Located in Buffalo, NY
Robert Brady was born and raised in Reno, Nevada. Upon graduation from high school he attended the California College of The Arts in Oakland, Ca. receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1969. Later he attended University of California, Davis, receiving a Masters of Fine art in 1975. Recently retired Emeritus, he served as Professor of Art from 1975-2013 at California State University, Sacramento. Trained as a potter, Brady’s interest quickly steered toward a path of ceramic object making and sculpture, ultimately gaining national and international recognition. Approximately 24 years later, Brady, fortuitously discovered the beauty and merits of wood as a sculptural medium. Since then, Robert has produced work in both clay and wood, with an emphasis on wood. Mixed media, bronzes, works on paper and functional pottery are also part of his output. Brady has had over 50 solo exhibits and participated in many group exhibitions throughout the United States, and Europe, both in private galleries and public Museums. His works can be found in permanent collections in galleries and museums such as The Smithsonian (Renwick), The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, and the Stedelijik Museum in Amsterdam, Holland, as well as others. Lastly, his work is found in private collections too numerous to mention. He has received three National Endowment Individual Artist...
Category

1990s American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Early 20th century section hand carved fairground octopus illuminated figure
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century section hand carved fairground octopus illuminated figure Due to the construction and metal hanging hooks on this hand carved fairground figure, we believe it wou...
Category

1920s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Pine

Pair of Hand Carved Wooden African Folk Art Figure Lamps and Custom Woven Shades
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of Folk Art lamps - Hand carved African Figures on a black base - A decorative brass rod extend to the top with two custom made Lamp Shades...
Category

20th Century Central African Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Brass

Jim Rose - Wire Dog, Repurposed Heavy Wire Dog Sculpture, Cylindrical Metal Base
Located in Chicago, IL
Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique, interesting items. Here he has taken heavy gauge wire and formed it into a simple dog and placed it upon a salvaged steel cylinder. These repurposed items combine to form this small simple sculpture that will sure to bring a smile to its owner. Jim Rose Objects No. 04 Found and Collected Objects 6.50h x 6w x 10.50d in 16.51h x 15.24w x 26.67d cm JR0291 Jim Rose b. 1966, d. 2023 Bio Born in Indiana, Jim Rose lived in Europe until he returned to the United States to attend college. After one year at Bard College, Jim transferred to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (SAIC) where he graduated in 1988 with a BFA. His skillful interpretation of the Shaker design is a result of intense research and field study of Shaker furniture, architecture, culture and history. After over two decades of dedicated work, he has mastered the minimalism of the Shaker technique and created his own unique visual vernacular. The quilts of Gee's Bend have become a monumental influence taking this artist's work to new levels of unique interpretation and artistry. His selection of aged steel results in a patina directly related to that of aged wood while his colored strips beautifully mimic worn cloth. Each piece of furniture is masterfully made and intended for daily use. Jim Rose’s steel furniture is featured every year at SOFA Chicago for the past 25 years. Jim Rose b. 1966, Wisconsin Education 1989 B.F.A., Sculpture, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1988 Student at Large, Welding Technology, Triton College, Chicago, IL 1985 Undergraduate Photography Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Awards 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship Award, Madison, WI. 2005 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2003 Grant Recipient for Shaker Interpretations in Cast Iron, PA Arts Assoc / WI Arts Board 2003 Arts/Industry Residency Program for Visual Artists, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Solo Exhibitions 2023 Jim Rose CODA, Gallery Victor, Chicago, IL 2020 Unseen, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 New Work, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2012 Simply Steel, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2007 Variation, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 Hands and Heart to Steel III, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL National Exhibitions 2023 Intersect Palm Springs, Gallery Victor, Palm Springs, CA 2018 SOFA Chicago 2018, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL Art Market Hamptons, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Bridgehampton, NY Art on Paper, Gallery Victor, Metropolitan Pavilion, New York, NY 2017 - 2019 SOFA Chicago – Gallery Victor Armendariz 2016 - 1995 SOFA Chicago, New York, Palm Beach - Ann Nathan Gallery 2011 - 2002 Art Chicago - Ann Nathan Gallery Group Exhibitions 2017 Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Living with Art: The Newman Collection, 108 Contemporary, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2016 Form Follows Function: The Intersection of Art and Craft, The Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, Wi 2015 NEO, Chipstone Foundation, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2015 ICFF, Furniture Society, Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY 2013 Vahki Revisited, The Enduring Spirit of a Craft Collection” Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2013 Fearless Furniture, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN 2013 Inaugural Exhibition, Museum Wisconsin of Art, West Bend, WI 2012 Sitting Pretty: Furniture from RAM’s Collection, Racine Art Museum, WI 2011 Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, WI 2010 Living with Art, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua Institution, NY 2009 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2009 High Honors, James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI 2008 Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary, Museum of Art and Design, NY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Art Association, Jackson, WY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX (traveling exhibition) 2006 Show us Your Drawers, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN 2006 Marriage of the Minds...
Category

2010s American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Metal, Steel

Large Figurative African Mangbetu Anthropomorphic Vessel / Jar
Located in Studio City, CA
This is a fantastic piece likely made by the Mangetu tribe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is finely detailed and quite large and hefty. These pieces were originally made...
Category

20th Century Congolese Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

French Tailor's Mannequin, early 20th Century
Located in Berghuelen, DE
French Tailor's Mannequin, early 20th Century French 20th century tailor's mannequin. Made of paper, fabric and metal. It features a mechanism inside which allows the tailor to adju...
Category

Early 20th Century French Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Chinese Polychrome Lucky Fish
Located in Chicago, IL
Hand-crafted from reclaimed wood, this artisanal koi sculpture is a traditional symbol of harmony and luck. For Buddhists, such a fish represents a freedom from all restraints. The f...
Category

20th Century Chinese Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Black and White Hand-Crafted Ceramic Chicken Sculpture, Animal Figurine Folk Art
Located in Miami, FL
Scandinavian Modern Iittala style black and white glazed ceramic chicken, handmade in the USA. Life-size stylized chicken animal sculpture for any interior design. A-595-335  
Category

1980s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic

Pair of Carved and Painted Horn Birds
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Pair of Chinese vintage carved and painted horn eagles or hawks with an alluring, stylized interpretation of these majestic birds of prey.
Category

20th Century Chinese Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Horn

Pair of American Cast Iron Hand Painted Preening Ducks on Squared Base, C 1880
Located in Charleston, SC
Pair of American cast iron hand painted preening ducks resting on squared bases. Late 19th Century.
Category

1880s American Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Iron

Late 19th Century Patinated Bronze Eagle on Black Marble Stand
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Large French Eagle on a Belgian Black Marble Stand, circa 1880-1900. This amazing Eagle sculpture is made in a solid bronze that still has the original patina, with a unbeatable age-...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Bronze

Unusual Iron Welded Handmade Folk Art Locomotive, Train
Located in Buffalo, NY
Unusual iron welded handmade folk art locomotive, train, very well executed. Artist /maker unknown.
Category

20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Steel, Iron

Swedish Antique Toy Rocking Horse, All Original, Origin: Sweden, circa 1870
Located in New York, NY
Swedish antique toy rocking horse, origin: Sweden, circa 1870 - 1900. Beautiful, untouched, original condition including the paint, ...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Iron

Painted French Tole Mushroom Decoration
Located in Houston, TX
Painted French tole mushroom decoration for planters or gardens. Circa 1950s. Probably originally created as a prop for a Parisian department store window or a theater. Twenty-six in...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Mid Century Sculptural Hand Carved & Painted Wooden Buddha
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous hand carved & painted 40 inch tall wooden Buddha. Polychrome decorations with Gilt. Brightly colored and in prayer. Heavy and well executed. In excellent vintage condition ...
Category

1970s Central Asian Vintage Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Hardwood, Paint

31 Brazilian Silver Amulets
Located in New York, NY
These 31 Brazilian amulets, or balangada, were hammered from sheets of silver in the 19th century to form pomegranates, sugar apples, guava, and other...
Category

Mid-19th Century Brazilian Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Silver

"Lady Seated in Chair Reading" Money Box/ Still Bank by A. Biagioni, Circa 1925
Located in Incline Village, NV
Penny bank made by Italian Angelo Biagioni for the French market (see image with marking on the back of the chair), circa 1910. Biagioni, born in 1870, was a well known sculptor who crafted objects for resale to the European market. Money boxes (or still banks as they are called in America) were one of the more unique and more difficult items to find by this artist as most objects were basic uni-dimensional sculptered pieces. What makes it more rare is the unfortunate requirement to break and smash the bank open to get the coins out, as there was no mechanism to remove the money. The subject matter of the bank is that of a nicely dressed older lady seated in a chair reading a book. The bank is in all original condition and paint with no restoration or touch-up of any kind. This is a nice addition to any bank or toy collection, or simply to have as a "stand alone" unique item. Dimensions : 4 1/4" deep x 3 3/8" wide x 8 5/8" high. Note: After 40 plus years of dealing and collecting toys and banks, I am justly qualified to guarantee and present the authenticity of antique and vintage still banks...
Category

1910s French Vintage Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Pottery

Mexican Tonala Hand Painted Colorful Pottery Dove
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Mexican Tonala hand painted pottery dove Folk Art. Rita Tilleya Yelapa Mexico hand painted ceramic bird dove. Warm earth tone polychrome color...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic

3.5ft African Tribal Art Large Bronze Baule Ancestor Sitting King Figure Statue
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Origin: Ivory Coast, Baule Peoples Dimensions: 14” W x 14” D x 43” H Discover the elegance and spiritual depth of African tribal artistry with this Large Bronze Seated Ancestor Figur...
Category

Early 20th Century African Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Jim Rose Barn House Structure, Welded Steel Sculpture Made with Salvaged Steel
Located in Chicago, IL
This is a welded steel sculpture made by furniture creator Jim Rose. It is sustainable design created from salvaged and recycled steel panels left over from his larger projects. These sculptures reference traditional American Folk Art barn house models or bird houses. This sculpture works alone on a shelf or table or can be grouped with other house sculptures by the artist. Each house sculpture is unique in design and color. Jim Rose Structure No. 245 repurposed painted steel 6.50h x 8w x 3d in 16.51h x 20.32w x 7.62d cm JR0333 Jim Rose b. 1966, d. 2023 Bio Born in Indiana, Jim Rose lived in Europe until he returned to the United States to attend college. After one year at Bard College, Jim transferred to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (SAIC) where he graduated in 1988 with a BFA. His skillful interpretation of the Shaker design is a result of intense research and field study of Shaker furniture, architecture, culture and history. After over two decades of dedicated work, he has mastered the minimalism of the Shaker technique and created his own unique visual vernacular. The quilts of Gee's Bend have become a monumental influence taking this artist's work to new levels of unique interpretation and artistry. His selection of aged steel results in a patina directly related to that of aged wood while his colored strips beautifully mimic worn cloth. Each piece of furniture is masterfully made and intended for daily use. Jim Rose’s steel furniture is featured every year at SOFA Chicago for the past 25 years. Jim Rose b. 1966, Wisconsin Education 1989 B.F.A., Sculpture, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1988 Student at Large, Welding Technology, Triton College, Chicago, IL 1985 Undergraduate Photography Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Awards 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship Award, Madison, WI 2005 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2003 Grant Recipient for Shaker Interpretations in Cast Iron, PA Arts Assoc / WI Arts Board 2003 Arts/Industry Residency Program for Visual Artists, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Solo Exhibitions 2017 New Work, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2012 Simply Steel, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2007 Variation, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 Hands and Heart to Steel III, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL National Exhibitions 2017-2018 SOFA Chicago – Gallery Victor Armendariz 2016 - 1995 SOFA Chicago, New York, Palm Beach - Ann Nathan Gallery 2011 - 2002 Art Chicago - Ann Nathan Gallery Group Exhibitions 2017 Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Living with Art: The Newman Collection, 108 Contemporary, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2016 Form Follows Function: The Intersection of Art and Craft, The Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, Wi 2015 NEO, Chipstone Foundation, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2015 ICFF, Furniture Society, Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY 2013 Vahki Revisited, The Enduring Spirit of a Craft Collection” Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2013 Fearless Furniture, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN 2013 Inaugural Exhibition, Museum Wisconsin of Art, West Bend, WI 2012 Sitting Pretty: Furniture from RAM’s Collection, Racine Art Museum, WI 2011 Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, WI 2010 Living with Art, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua Institution, NY 2009 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2009 High Honors, James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI 2008 Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary, Museum of Art and Design, NY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Art Association, Jackson, WY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX (traveling exhibition) 2006 Show us Your Drawers, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN 2006 Marriage of the Minds...
Category

2010s American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Emile Deyrolle 19th Century Plaster, Wire and Wood Didactic Germination Models
Located in Buffalo, NY
LES FILS D'EMILE DEYROLLE, PARIS. Extremely rare set of four 19th century French painted plaster, wire and wood Didactic models depicting progression, ANATOMIE VEGETALE, beautifully ...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wire

19th Century French Carousel Ride, Carved Wood Sparrow with Metal Body
Located in New York, NY
19th C. painted wood French Carousel ride, with the "body" made of iron rods. The bird figure has only one wing, as originally the other side had a spoke which connected to the cente...
Category

19th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Pair of Hand Carved Wooden Folk Art Masks
Located in San Diego, CA
A very fun pair of hand carved wooden folk art masks circa 1940s. The set is in very good vintage condition and has a hanger on the reverse side; the larger mask...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Paint

Pair of Hand Carved Wooden Folk Art Masks
Pair of Hand Carved Wooden Folk Art Masks
$280 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Late 20th Century Nude Figure Sculpture, Unsigned
Located in Charleston, SC
Nude sculpture figure of woman kneeling. Late 20th century.
Category

Late 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Clay

Moroccan Decorative Fish Sculpture Handbuilt and Handpainted by Potter Houda
Located in Marseille, FR
- Hand built decorative fish sculpture - made of clay collected from the potter's surroundings. - decorative motifs painted with a goat hair brush made by the potter to apply natur...
Category

2010s Moroccan Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Clay, Earthenware

18th Century Carved Wooden Angel
Located in Houston, TX
Carved wooden angel from Private Chapel in Provence. Wonderful detail in Angel's hair and draped dress. Figure is mounted on an iron stand.
Category

18th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Iron

Vintage Brazilian Hand-Carved Ironwood Sculpture of Whale and a Shark
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Brazilian hand carved Ironwood sculpture of a whale and a shark. Hand carved Brazilian sculpture hand crafted in amazing detail from one of...
Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Fourteen Birds by Guy Taplin
Located in Basildon, GB
An original piece of English folk-art sculpture by the acclaimed British sculptor Guy Taplin (b. 1939). Fourteen birds painted and carved wood mounted to a ...
Category

1990s British Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Driftwood

Unusual Cast Iron & Led World Globe. ROTATING. sculpture / desk accessory
Located in Buffalo, NY
Unusual Cast Iron & Led World Globe. ROTATING. sculpture / desk accessory, Smooth 360* rotation, (see vedio) gentleman I purchased it from claims it was made for the Worlds Fair ??...
Category

1930s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Iron, Lead

Midcentury Brass and Copper Pelican Sculpture
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Amusing mixed metal pelican sculpture crafted in brass, copper, and silvered metal in a distinctive and captivating composition that combines technique ...
Category

20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Copper

Massive Antique Folk Art Candle Driven Tiered Windmill Form "Carousel"
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Classic Folk Art Candle-Powered Carousel in the form of a Tiered and Steepled Gazebo. Carved and painted wood in green and off-white with gilt details, Multiple tiers with a center s...
Category

19th Century Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Vintage White Marble Mughal Jeweled Elephant Sculpture Paper Weight
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage white marble Mughal Jeweled elephant sculpture paper weight. Finely hand painted animal sculpture of an elephant with colorful gold, pink and red color paint. Collectible ceremonial hand...
Category

Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Marble

Large Oversize Asian Round Decorative Figural Head with Chinese Calligraphy
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Large oversize round Asian decorative head in red and gold. This piece is perfect for a bookshelf, or as a statement piece for a side table. Painting i...
Category

Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Plastic, Plaster

Hand Made Stylized Folk Art Wooden Mannequin
Located in Troy, MI
New, hand-crafted mannequin torso composed of spaced and layered unfinished wood. Created and acquired from an English artist.         
Category

2010s English Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Life Size Wicker Palm Tree Sculpture from the FS Flores Collection
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Life size sculpture of a palm tree with a coconut crafted in wicker or reed wrapped over a metal frame with impressive stylized presence. From the FS Flores Collection...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wicker

Bronze Statue of Toddler Climbing on Chair by Juan Clara ca. 1900
Located in Petaluma, CA
Juan Clara was a noted Spanish sculptor who specialized in small children having difficulty with chairs. That's pretty much all he did. This is very large piece for him and is a very...
Category

Early 20th Century Spanish Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Vintage Folk Art Painted Metal Pelican Sculptures
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Pair of pelicans hand crafted in metal in a charming stylized form, painted and ready for a new environment.
Category

Late 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Metal

American Folk Art Hand-Carved Wooden Spindly Snake Sculpture
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Hand-carved wooden spindly stick in the form of snake (ca. late 19th Century, USA). Sinuous body with hand carved scale and facial details with metal nails as eyes. Impressive, long ...
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Carved Wood Folk Art Airplane, circa 1940s
Located in Santa Monica, CA
This carved wood Folk Art airplane has an amazing original paint surface and functional propeller and wheels.
Category

1940s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Sheet Metal

Sergio Bustamante Early Lion Papier-mâché Sculpture Hand-painted, 1975
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Sergio Bustamante (20th century, Mexican) life sized paper mache lion from the early years of his Family Workshop Studio in Tlequepaque, Jalisco, Mexi...
Category

Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Paper

Folk Art Heavy Carved Log Bench Rhinoceros Sculpture
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Folk Art heavy carved log wood bench in form of sculpture.
Category

20th Century Unknown Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Teak

Antique Cast Bronze of a Mythical Lion Beast
Located in North Hollywood, CA
An antique unusual cast bronze of a Mythical lion beast. Bursting with character, the lion standing foursquare with his long tail curled back on itse...
Category

Early 20th Century African Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Large Modernist Abstract Kinetic Metal Hanging Sculpture
Located in Buffalo, NY
Large 60" x 60" Modernist Abstract kinetic metal hanging sculpture. Attributed to Yaacov Agam. Eight metal squares graduating in size. Sculpture has been outside for 40-50 years show...
Category

1970s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Metal

19th Century Austrian Carved Pine Folk Art Farmer and His Oxen Model
Located in London, GB
19th century carved pine folk art farmer and his oxen model We are proud to offer a unique example of a late 19th century hand carved pine folk art model of a farmer and his oxen. R...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Pine

Vintage Carved Wooden Door Panels
Located in Napa, CA
Beautifully carved Pakistani Doorway, Consisting of 3 panels.
Category

19th Century Pakistani Antique Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Folk Art sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique folk art sculptures 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 sculptures 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, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art sculptures made in a specific country, there are North America, Europe, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original sculptures, popular names associated with this style include Jim Rose, Tonala Pottery, Victor Anicet, and Royal Doulton. 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 sculptures differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $38 and tops out at $225,000 while the average work can sell for $1,404.

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