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 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cement
1990s Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Acrylic, Ceramic, Clay
Mid-20th Century Israeli Folk Art Decorative Objects
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Olive
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
Late 20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1960s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
1880s Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Fruitwood
1910s Cameroonian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bone, Wood
1960s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay
Early 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Birch
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Earthenware
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bamboo, Oak
20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
1920s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Concrete
19th Century British Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
1970s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Asian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Hardwood
20th Century Zimbabwean Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stone
Early 20th Century Israeli Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Stoneware, Pottery
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass, Copper
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Late 20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stone
1990s British Folk Art Decorative Objects
Driftwood
Early 1900s North American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
1790s Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Paint, Gesso, Pine
2010s English Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wire
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Maple, Paint, Wood
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Textile, Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Hardwood
Late 20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Paper
20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ebony
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
Late 20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Malachite
1990s British Folk Art Decorative Objects
Driftwood
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Decorative Objects
Coral, Silver
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Decorative Objects
Silver
1850s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Marble
20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Blown Glass
Late 20th Century Polish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Porcelain
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal