Folk Art Decorative Objects
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.
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine, Paint
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta, Ceramic
1930s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal, Wire
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Oak
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Walnut
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine, Paint
1970s German Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stoneware
1960s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
1930s Beninese Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ebony
1820s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
1940s European Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Oak, Paint
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Elm
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Shell
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 20th Century European Folk Art Decorative Objects
Mirror, Wood
Early 1900s Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Plaster
19th Century Finnish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 20th Century Vietnamese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bamboo
20th Century Sicilian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1890s European Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Oak
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay
19th Century English Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Fruitwood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine, Paint
1930s English Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Fruitwood
20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
2010s North American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal, Enamel
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
Mid-19th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
20th Century African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Polish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
1960s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass, Bronze
Early 20th Century Israeli Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware
Early 20th Century Swiss Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal, Iron
Late 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 20th Century East Asian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Coral
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Chinese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
1990s American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cane, Rattan, Wood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Decorative Objects
Fabric, Wood
Early 2000s American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wicker
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bentwood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine