Federal Folk Art
FEDERAL STYLE
Following the Revolutionary War, the American republic referenced the Roman Republic in its designs to celebrate its independence and declare itself a powerful new country. Imbued with neoclassical elements like those being promoted by architect Robert Adam in Great Britain, antique Federal-style furniture was the first distinctly American style in its melding of ancient influences, European aesthetics and national pride.
Dating roughly from 1790 to 1830, the style featured angular furniture with saber legs and smooth surfaces that contrasted with the curvy Rococo style that was previously in fashion. Eagles were common ornamental motifs on Federal-period furniture, as were cornucopia, lyres, garlands and scrolls, adding subtle flair to pieces characterized by clean lines, geometric symmetry, balanced shapes and a sense of grandeur.
Instead of sculptural carvings, authentic Federal-style furniture was adorned with inlays and patterned veneers that showcased the rich character of different grains and types of wood. As social life tended to be informal in the young country, furniture was often lightweight, so it could be easily rearranged in a drawing room or bedroom. Pieces like dining tables with drop leaves and sideboards became popular, replacing larger chests of drawers.
The Federal style varied by region: Artisans in Charleston, South Carolina, decorated chairs with carved backs, for instance, while those in Baltimore, Maryland, preferred painted details. Its major proponents included father-and-son cabinetmakers John and Thomas Seymour in Boston, Duncan Phyfe and Charles-Honoré Lannuier in New York and Samuel McIntire in Salem, Massachusetts.
Find antique Federal tables, mirrors, storage cabinets and other Federal furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
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Style: Federal
19th Century American 39 Star Flag, circa 1889
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th Century American 39 Star Flag, circa 1889, a period printed silk parade flag with a wavy pattern of dancing stars. This was never an official flag of the United States but was m...
Category
1880s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Silk
Carved and Painted Wooden Eagle with Shield Attributed to John Haley Bellamy
Located in Savannah, GA
In all original untouched condition including weathered paint, this wonderful Folk Art wall plaque speaks for itself. Substantial size. It looks to be made to be mounted on a ledge, ...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Antique Federal Eagle American 50 Star Flag with Brass Eagle Pole, 19th Century
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Monumental 50 star American Flag with antique Federal Eagle brass and wood pole. A patriotic piece suitable for any home. This set includes both ...
Category
19th Century American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Outstanding Large Oak Carved Eagle Grasping Shield & Three Arrows
Located in Stamford, CT
Outstanding large oak carved eagle grasping shield with three arrows in his talons; most probably by a Philadelphia carver. Found in East Boothbay, Maine at collector's home. Arrows ...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Oak
19th Century 39 Star American Flag, circa 1889
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th Century 39 Star American Flag, circa 1889, a printed linen ensign with 39 stars arranged in a wavy star pattern, with stripes in a very unusual elongated form. This was never an...
Category
1880s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Linen
19th Century American Hand Carved Gilded Pediment Eagle
Located in Vero Beach, FL
19th century American hand carved gilded pediment eagle.
Antique decorative hand carved and gilded wooden pediment eagle. The expressive sculpture w...
Category
19th Century American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Giltwood
Reverse Painting on Glass of George and Martha Washington by W. M. Prior
By William Matthew Prior
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th century reverse painted on glass portrait of George and Martha Washington by William Matthew Prior (1806 - 1873), one of New England'...
Category
1830s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Glass
American 38 Star Parade Flag, circa 1877
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique American 38 Star Parade Flag, circa 1877, a fine woven linen small parade flag with 38 stars in a bold "Dancing Star" pattern, enacted in 1877 upon the admission of Colorado....
Category
1870s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Linen
Antique Silk Broadside An Elegiac Poem Death of President George Washington 1800
Located in Portland, OR
An important & rare antique American political printed silk broadside, an elegy on the death of President George Washington, dated 1800.
A poem on the Death of President George Was...
Category
1790s Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Silk
Windsor Highchair In Original Paint Circa 1820
Located in Hudson, NY
Beautiful American, windsor, arrow-back high chair in original surface.
Circa 1820, this chair is in excellent condition with an incredible surface history.
The splayed legs are much...
Category
1820s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Maple, Paint
Large Cast New England Bank Patriotic Eagle and Clipper Ship Plaque
Located in Nantucket, MA
Cast and Gilded Patriotic Eagle with Clipper Ship Plaque, with a Clutch of Arrows and an Olive Branch in it's Talons, mid 20th Century, from a Boston Bank...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Federal Folk Art
Materials
Composition
American Federal Silhouettes of Livingston Family Members
Located in New York, NY
Snipping a profile from paper with scissors, and mounting the result to a contrasting sheet of paper, became a popular diversion among the European and American upper classes in the ...
Category
1830s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Paper
Antique Terra Cotta Federal Eagles 'Pair'
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Early antique federal eagles [pair] beautiful glaze. ca 1900, came from an antique collectors personal collection, you can see a repair on one of the eag...
Category
Early 20th Century French Federal Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
Federal Grain Painted and Stenciled Document Box 19th Century American
Located in Hudson, NY
A spectacular and fine, dovetailed poplar, rosewood grain painted and ebonized document box. The gold stenciling is of a very fine quality. Retains the original fire gilded steel bai...
Category
Early 19th Century American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Gold, Steel
Related Items
Large Early 20th Century Brass Eagle on Branch Standing Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic large brass sculpture of an eagle with the wings spread on a tree branch. This full body eagle and branch has a wonderful worn patina....
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Early 20th Century American Federal Folk Art
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Brass
31-Star Printed American Flag, Celebrating California Statehood, Circa 1850
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
This is a rare 31-star medallion printed American flag, celebrating the addition of California to the Union. The flag is printed on silk and has a spectacular “Great Star” canton pat...
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1850s American Antique Federal Folk Art
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H 43 in W 50.5 in D 2.5 in
Thomas Jefferson Crannock Carved Cane
Located in Darnestown, MD
Unique carved cane that chronicles the life and achievements of Thomas Jefferson. Among the carved words are "Thos. Jefferson of Va Born Apr 2,1743 Wa...
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19th Century American Antique Federal Folk Art
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Folk Art Primitive Hand-Carved Bull
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Primitive hand-carved Folk Art bull made of wood. Great hand work and scale. One Horn has a chip. Great sculptural piece.
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1970s American Vintage Federal Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Vintage Sculpture of an American Eagle Carved in Seri Ironwood
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Sculpture of an American Eagle Carved in Seri Ironwood.
Vintage hand carved Ironwood Southwestern seri sculpture of an Eagle.
Dimensions: 5.5" x 3.5". circa 1970.
Ironwood hand carved eagle or falcon...
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Mid-20th Century American Federal Folk Art
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Wood
46-Star Printed American Flag Waver, Celebrating Oklahoma Statehood
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Presented is an American flag waver with 46 stars. The printed flag features a row pattern of stars against a dark blue canton, with thirteen red and white stripes completing the des...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Fabric
Large Hand Carved Black Forest Standing Stag Deer Sculpture with Huge Antlers
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This quite large and well executed carving is unsigned by the artist, but presumed to have been done in Eastern Europe in circa 1900 in the period Black Forest style. This large carv...
Category
Early 20th Century German Federal Folk Art
Materials
Softwood
H 22.5 in W 23 in D 13 in
American 38 Star Parade Flag, circa 1877
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique American 38 Star Parade Flag, circa 1877, a fine woven linen small parade flag with 38 stars in a bold "Dancing Star" pattern, enacted in 1877 upon the admission of Colorado....
Category
1870s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Linen
Bellamy Style Hand-Carved New England Pine Eagle, Early to Mid-20th Century
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
This is an original American eagle, hand-carved from pine during the early to mid 20th century. The eagle features a touch of original gilt over yellow sizing with hand-painted highlights, emphasizing the eyes and beak.
The eagle is displayed with both wings fully outstretched. The feathers are expertly detailed, especially considering that this eagle is a single-piece carving.
The eagle is both the national bird and the national animal of the United States. The founders of the United States were fond of comparing their new republic with the Roman Republic, in which eagle imagery, usually the golden eagle, was prominent. On June 20, 1782, the Continental Congress adopted the design for the Great Seal of the United States depicting a bald eagle grasping 13 arrows in its sinister (left) talon and an olive branch with its dexter (right) talons. Those arrows are tightly aligned, a symbol of "strength in unity" that's found in the traditional cultures everywhere, from the Romans to the Iroquois. In this case, the bundle of arrows were a nod to the unity of the original 13 colonies. The olive branches emphasize the power of peace.
The eagle motif has since appeared in allegorical engravings...
Category
Early 20th Century American Federal Folk Art
Materials
Pine
H 10.5 in W 35 in D 6.5 in
19th Century Austrian hand carved folk art wall candle holder
Located in London, GB
19th Century Austrian hand carved folk art wall candle holder
This is a very unusual piece of folk art, made from hand carved wood in 2 pieces as the pipe is removable and could hav...
Category
1870s Austrian Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Antique American Flag w/ Hand-Written Inscriptions Mourning the Death of FDR
Located in York County, PA
48 STARS ON ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH HAND-WRITTEN INSCRIPTIONS AND AN EMBROIDERED DATE OF APRIL 12TH, 1945, MOURNING THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT:
American national parade flag with 48 stars, printed on cotton, embellished with hand-written inscriptions and an embroidered date to commemorate the death of FDR on April 12th, 1945.
“On this day in 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a massive cerebral hemorrhage at his Warm Springs, Georgia, retreat at the age of 63. Roosevelt’s death in the final months of World War II was met with shock and grief throughout the Western world. Many Americans had no inkling of his decline in health. [He] had been president for more than 12 years, longer than any other person. He led the country through some of its greatest domestic and foreign crises to the impending defeat of Nazi Germany and within sight of Japan’s surrender...
Category
1940s American Vintage Federal Folk Art
Materials
Cotton
H 19.5 in W 25.5 in D 2.5 in
Antique Hand-Carved Hardwood Figural Confederate Soldier Styled Smoking Pipe
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This very well executed hand-carved smoking pipe is unsigned, but presumed to have originated from the United States and date to approximately 1920 and done in an American Craftsman style. The pipe stem is composed of vulcanite with a silver plated band. The pipe features asvery detailed and realistic carving of a Confederate soldier...
Category
Early 20th Century American Federal Folk Art
Materials
Hardwood
H 3.5 in W 1.5 in D 8.75 in
Previously Available Items
13-Star American Parade Flag, 1860
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Presented is a stunning 13-star American parade flag, dating to 1860. The wool flag has 13 hand-sewn cotton stars with truncated tips. The stars are configured in the “Third Maryland” or “Cowpens” pattern, consisting of a 12-star wreath surrounding a large central star. The flag design is completed with 13 red and white alternating stripes and a white cotton hoist. The flag’s hoist has “Lafayette Post 140” stenciled in selvage.
The “Third Maryland” star pattern of a 12-star wreath surrounding a central star is associated with an early 13-star flag that was long thought to have been carried by William Batchelor of the 3rd Maryland Regiment at the Battle of Cowpens during the American Revolution. The flag, now in the collection of the Maryland State Archives, was later discovered by Smithosian experts to date to the mid-19th century. But this particular star pattern is forever linked to that particular 13-star flag and the wreath and central star configuration is still referred to as a “Third Maryland” or “Cowpens” style among dealers and collectors. Thirteen star flags with the “Third Maryland” pattern are among the scarcest and most desired by collectors of early American flag...
Category
1860s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century Store Display American Crca 1800-1810
Located in Hudson, NY
This is an incredibly rare piece. Made from Pine with the original dark green paint. Originally used as a store display in the early 19th century. With swollen baluster turnings, cup...
Category
Early 19th Century American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Pine, Paint
Blanket Chest In Original Blue Paint American Circa 1810
Located in Hudson, NY
Beautiful federal two drawer blanket chest in the original blue paint ad retaining its gorgeous old dry surface. Beautiful cut apron across the front as well as the sides. This chest also retaining the original brass pulls with Greek key pattern. Height of feet is completely intact. The top is attached with the original cotter-pins.
Likely Connecticut
This item can be viewed in person at The Berkshire Galleries in Great Barrington...
Category
1810s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Brass
Vintage Hand Carved Wooden Eagle with Shield and Arrows
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Presented is a vintage, Bellamy-style, hand carved wooden eagle. This late 19th century to early 20th century wood eagle is bronze-brushed with a painted red, white, and blue shield. It supports a shield in its right talon as the head looks to its left. In its left talon is a bundle of arrows.
When Charles Thomson put together the final design for the Great Seal, he placed a bundle of thirteen arrows in the eagle's left (sinister) talon. The official description specifies the bald eagle holding "in his sinister, a bundle of thirteen arrows." The thirteen arrows are tightly aligned – a symbol of "strength in unity" that's found in the traditional cultures everywhere, from the Romans to the Iroquois— in this case a nod to the unity of the original 13 colonies. The clutched shield has a blue chief. Twenty one alternating red and white stripes complete the shield design.
With carved detailed feathers and a dramatic expression, this stylized eagle is an interesting work of art. The relief carving is styled after John Bellamy, a well known folk artist made popular in the late 19th century for his stylized eagles and ship carvings...
Category
Early 20th Century American Federal Folk Art
Materials
Wood
American 39 Star Flag, circa 1889
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique American 39 Star Flag, circa 1889, a period silk made in the "Dancing Star" pattern, where the stars are oriented at an alternating upright and slanted angle (prior to being standardized by Congress). The 39 star flag was never an official American flag sanctioned by Congress, but was made by states to celebrate the two Dakotas admission into the Union in 1889.
The flag is in very good condition, with only a few very small stains, just sufficient to call attention to the age of this flag. Conservation mounted on fabric backing in a tiger maple frame...
Category
1880s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Silk
1818 Declaration of Independence Broadside Engraved by Benjamin Owen Tyler
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
This is a stunning 1818 broadside engraving of the Declaration of Independence, the first engraved broadside of our nation’s founding document. The year 1815 saw the conclusion of th...
Category
1810s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Paper
Large Late 19th or Early 20 Century Hand Made Woolen Naval Flag
Located in Nantucket, MA
Scarce antique flag with the Commodore Perry motto from the War of 1812. A fine woolen bunting flag with machine stitched border (dating it to after 1841) and with hand cut and cross-stitched letters (in comparison stars were usually done this way until the 1880s, and rarely after the 1890s). The header has brass grommets which became standard by 1890 (until restricted during World War II). Despite having apparently only enjoyed light use, the fabric has warped a bit from age. Overall this flag clearly dates from before WW II, and all physical evidence strongly indicates an origin from circa the 1890s.
"Dont Give Up The Ship" was the battle cry from the Battle of Lake Erie, echoing the dying words of Captain James Lawrence when the USS CHESAPEAKE was lost to HMS SHANNON off Boston on 1 June 1813. His friend Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry...
Category
1890s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Wool
American 46 Star Muslin Flag, circa 1908
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique American 46 Star flag, circa 1908, celebrating the admission of Indian Territory as the state of Oklahoma. An official flag of the United States f...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Muslin
19th Century American 45 Star Flag
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique American 45 star flag, circa 1896, a printed muslin flag with a "Dancing Star" pattern arranged in an 8 - 7 ---8 - 7 -8 - 7 format. This was an of...
Category
1890s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Muslin
Large American 45 Star Flag with Gilt Metallic Fringe, circa 1896
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique American 45 Star Flag with Gilt Metallic Fringe, circa 1896, a large flag with 45 stars set in a "Dancing Star" pattern on the blue canton - prior to Congress setting a stand...
Category
1890s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Linen
19th Century Copper Eagle Weather Vane, Likely by Jewell, circa 1860
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th century copper Eagle weather vane, likely by A.L. Jewell & Co., Waltham, MA, circa 1860, a diminutive cast and welded copper hollow eagle weather van...
Category
1860s American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Copper
19th Century American Gilt Eagle Weather Vane Perched on Belted Ball and Arrow
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
With wings spread high and richly molded detail this gilt on copper eagle weathervane, dating to the late 19th century, is mounted on a belted...
Category
Late 19th Century North American Antique Federal Folk Art
Materials
Copper
H 23.5 in W 27.5 in D 29.5 in
Federal folk art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Federal folk art for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Mid-20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage folk art created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include folk art, decorative objects, building and garden elements and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Federal folk art made in a specific country, there are North America, United States, and Europe pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original folk art, popular names associated with this style include and William Matthew Prior. 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 folk art differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,500 and tops out at $15,995 while the average work can sell for $5,643.