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 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bronze
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Glass
1870s European Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass, Copper
2010s English Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century North American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
1770s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stoneware
Early 1900s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
Mid-20th Century African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
1890s Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Sheet Metal
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stoneware
20th Century Colombian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1990s British Folk Art Decorative Objects
Driftwood
18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 20th Century Mauritanian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Leather
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Softwood, Paint
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Marble
1960s Italian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery, Paint
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Birch
20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Aluminum, Steel, Iron
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
2010s Italian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Birch, Paint
Early 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Mirror, Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Paper
Mid-19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Glass
20th Century Indian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Leather, Faux Leather, Paint
Late 20th Century North American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Bentwood, Pine
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
1930s Beninese Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ebony
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Silver, Brass, Copper
Early 20th Century Scandinavian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Softwood
21st Century and Contemporary Colombian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cedar, Oak
20th Century North American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Pine
1930s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wire
19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Other
2010s Moroccan Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay, Earthenware
1990s Russian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Plywood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Greenlandic Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone