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.
Mid-20th Century Swedish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Straw
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Folk Art Decorative Objects
Plastic, Plaster
2010s Brazilian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Hardwood, Shell, Paint
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stoneware
Early 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bamboo
Early 20th Century Malaysian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay, Pottery, Ceramic
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Walnut
1880s American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Copper, Iron
2010s American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stoneware
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Birch, Paint
Late 19th Century North American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cane, Oak
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Silver, Brass, Copper
1970s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1980s Scandinavian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Steel
Early 2000s Australian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 20th Century Dutch Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Decorative Objects
Earthenware
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
19th Century British Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass, Iron
1970s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
1970s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stoneware
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stoneware
19th Century Dutch Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
20th Century Burmese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bamboo
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
Late 20th Century Asian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Seagrass, Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Gesso, Pine, Paint
1960s Italian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery, Paint
1940s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1950s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
18th Century French Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Velvet, Wood, Paint
20th Century Indian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Stoneware
Late 18th Century English Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Creamware, Pearlware
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal, Steel
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cotton, Wood
Early 20th Century Austrian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Antler, Nutwood
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Horn
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Greenlandic Folk Art Decorative Objects
Soapstone
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Gesso, Wood
Early 20th Century Dutch Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
2010s Turkish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Statuary Marble
Early 20th Century European Folk Art Decorative Objects
Paint, Wood
Early 20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Copper
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Bronze
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron





