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.
2010s Italian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Gold Leaf
Mid-20th Century Italian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Softwood
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cotton, Wood
19th Century Indonesian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Teak
1950s Indian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bronze
Late 20th Century South African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cotton, Wood
18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Birch
1970s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Paint
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1960s Danish Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
Early 1900s Italian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bronze
19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
1850s Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Sycamore
1970s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
1920s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Decorative Objects
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron
20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Silver
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Decorative Objects
Softwood
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Fabric, Cotton, Wood
1970s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay
Mid-20th Century Greenlandic Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
20th Century South African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cotton, Wood
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stoneware
17th Century French Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stone
1920s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta
1960s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1960s Danish Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
1970s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Other
Late 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta
Early 2000s American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Earthenware
20th Century South African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cotton, Wood
1960s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Softwood
20th Century Italian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta
17th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
Mid-20th Century Asian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Hardwood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
1960s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Softwood
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 18th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
1970s German Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Concrete
Early 2000s Australian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
19th Century Spanish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine, Wood
1840s American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
1990s American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Polystyrene, Paper, Paint
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1920s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Concrete