Steel Folk Art

Antique large padlock accompanied by its original functional skeleton key.

Antique large padlock accompanied by its original functional skeleton key.

Large Boule ball set of 13 pieces, France, late 19th Century. Unrestored, original condition with signs of age and use. In the 19th century, the manufacture of boules balls underwen...

This sculptural piece is a vintage copper horse weather vane, artfully displayed on a modern black metal stand. The figure captures a horse in mid-gallop, with fluid lines that conve...

Antique Vintage Rustic Bird Folk Art Fairground Shooting Target A superb original steel fairground shooting target. A one off folk art piece of nostalgic fairground fun. It is useab...

Cool Los Angeles freeway sign retired from the 101 freeway. Made in the the 1980s. This freeway takes you north/ south along the entire west coast of the United States from San Diego...

This is the perfect Americana statement piece to add interest to any interior. This incredible vintage advertising light up box by Marlboro is eye-catching showpiece. These lights we...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique, interesting items. Here, a beautifully rusted tobacco box, a steel egg...

ABOUT A pair of Paris Metro train seats with teak slats seats and a decorative metal scrolled leg. The legs are attached to a metal plate which can be removed. The back rest leans s...

Great Vintage Enameled Steel Trade Sign For "Tourist Fruit Room." Of course! This is a period enameled steel plaque from the RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, 1946 - 1969, marking the refrigerate...

Very rare and beautiful example of a 1940's Goodyear Tires Neon light porcelain advertisement sign. Few occasional chips to porcelain finish and ass...

ABOUT An original painted oversize truck sign with steel brackets that was mounted to a semi truck. CREATOR Unknown. DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1940-1950. MATERIALS AND TEC...

Harmonica M.Hohner Super chromonica model Chromatic harmonica piston harmonica Near mint condition L 15,5 x P 3,5 x h 2,5 cms 1943 With original box in perfect condition Perfe...

Six early 20th century hair detanglers from Kerala and South Karnataka, India. An unusual group of six hair detanglers found exclusively in Southern India. The carved wooden example...

When we first found this neon sign our restorer was excited to work on it. He believes that the sign was a handmade and one-off being produced by a skilled metal fabricator. It was most likely used outside a small shop in Denmark. This is a traditional sign used for a Danish Bakery...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of found steel is reworked, pr...

Mid-Century Modern French rectangular coffee table from the late 1950s. Solid polished Steel and original handcrafted & hand-painted c...

Massive vintage California lodging sign. Large blue sign with white lettering and white trim. Letters and trim have reflective pieces. Great coloring and condition. Fantastic piece o...

Unique California state prison sign that reads "KEEP OUT CALIFORNIA STATE PROPERTY". Yellow background with bold black print. Scuffs, scratches and rust gi...

Rickman “Metisse” op Triumph T120 onderstel 650 cm3 Circa 1970 De motor van Steve McQueen in “The Great Escape” . Uitgeroepen tot Mooiste Motorfiets Andorra 2022

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of found steel is reworked, pr...

Marroquin forged steel dagger with sheath. Beautiful koummya dagger with a sheath from the region of Morocco, circa 1870. The blade was created with forged steel, mounted in wood and brass and embellished with silver parts decorated with chiseled and engraved motifs. The dagger is curved with a tick double edge blade, the handle is ornate with silver and wood. Like swords and daggers in most cultures, the Islamic dagger...

Scandinavian folk art boat of 2 rigged masts - completely scratch built from pine and teak wood. Original paint finish. Handmade and dating from the earl...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of spare parts come together ...

This is a welded steel sculpture made by furniture creator Jim Rose. It is sustainable design created from salvaged and recycled steel panels left over from his larger projects. These sculptures reference traditional American Folk Art barn house models or bird houses. This sculpture works alone on a shelf or table or can be grouped with other house sculptures by the artist. Each house sculpture is unique in design and color. Jim Rose Structure No. 245 repurposed painted steel 6.50h x 8w x 3d in 16.51h x 20.32w x 7.62d cm JR0333 Jim Rose b. 1966, d. 2023 Bio Born in Indiana, Jim Rose lived in Europe until he returned to the United States to attend college. After one year at Bard College, Jim transferred to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (SAIC) where he graduated in 1988 with a BFA. His skillful interpretation of the Shaker design is a result of intense research and field study of Shaker furniture, architecture, culture and history. After over two decades of dedicated work, he has mastered the minimalism of the Shaker technique and created his own unique visual vernacular. The quilts of Gee's Bend have become a monumental influence taking this artist's work to new levels of unique interpretation and artistry. His selection of aged steel results in a patina directly related to that of aged wood while his colored strips beautifully mimic worn cloth. Each piece of furniture is masterfully made and intended for daily use. Jim Rose’s steel furniture is featured every year at SOFA Chicago for the past 25 years. Jim Rose b. 1966, Wisconsin Education 1989 B.F.A., Sculpture, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1988 Student at Large, Welding Technology, Triton College, Chicago, IL 1985 Undergraduate Photography Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Awards 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship Award, Madison, WI 2005 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2003 Grant Recipient for Shaker Interpretations in Cast Iron, PA Arts Assoc / WI Arts Board 2003 Arts/Industry Residency Program for Visual Artists, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Solo Exhibitions 2017 New Work, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2012 Simply Steel, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2007 Variation, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 Hands and Heart to Steel III, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL National Exhibitions 2017-2018 SOFA Chicago – Gallery Victor Armendariz 2016 - 1995 SOFA Chicago, New York, Palm Beach - Ann Nathan Gallery 2011 - 2002 Art Chicago - Ann Nathan Gallery Group Exhibitions 2017 Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Living with Art: The Newman Collection, 108 Contemporary, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2016 Form Follows Function: The Intersection of Art and Craft, The Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, Wi 2015 NEO, Chipstone Foundation, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2015 ICFF, Furniture Society, Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY 2013 Vahki Revisited, The Enduring Spirit of a Craft Collection” Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2013 Fearless Furniture, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN 2013 Inaugural Exhibition, Museum Wisconsin of Art, West Bend, WI 2012 Sitting Pretty: Furniture from RAM’s Collection, Racine Art Museum, WI 2011 Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, WI 2010 Living with Art, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua Institution, NY 2009 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2009 High Honors, James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI 2008 Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary, Museum of Art and Design, NY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Art Association, Jackson, WY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX (traveling exhibition) 2006 Show us Your Drawers, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN 2006 Marriage of the Minds...

Classic modernist contemporary wall art sculpture. Brass and black enamel construction. Retains original C Jere hang tag. Stunning.

Take a trip drown memory lane with this 1950s California freeway sign. Taken down from Nothern California decades ago, the sign features a black background with white lettering and c...

Vintage 1940's chrome frame building directory sign with beveled glass double panels. This came from the famous Boston (North End) restaurant 'Joe Tecce's' which closed in 2010 after...

Monumental and heavy painted steel advertising sign in the shape of a cowboy boot. Boot was most likely hung outside a boot shop. Great original patina. C...

ABOUT An antique gaff fishing hook with Bird's Eye Maple body, steel hook and leather grip. CREATOR Unknown. DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1880-1940. MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUE...

Wonderfully detailed, antique, French, velocipede or toy tricycle featuring the body of a carved walnut horse with steel face plate on spoke wheels and ho...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, found steel objects are welded together to ...

An amazing large and impressive brutalist wall sculpture lamp from the 1960s. Made from torch cut steel with 4 lamp outlets in size E14. Rewired and grounded. Can be used with ...

Very cool vintage California freeway sign showing the way to Big Bear Lake. Iconic location in California, cool piece of history. Great coloring and worn condition. Fantastic piece of California ephemera...

Morris cooper 1966 Very nice body and engine restoration Rare sunroof option 13523 kms odometer 38000 euros

A very nice vintage neon sign advertising the Hobart Food Machine company . Founded in 1897 making motors in Troy Ohio and turning the use of their motors into running food machines ...

A stunning illuminated directional sign made in England, circa 1920. Black painted steel frame housing the internal illuminations above polished plate...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of found steel is reworked and...

English platform hobby horse is carved wood and painted as a palomino pony. It has the original fabric and leather saddle applied with brass stud work. The...

This early 20th century American folk art draught horse weathervane is a remarkable piece crafted from sheet metal, capturing the essence of traditional American folk art. The weathe...

Exceptional African wood carving ,mounted on custom-made steel base of women graciously looking forward, beautiful facial expression, and very ni...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of spare parts come together ...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique, interesting items. Here he has welded together various metal pieces to...

Reversible baby cart was made by Geneva Manufacturing Company in Geneva, Illinois, patented December 6, 1910. It has a leather seat that is embossed with ...

Vintage Los Angeles freeway shield from the 5 freeway in Los Angeles. Interstate 5 runs from the Tijuana/California border all the way up to the Canadian ...

Large Steamroller toy from the forties. In the style of Buddy L. Repainted and some hardware replaced. In excellent vintage condition with minimal wear. Can be...

Very cool vintage sign from Los Angeles County. Massive yellow sign with black horse and rider. Marked Los Angeles County on front. Great piece for ...

Art Deco themed gas station advertising sign for Atlantic Oil (two sided).

Antique American carnival amusement park, carousel motorcycle ride, from the late 1940s. A fabulous late 1940s motorcycle carousel ride, the motorcycle body is made of wood and is ha...

Extremely rare Christian Dior / ruby Ruby helmet for Christian Dior. Helmet designed for the decoration of Dior boutiques and which has never been comme...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, found steel objects are welded together to ...

Vintage Elite 3 Optima Retro Metallic Green Portable Manual Typewriter in Case. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: Case, 7.5" H x 14" W x 14" D.

Flange mount double sided Bell public telephone porcelain sign. The porcelain has good color. There are some losses around the edges and in the sign.

8 foot metal sign from an old carnival. Metal sign with wood backing. Hand painted wording - KIDDIE RIDES. Marquee lighting on each letter. Perfect working...

An amazing spider's web of a rollercoaster of design and line. This sculpture is just as delicate and light filled like a spider's web. A work that reaches, careens, and zigzags Constantly changing maze of line and perspective. Comprised of welded metal rods and airbrushed in different colors. Circa 1960. Good overall condition with all welds intact. Some minor rust and pitting, but that just adds to the piece's outsider art charm. Clipped corners on the piece's base. Reminiscent of a small skeletal sculpture by the artist, Lee Bontecou...

An impressive pair of late 19th century extra-long African currency spears—properly referred to as liganda or ngbele—from the Topoke, Turumbu, or Lokele peoples and related cultures in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, presented on museum-caliber custom made black pedestal display stands. A liganda’s monetary value was determined primarily by its length, and based on the monumental size of the pair offered here, they would’ve been classified as dihunga liganda—the largest of those made—and used for important events or transactions such as wedding dowries or the purchase of livestock or a canoe. Each dihunga liganda is comprised of two hand-forged, hand-wrought, and hand-worked thin melded iron pieces that in whole form a sword-like spear with winged elements that smoothly transition to a blade terminating in an elongated tip. Middle ridge with parallel linear decorations on both sides follow the left edge of the blade and the perimeter of the wings. Narrow cylindrical shaft at bottom would’ve originally allowed it to be mounted on a pole or planted in the ground. Both dihunga liganda display a very handsome and desirable amount of uniform natural patina and character throughout. Created and exchanged by the Turumbu originally, as well as by the Topoke, Lokele, Bambole, Wagenia, and Bajurnu peoples of the Isangi, Kisangani, Lomami, Lualaba, and other nearby regions of central Africa until around 1920, at which point the use of liganda as currency was banned by the Belgian colonial powers in control at the time. Presented on commanding museum-quality custom made matte black wood pedestal display...

Unique shooting target made from cut steel and iron in the shape of a pig. The piece is quite rusty and weathered from all it's years in use.

Jim Rose Standing found industrial objects 41h x 10w x 10d in 104.14h x 25.40w x 25.40d cm JR0355 Jim Rose b. 1966, d. 2023 Bio Born in Indiana, Jim Rose lived in Europe until he returned to the United States to attend college. After one year at Bard College, Jim transferred to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (SAIC) where he graduated in 1988 with a BFA. His skillful interpretation of the Shaker design is a result of intense research and field study of Shaker furniture, architecture, culture and history. After over two decades of dedicated work, he has mastered the minimalism of the Shaker technique and created his own unique visual vernacular. The quilts of Gee's Bend have become a monumental influence taking this artist's work to new levels of unique interpretation and artistry. His selection of aged steel results in a patina directly related to that of aged wood while his colored strips beautifully mimic worn cloth. Each piece of furniture is masterfully made and intended for daily use. Jim Rose’s steel furniture is featured every year at SOFA Chicago for the past 25 years. Jim Rose b. 1966, Wisconsin Education 1989 B.F.A., Sculpture, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1988 Student at Large, Welding Technology, Triton College, Chicago, IL 1985 Undergraduate Photography Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Awards 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship Award, Madison, WI. 2005 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2003 Grant Recipient for Shaker Interpretations in Cast Iron, PA Arts Assoc / WI Arts Board 2003 Arts/Industry Residency Program for Visual Artists, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Solo Exhibitions 2017 New Work, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2012 Simply Steel, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2007 Variation, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 Hands and Heart to Steel III, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL National Exhibitions 2017-2018 SOFA Chicago – Gallery Victor Armendariz 2016 - 1995 SOFA Chicago, New York, Palm Beach - Ann Nathan Gallery 2011 - 2002 Art Chicago - Ann Nathan Gallery Group Exhibitions 2017 Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Living with Art: The Newman Collection, 108 Contemporary, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2016 Form Follows Function: The Intersection of Art and Craft, The Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, Wi 2015 NEO, Chipstone Foundation, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2015 ICFF, Furniture Society, Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY 2013 Vahki Revisited, The Enduring Spirit of a Craft Collection” Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2013 Fearless Furniture, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN 2013 Inaugural Exhibition, Museum Wisconsin of Art, West Bend, WI 2012 Sitting Pretty: Furniture from RAM’s Collection, Racine Art Museum, WI 2011 Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, WI 2010 Living with Art, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua Institution, NY 2009 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2009 High Honors, James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI 2008 Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary, Museum of Art and Design, NY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Art Association, Jackson, WY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX (traveling exhibition) 2006 Show us Your Drawers, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN 2006 Marriage of the Minds, Fairfield Center for Contemporary Art, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2006 27th Annual Contemporary Crafts, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2006 Containers of All Dimensions, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2005 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2004 Right at Home: American Studio Furniture, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. 2004 American Collections, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2004 More Than Drawers-Wisconsin Cabinets, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2004 Objects of Wonder, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI 2003 Planting, Potting and Pruning, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI 2003 Men at Work, Miller Art Museum, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2002 Case Pieces: Contemporary Studio Furniture, Elvehjem Museum of Art, Univ of WI-Madison 2002 Sitting Pretty: Contemporary Wisconsin Chairs, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2001 Anything with a Drawer - Award Recipient, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2001 23rd Annual Contemporary Crafts - Award Recipient, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2000 New Talent in Craft, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin 2000 Who Knows Where or When, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin 1999 The End is Near! Artists look at the 20th Century, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI Selected collections Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, Arizona The Museum of Arts and Design, New York, New York John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Kohler Company, Kohler, Wisconsin Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, Arkansas Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, Indiana The Chipstone Foundation, Fox Point, Wisconsin Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, Wisconsin Publications “Selected Artists of Door County” Stonehill Publishing, 2016 “Galvanized Chest” Door County Living Magazine, Autumn 2012 “100 Artists of the Midwest” Schiffer Books, 2012 “Piecework” American Craft Magazine, February 2012 “Hiding Places, Memory in the Arts” John Michael Kohler Arts Center, June 2011 “Second Lives, Remixing the Ordinary” Museum of Arts and Design, NY, August 2008 “Studio Furniture” Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, DC, May 2008 “Discoveries by Designers” Architectural Digest, December 2005 “Contemporary Metal Furniture” Metalsmith Magazine, Winter 2003 “Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story” American Craft Magazine, October 2002 “Contemporary Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story” Elvehjem Museum of Art, 2002 “Chicago Style...

Great barber shop collectible item consisting of a German straight edge razor with a molded red celluloid handle; theme is a nude standing on a pil...

A fine vintage traffic or street sign. With text that reads: FRESH OIL. In reflective yellow paint. Simply a great vintage sign! Date: Mi...

Large vintage Pacific Coast Highway sign reading "Pacific Coast Scenic Byway." Green sign that features birds, water, snow-capped mountains, Ever...