Folk Art Signs
FOLK ART STYLE
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.
Style: Folk Art
Color: Brown
Early 20th Century French Butcher's Shop Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
A playful early 20th century French painted steel butcher's shop sign in the shape of a pig, and mounted on a custom steel table-top mount. The sign...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Steel
Zinc and Gold Horse Head Butchers Trade Sign Flemish 1860
Located in Hastings, GB
19th century Flemish gilt zinc horse head trade sign. This beautiful hand made sign was used by a Flemish butcher and dates to circa 1860. There are still remnants of the beautiful g...
Category
1860s Belgian Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Zinc
Early 20th Century American "Chiropractor" Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Own a piece of Wisconsin's history with this early 20th century hand-painted sign from an early 20th-century chiropractor's office. The sign, found in a barn in the heart of Wisconsi...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
19th c Giant Wooden Advertising Thermometer NY Life Insurance Co "NYLIC"
Located in Savannah, GA
Giant sized forty seven inches tall wooden thermometer made by the Hoehn Company Thermomter Makers, Chambers Street, NYC. constucted of hard wood with a rounded top and beveled edges, it adverrtises NYLIC-New York Life Insurance Co. wanting Bright Young Men- Permanent Pay. Measuring Blood Heat, Summer Heat,Tempe Rate, Freezing and Zero, the glass thermometer...
Category
1890s American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Metal
20th Century American Folk Art Swimmer Cutout on Custom Wall Mount
Located in Chicago, IL
A playful and cheeky mid-20th century American Folk Art wooden cutout of a blond swimmer flexing in his black and white striped swimsuit, mounted on a custom steel wall mount so he c...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Plywood
19th Century, Apothecary Trade Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
Figural trade sign in the form of a mortar and pestle, both the mortar and pestle are hand turned and gilded, with strong ring turnings. The top is capped with zinc and still bears i...
Category
Late 19th Century North American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Zinc
Circa 1890 Hardware Store Wood Trade Sign Carved Smaltz Black and Gold Paint
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Exceptional late 19th century hand carved letters with black and Gold paint and black smaltz background. Excellent typography. Great wall art. Simple and bold.
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Early 20th Century Pharmacy Sign 'DRUGS' Painted on a Single Board
Located in Nantucket, MA
American folk art trade sign from an apothecary or pharmacy with the word 'DRUGS' in black paint with white shadow lines on an orange ground. Painted on a single pine plank with notc...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Pine, Paint
Vintage Painted Wood Folk Art Showroom Trade Sign
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
American Folk Art trade sign with hand-carved "Showroom" letters and an arrow. The letters and backboard are in original paint, egg-white and petroleum green. The sign has recently b...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Pine
Traditional Large Hanging Pub Sign, Wethered’s Winterbourne Arms
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Traditional large hanging pub sign. Wethered’s winterbourne arms
This is a large and heavy piece dating from the first half of the 20th Century, it is double sided though the pain...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Signs
Materials
Metal
Cigars Store / Trade Folk Art Wooden Carved Sign. c 1900
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
American Folk art wooden "CIGARS" sign from the 1920's.
Great old Store Trade sign. Wood cut to cigar shape. Lettered in Gold Paint.
In good conditions, it was a in doors sign. Perfect for any cigar smoker.
Cigars History:
A cigar is basically dried tobacco leaves that are rolled and wrapped by other tobacco leaves in order to give you a full tobacco smoking experience.
Cigars are becoming more popular all around the world recently because they are exposed to a pop culture where a lot of famous people like Michael Jordan and Arnold Schwarzenegger smoke them.
In order to understand why cigars have become very well-known, we need to take a good look at their history and where they came from. That way, we can truly understand this pop phenomenon. Here is a brief history of cigars.
Origin of Cigars
The exact origin of cigars is not entirely known but historians believe that cigars were first invented by the ancient Mayans.
The ancient Mayans would collect tobacco leaves and wrap them up in a plantain leave in order to smoke it. An ancient Mayan pot...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Mid Century Hand Painted Double Sided Pub Sign C1950
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Double sided pub sign from the United Kingdom. Hand Painted and in excellent condition. Rough hewn wood well constructed with a heavy duty frame ...
Category
1950s British Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Iron
19th Century Antique Ships Chandler Shop Advertising Sign
Located in Peabody, MA
A relic from Boston’s mercantile history and the seafaring trade. This 19th century shop sign displays a fairly detailed replica of a navigator’s octant (or sextant) and the proprietor’s name and street number...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Vintage "Your Father's Moustache" Wooden Pub Sign
Located in South Bend, IN
A fantastic vintage "Your Father's Moustache" three-piece wooden hanging pub restaurant sign.
Mid-20th century.
Measures: 44.5"W x 1"D x 23"H.
Good original vintage condition.
Category
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Antique Folk Art Reverse Painted and Foil Exhibition Sign in Gilt Frame
Located in Nantucket, MA
Folk Art exhibition sign, reverse painted glass with reserved text backed in gold and silver crinkled foil reading "Exhibition / of / Paintings / on / Glass / By Edgar F. Curtis"
E...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Foil
Wood Carved Red and White American Folk Art Barber Pole Trade Sign Sconce, C1920
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Great Americana! c. 1920s American Folk Art wood and iron carved barber pole. Layers of thick original red and white hand painted surface. Substantial iron mounts and iron strapping around neck of sconce. Unique wall sconce...
Category
1920s North American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Iron
Marvelous Antique Carved Wood Locksmith Trade Sign
Located in Hopewell, NJ
A wonderful early 20th century carved mahogany locksmith trade sign in the shape of a large key. Makes an unexpected piece of wall art as a found object with tons of character.
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Large Antique Handcrafted Folk Art Sign ..MASONIC TEMPLE, Raised Letters
Located in Buffalo, NY
Large antique handcrafted Folk Art sign ..MASONIC TEMPLE,, Beautiful sign,, turn of the century,, Retains original finish,, patina,, modeled blue background,, raised letters.
Category
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Elkwood, Late 19th Century American Trade Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
With carved gilt wood letters with mounted against a blue painted sand ground
American, c. 1890.
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Vintage School Crossing Safety Guard Folk Art Trade Sign
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Original hand painted school safety crossing guard sign. Sheet metal and wood. Great original surface. Has original leaning brace mounted on back, but c...
Category
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Sheet Metal
2 French Market Haberdashery Stall Hanging Signs
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
2 French Market Haberdashery stall hanging signs
These are Great pieces from a French market stall near Tours, they are hanging signs with applied adve...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Unusual Set of German Mid-20th Century Shop Trade Sign Tools
Located in London, GB
Unusual set of German mid-20th century shop trade sign tools
Every now and again we are lucky enough to acquire items that firstly we have never seen and secondly, we will never see...
Category
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Metal, Brass
19th Century Barber's Pole Hand Carved Hand Painted
Located in San Francisco, CA
19th century barber's pole hand carved hand painted
Antique barber's pole
5.5" diameter x 42" high
The support measures 9" wide x 34" high
Good antique condition
The...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
1950 Vintage American Folk Art Band Stand Hand Painted Goofy Jazz Music Stand
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Hand painted band stand folding music stand, circa 1950s. Great folk art design and Goofy dog painted. Possibly from the Jazz Mill in Phoenix. Great wall han...
Category
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Composition, Metal
1950s Hand-Painted Olympia Beer Advertising Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Oversized 1950s hand-painted advertising sign for Olympia Beer.
Category
1950s North American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Antique Painted Wood "No Dumping Here" Sign
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Antique, hand-painted, folk art, wood "No Dumping Here" sign.
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
1930's Double Sided Cabin Neon Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
1930's double sided Cabin neon sign. It has new neon, new wiring and new transformer.
Category
1950s North American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Metal
Double Sided Painted Wood Doll Furniture Sign
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Midcentury, Folk Art, double sided, painted wood "Doll Furniture" sign with jagged edges.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Antique Gold Leaf Black Sign "Gebhardt Park "
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique gold leaf sign Gebhardt Park. Framed in original wood frame.
Category
Early 1900s North American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Large Painted Wooden Automobile Advertising Sign, “Scott Bro’s Morris”
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Large painted wooden automobile advertising sign, “Scott Bro’s Morris”
This is a large painted wooden wall sign
Shabby now but quite readable
It is 25” high and 108” wide
TGB...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
"De Laval" Tin Advertising Sign, American, circa 1905, Near Mint
Located in Incline Village, NV
Having started in Sweden, the company opened up in America in 1888 as the "De Laval Cream Separator Company" in New York City, with a production plant ...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Tin
Dutch Folk Art Trade Sign
Located in Greenwich, CT
An 18th century trade sign from a Dutch West Indies shipping merchant. The carved and polychromed sign depicts a winged-foot mercury surrounded by ga...
Category
Late 18th Century Dutch Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
19th Century Folk Art Wartime Relationship Commemorative Plaque
Located in London, GB
19th century Folk Art Wartime relationship commemorative plaque
We are proud to offer a rare and unique commemorative wartime relationship plaque...
Category
1880s Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
1880s Odd Fellows Lodge Banner from Dakota
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Early 1880s Odd Fellows Lodge all-seeing eye banner from Centerville, Dakota. Excellent hand painting and lettering. Centerville was platted in 1883. Dakota became the states of North and South Dakota in 1889. The area is now part of the Sioux Falls...
Category
1880s American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Silk
Large Folk Art Pocket Knife Store Display
Located in Brooklyn, NY
One of a kind large scale pocket knife (24" L), likely used as a store display / sign composed of a painted and carved walnut handle / bolster wi...
Category
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Walnut, Poplar
19th Century American Trade Sign 'Crook', Medina, NY
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th century American trade sign 'Crook', Medina, NY
Craftsman made, with sand-painted back ground with 10" x 12" giltwood letters spelling 'Croo...
Category
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Giltwood, Wood
19th Century Cobbler Trade Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
A carved cobbler's boot-form trade sign, in old gold paint.
Carved in two pieces of pine, capped with lead,
circa 1870
Very good condition, measures: 14" x 9 ½”.
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Lead
Edwardian Wall Hung Shop Sign, Kirbys’ Wardrobes Purchased
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Edwardian wall hung shop sign, Kirbys’ wardrobes purchased
A great piece of social history, this is a wooden sign painted on both sides and hanging on a blacksmith made Iron brack...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
American Folk Art Wood and Iron Farm Bureau Weathervane Advertising Sign
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Great looking cartoon Midwestern Americana weathervane. Farm Bureau Insurance started in 1921. This great piece most likely was a premium or advertising piece. Hand painted wood with...
Category
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Iron
American Folk Art Workshop Wrench Wood Trade Sign
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic and substantial wood and iron wrench tool sign. Hand written fractions and original yellow paint. Very sturdy and well made. Great industrial workshop turned folk art. The ...
Category
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Iron
Folky Store Display Horse
Located in Nantucket, MA
Painted black with a red saddle, glass eyes and hairm. Missing one of its stirrups, the stirrup is carved from wood and is hanging from its original thick canvas. The ears which were...
Category
Late 19th Century North American Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Canvas, Wood
19th Century French Wooden Clock Face
Located in Surrey, BC
Authentic clock face salvaged in the 1960s from a four-sided clock tower in France. Retains its original undisturbed first surface. Acquired from a private collection.
Dimensions: 3...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Caution School Zone WPA Style Wood Sign Red White and Blue Hand Painted
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Chunky red, white and blue hand painted school safety zone sign. Super graphic and bold. Nice thick construction.
Category
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Anonymous Abstract Geometric Painted Board
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Bold geometric abstract board found in Texas. We have a collection of these boards from an anonymous artist. Painted on recycled cupboard doors, table tops, stool tops and bread boar...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Anonymous Abstract X Geometric Painted Board
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Bold geometric abstract board found in Texas. We have a collection of these boards from an anonymous artist. Painted on recycled cupboard doors, table tops, stool tops and bread boards. Very dynamic when hung in collections.
This door appears to have been painted on an old cupboard...
Category
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Charming Advertising Sign, Re Lion Oxo for Winter Health
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
A charming advertising sign, Re Lion Oxo for Winter Health
This is delightful piece showing a very fierce lion (Re-Lion) the sign is an original grocer shop print, the frame is no...
Category
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Signs
Materials
Paper
Wood Carved Store Display Trade Sign Artist Paint Brushes Original Paint
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic hand carved giant wood artist paintbrushes. All original multi colored paint surface. Completely wood carved. Perhaps part of a retail w...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Folk Art signs for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique folk art signs for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage signs created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include folk art, wall decorations, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art signs made in a specific country, there are North America, United States, and Europe pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for signs differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $250 and tops out at $18,500 while the average work can sell for $2,280.
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