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.
$324Sale Price|20% Off
French faience charger, 19th century
By France"
Located in DELFT, NL
19th century rustic charger in French faience with geometric decoration. Amazing piece to decorate a landhouse style kitchen.
Earthenware, Delft, Faience
18th Century Dutch Delft Tile Painting of a Cat with Mouse
Located in Stamford, CT
18th Dutch century tile painting of a cat with holding a mouse in it's mouth. Depicted right after the catch, with paw lifted showing exposed claws. The yellow and manganese striped ...
Ceramic
$280Sale Price|20% Off
Small Italian Faience Dish Of a Lady, Circa 1920's
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
1920's Faience Dish Of a Lady, Italy Charming Italian dishes of a a figurative woman representative of the 1920's era in Florence, Italy. This would...
Faience
Pair of 18th-Century Faience Narrow-Neck Jugs with Lids
Located in ALHAURÍN EL GRANDE, Malaga
Pair of small narrow-neck jugs (Enghalskrüge), 18th century, faience, with fitted lids. Pear-shaped bodies on spreading feet, each with a handle and a metal-mounted cover with a thum...
Faience
Christmas Elf with Beer Barrel Money Bank
Located in Copenhagen, K
Fantastic elf or "Nisse" as it is called in Danish, with a beer barrel. The "Nisse" used to live in every farmhouse and you had to threat him nicely and ma...
Earthenware
Vintage Dutch Delfts Blauw Volendam Fisherman Blue & White Wall Charger, Holland
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
A wonderfully expressive vintage Dutch Delfts Blauw blue and white ceramic wall charger, handmade in Holland and decorated with a striking portrait of a traditional Volendam fisherma...
Ceramic
German Faience Beer Stein, Very Rare 2½ Litres, Painted Lid
Located in ALHAURÍN EL GRANDE, Malaga
German beer stein (Humpen), faience, capacity 2½ litres. Cylindrical white body with two groups of blue horizontal lines. The handle is glazed to match. Pewter lid with a scalloped r...
Faience
Exceptional Bristol Delft Landscape Charger
Located in Greenwich, CT
Very good 18th Century English, probably Bristol, charger depicting a church, cottage and wooded landscape with flocks of birds overhead.
Earthenware
$220
H 2.75 in W 2.88 in D 1 in
Cheerful Santa Gnome or Elf Riding atop a delightful Pink Pig Germany 1920s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A charming early 20th-century German Christmas figurine Candlestick depicting a cheerful Santa gnome or elf riding atop a delightful pink pig. Beautifully crafted in bisque porcelain...
Porcelain
Pair of 18th Century Dutch Delft Faience Floral Plates
Located in Pearland, TX
A gorgeous pair of antique 18th-Century Dutch Delft faience flower garden plates. These lovely plates have a hand painted floral and foliate design in vibrant cobalt blue and white. ...
Faience
French Faience Cache Pot, 19th Century
Located in Doylestown, PA
A white glazed French Faience “Cache Pot” with handles, circa 1870.
Faience
Pair of Antique 18th Century Dutch Delft Faience Floral Plates
Located in Pearland, TX
A gorgeous pair of antique 18th-Century Dutch Delft faience flower garden plates. These lovely plates have a hand painted floral and foliate design in cobalt blue and white with yell...
Delft
"Organ Bank" with Cat and Dog, circa 1882, American
By Kyser & Rex Co.
Located in Incline Village, NV
This American cast iron bank known as "Organ Bank" (Cat and Dog), was manufactured by Kyser & Rex Company, Frankford, Pennsylvania in 1882. It conforms ...
Iron
Art Deco Faience Bookends by HB Quimper, Hand-Painted, Circa 1910-1920
Located in Winter Park, FL
A good pair of Art Deco Faience bookends form HB Quimper, in good condition, very colorful. Dimensions are 7.5" long by 4.5" and 7" high. Each. Note, one small lost of glazing on the...
Ceramic
$695
H 10.25 in W 4.75 in D 4.75 in
Chinoiserie Dutch Delft Faience Floral Lidded Vase Ginger Jar, circa 1920
Located in Pearland, TX
A lovely petite antique Delft Chinoiserie faience cobalt blue and white lidded vase by Boch Keramis, a well-known Belgian maker, circa 1920. Signed on the reverse. This gorgeous vase...
Ceramic
19th Century French Faience Floral Plate
Located in Pearland, TX
A lovely antique late 18th-century to early 19th-century French faience plate with beautiful hand painted flowers and a scalloped rim. It would look fabulous displayed on a wall or s...
Faience
Framed Set of 18th Century Portuguese Painted Ceramic Tiles
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
The artistry and industry of Portuguese azulejos tiles is a tradition that dates back many centuries; as a practical, architectural surface to cover both interior and exterior walls ...
Ceramic, Clay, Wood
American Pottery Pig Bank, Circa 1880's
Located in Incline Village, NV
American pottery still bank in the shape of a pig, used for saving coins (usually pennies) to encourage children the importance of thrift. Pottery still banks are somewhat scarce since the typical way to remove coins was to smash the bank open, albeit, with this particular example, perhaps a knife was used for coin removal (note the wear to the coin slot---see images) or perhaps the additional wear is also from many coins having been deposited. The bank is in good all original condition , from an unknown potter (unmarked) circa 1880's, and probably a variant of #633 "Two Toned Pig" in Andy Moore's "The Penny Bank Book" written in 1984 when collecting pottery banks...
Pottery
18th Century French Faience Nevers Dog Plate
By Nevers
Located in Pearland, TX
A superb antique 18th-Century French provincial faience Nevers plate. This lovely plate has scalloped edges and is decorated with a hand painted charming dog holding a basket in a ga...
Faience
Majolica Plate by Sarreguemines, Faience 19th Century, France
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This Plate is a Majolica plate made in the Sarreguemines Manufacture. This glazed Faience, is in yellow and green color. It has been done in the 19th century.
Faience
19th Century French Trompe L’oeil Decorative Plate, Palissy Style
By Bernard Palissy
Located in Doylestown, PA
An early 19th century faience Trompe L’oeil decorative plate of small orange gourds on a simple country plate, in the manner of Bernard Palissy. French.
Faience
19th Century French Faience Tromp L’oeil Decorative Plate
By Bernard Palissy
Located in Doylestown, PA
A 19th century French decorative Trompe L’oeil faience plate in the manner of Bernard Palissy, the scalloped and floral decorated plate holding unshelled almonds and almond candy typ...
Faience
19th Century French Trompe L’oeil Decorative Plate, Manner of Bernard Palissy
By Bernard Palissy
Located in Doylestown, PA
A 19th century French decorative Trompe L’oeil plate in the manner of Bernard Palissy, depicting a scalloped and glazed plate with faux olives.
Faience
19th Century French Trompe L’oeil Plate, Style of Palissy
By Bernard Palissy
Located in Doylestown, PA
A charming 19th century French trompe l’oeil decorative plate in the manner of Bernard Palissy, with sculpted faux pears arranged on a scalloped and floral decorated plate.
Faience
French 19th Century Palissy Style Trompe L’oeil Plate
By Bernard Palissy
Located in Doylestown, PA
A charming trompe l’oeil faience plate with melon and fig decoration in the style of Bernard Palissy, circa 1800. Decorated and scalloped edge plate.
Faience
Italian Trompe L’oeil Decorative Plate
Located in Doylestown, PA
An early to mid 20th century faience Trompe L’oeil decorative plate with faux mussels and lemons on a scalloped plate. Marked in reverse “Italy”.
Faience
Large Ceramic Pitcher Green and White by Royal Delft England
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Stunning Delft green and white pitcher in very good condition. This is a beautiful and hard to find large water pitcher. The painting depicts a...
Ceramic
Polychrome Delft Deep Dish
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fine 18th century Dutch delft charger/deep dish featuring two ducks in a pond with foliate decorated border, in manganese, yellow, blue and green glaze...
Delft
Large 19th Century Blue And White Delft Floor Lamp
Located in Copenhagen, K
Large 19th Century Blue And White Delft Floor Lamp Delft floor lamp on wooden base. Probably converted from a candelabra into floor lamp.
Delft, Wood
Unusually Large Antique Blue and White Dutch Delft Charger
Located in Katonah, NY
Provenance: The collection of Katherine Mellon. An unusually large blue and white Dutch delft charger. The fluted well showing a country village scene encircled by a wide lobed bo...
Delft
Early 19th Century Spanish Majolica or Talavera Deep Bowl
Located in Greenwich, CT
Beautiful large-scale early 19th century (or earlier) Spanish majolica tin glazed earthenware bowl depicting a horse in a wooded landscape, the borders decorated with zig zags of gre...
Earthenware
Danish 18th Century Love Gift
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Late 18th century red glazed earthenware bowl in the shape of a heart.
Earthenware