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.
Late 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Decorative Objects
Alabaster
Mid-20th Century Nepalese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bronze
20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
20th Century English Folk Art Decorative Objects
Shell, Silk, Paper
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
19th Century English Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
20th Century English Folk Art Decorative Objects
Shell, Fabric, Paper
Early 20th Century Danish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Marble, Chrome
1910s Danish Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Birch
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Decorative Objects
Porcelain
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Twig
Mid-20th Century North American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Paint
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Hardwood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Pine
20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Copper
1820s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Earthenware
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Oak
20th Century Indian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stone
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Other
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Birch
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Birch
20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
21st Century and Contemporary Caribbean Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1920s Moroccan Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass, Tin
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 20th Century Malaysian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Earthenware
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stoneware
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cotton, Wood, Fabric
20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Birch
1730s Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Leather, Wood
1790s German Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Steel
2010s Brazilian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Hardwood
20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stone
19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
1870s Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Rosewood
20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Fabric, Cotton, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Caribbean Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Late 18th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stone, Bronze
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron, Bronze
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
20th Century Greenlandic Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Beech, Hardwood, Fruitwood
Late 20th Century Chinese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Rattan
Early 20th Century Dutch Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Earthenware
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood