Folk Art
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.
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Style: Folk Art
Period: Early 20th Century
Early 20th Century Indonesian Carved Wooden Seated Gentleman
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting a glorious early 20th century Indonesian carved wooden seated gentleman.
This is Beautiful bit of ‘treen’ carved most likel...
Category
Early 20th Century Indonesian Folk Art
Materials
Hardwood
Antique Folk Art Cane or Walking Stick with Burl Wood Handle
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This Folk Art cane or walking stick is completely unmarked, but presumed to have been made in the United States in circa 1920 in the Folk Art style. The handle of the cane is a lacqu...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Moroccan Antique Brass Sugar Hammer
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Set of two Moroccan brass Berber tribal sugar hammer.
Moroccan Collectible Brass Berber Sugar Hammer,Brass Berber Tribal Sugar Hammer.
Authentic old Tuare...
Category
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art
Materials
Brass
Early 20th Century Hand Carved Naïve Folk-Art Figure of a Soldier
Located in London, GB
The Solider
We are proud to offer a highly sculptural hand carved naïve folk-art figure of a soldier. Wearing a fez style hat and displaying 2 strips of rank on his sleeve, with articulated arms, stood on a later aged pine base. A deep natural patination across this figure makes this object a highly sculptural and artistic peice of folk art
Size in inches: H 13” x W 6” x D 3.5”
Period: Early 20th century
Material: Pine
Origin: Unknown
Condition: Aged
Completely solid in structure and form, fading across all the figure with a deep natural patina. Light aged dents and chips across the wooden surface as shown. The figure is completely original its early 20th century date, the stand is a later addition to support it as both feet have broken of a long time ago. All pins...
Category
1910s Unknown Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Pine
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
Materials
Wood
Moroccan Tribal Berber Wooden Sugar Hammer
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Moroccan tribal Berber wooden sugar hammer.
Handcrafted by the Berber women of Morocco, hand-carved wood with tribal design, this folk art instrument is a...
Category
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Early 20th Century Scandinavian Hand Carved and Painted Figural Nutcracker
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Scandinavian Folk Art nutcracker with man in cap decoration, circa 1920-1930s. Fine expressive facial and lovely hand painted details. Very nice, vintage condition with light wear co...
Category
Early 20th Century Scandinavian Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Vintage South Seas Carved Teak Mermaid
Located in Nantucket, MA
Early vintage or antique South Seas carved teak Mermaid, circa 1920s or perhaps earlier, a hand carved upright figure holding a carved shell, with deeply carved flowers in grooved hair flowing down back, shell necklace, and scale pattern throughout her tail. The statue is weathered, has a few age cracks, and the end of the tail is broken. Mounted long ago on a late Victorian brass lamp...
Category
Early 20th Century Pacific Islands Folk Art
Materials
Teak
American Geometric Patchwork Quilt
Located in Stockton, NJ
An American geometric patchwork quilt of concentric crème colored circles on a light pink background.
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Cotton
Seated "Cat with a Bow" Still Bank, American, circa 1922
By Grey Iron Casting Company
Located in Incline Village, NV
"Cat with a Bow Seated" cast iron still bank is a difficult bank to acquire and is listed in Andy Moore's "The Penny Bank Book" as #364 and rated a "D" (A to F rarity scale--A most c...
Category
1920s American Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Iron
Early 20th Century English Folk-art Hand Carved Gentleman Boxwood Figure
Located in London, GB
Early 20th Century English Folk-art Hand Carved Gentleman Figure
We are proud to offer a unique hand carved English folk-art figure of a quirky looking, very well dressed aged Engl...
Category
1910s British Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Boxwood
Hand Painted Fruit on Wood Serving Tray
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hand painted wood fruit serving tray with double handles. The condition is very good. It looks like a very well done still life.
Category
1910s American Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Pair of Antique Folk Art Hand-Carved Wooden Circular Wall Plaques
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This pair of antique folk art carved wall plaques are unsigned, but believed to have originated from Greece in approximately 1920. These circular wall plaques are done with a softwoo...
Category
Early 20th Century Greek Folk Art
Materials
Softwood
Massachusetts Goldeneye Hen Decoy, circa 1920s
Located in Nantucket, MA
Early vintage goldeneye ("whistler") hen decoy, from Massachusetts, circa 1920s, having a solid carved pine wide body with sloping tail, the hand whittled head with long neck set on ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Pine
American Cast Iron Doorstop in the Form of a Boston Terrier
Located in Downingtown, PA
The Boston Terrier was made in cast iron by Bradley and Hubbard Co. Meriden CT in the 1920s
Model #7294-N.
A finely modeled hollow half round cast form with natural brindle paint.
See:
The Doorstop Book, John and Nancy Smith...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Iron
Vintage Pond Yacht
Located in Norwell, MA
Wooden pond yacht with natural finish and painted white above the waterline. Linen sails, blue deck.
70" long x 11 1/2" wide x 78" ...
Category
Early 20th Century British Folk Art
Materials
Brass, Lead
Classic Maine Eider Drake Decoy, circa 1920s
Located in Nantucket, MA
Classic antique Maine Eider Drake Decoy, circa 1920s, with head tucked back in contented posture. Decoy is in well worn original paint with touch-ups to the black areas. The neck has obvious very old crack but is strong and stable. The great painted surface is dry and weathered. Looks and is a true down east "Old Salt...
Category
1920s American Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Collection of 19th Century Graphic Games
Located in Greenwich, CT
Charming group of three 19th century games comprising a dartboard, star ring toss and bagatelle boards, all in original paint and possessing both whimsy and good graphic design.
S...
Category
Early 1900s European Antique Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Vintage Southern Folk Art Figure
By Craft and Folk Art Museum
Located in San Francisco, CA
Very kool piece of folk art. I am not exactly sure how old, but from bottom of base I would guess 1st quarter of 20th century. It is all wood and depicts what ...
Category
1920s North American Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Folk Art Still Life, 'Flowers and Chinese Export Porcelain', Early 20th Century
Located in Chappaqua, NY
Folk Art Still Life, 'Flowers and Chinese Export Porcelain', early 20th century. Oil on canvas with original lacquered frame. A charming painting of cut flowers with antique Chinese ...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art
Materials
Canvas, Wood
Folk Art Steamship of Large-Scale
Located in Buchanan, MI
Charming Folk Art steamship of impressive scale.
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Antique Bronze of a Mythical Lion Beast
Located in North Hollywood, CA
An antique unusual cast bronze of a Mythical lion beast.
Bursting with character, the lion standing foursquare with his long tail curled back on itself.
Cast bronze.
Tribal Afric...
Category
Early 20th Century African Folk Art
Materials
Bronze
Lehman Auto "Ito" Sedan, Germany, circa 1913
Located in Incline Village, NV
This hand-painted German tin toy was manufactured by the "Lehman Toy Company" in Brandenburg, Germany beginning in 1913. It was made for a number of ye...
Category
1910s German Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Tin
Early 20th Century Self Taught Hand Carved Bird Figure
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century self taught hand carved bird figure
We are proud to offer a wonderfully hand carved sculptural self-taught figure of a bird. This ...
Category
1920s British Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Early 20th Century American Jumping Jack Figure
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century American jumping jack figure
We are proud to offer an original early 20th century carved wood and hand painted American Jumping Jack f...
Category
1920s American Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Wall Hanging / Quilt Composed of Cigar Box Painted Felt Flags
Located in Stamford, CT
Wall hanging composed of painted felt flags included in cigar packages in the early 20th century, circa 1900-1915.
Category
1910s American Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Felt
Early 20th Century Hand Carved Pine German Fireman Puppet
Located in London, GB
German Fireman Puppet
We are proud to offer a wonderful example of an early 20th century German fireman puppet / Doll. Hand carved with some lovely naïve Folk Art detail including a...
Category
1920s German Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Cotton, Pine
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
Materials
Wood
Vintage Nautical Theme American Hook Rug
Located in New York, NY
This spectacular vintage American, most likely Maine, hooked rug is extremely visual with a stunning myriad of colors contained within a striped border with spinning wheel and nautic...
Category
1920s American Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Wool
Wooden Buffer for Printing Fabrics, India, Early 20th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Wooden pad with trefoil patterns used to decorate fabrics.
India, early 20th century.
Category
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Decorated Box with Overlays
Located in Nantucket, MA
Stained pine with hinged top, decorated with geometric design out of recycled piano keys. The interior with a removable organizing drawer. Illegible names with numbers are faintly wr...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Pine
Hand Carved Tribal Wooden Nepalese Beaker Milk Pot with Handle
By Kuba
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Large hand carved tribal wooden beaker Nepalese milk pot with handle.
Early 20th century antique tribal milk pot with incised pattern.
This rustic milk pot wa...
Category
Early 20th Century Nepalese Folk Art
Materials
Wood
French Faience Nautical Pattern Plate, circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
Large 19th French decorative plate with nautical pattern (boats, fishs baskets, lighthouse), circa 1900.
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art
Materials
Ceramic
Pair of Vera Alabaster 'Russian' Original Folk Art Oil Paintings on Canvas
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This pair of oil paintings on canvas are done by the well known portrait and landscape Russian artist, Vera Alabaster in circa 1940 in a Folk Art style. The paintings depict a Jamaic...
Category
Early 20th Century Russian Folk Art
Materials
Canvas
Antique Folk Art Cane or Walking Stick with Burl Wood Handle
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This Folk Art cane or walking stick is completely unmarked, but presumed to have been made in the United States in circa 1920 in the Folk Art style. The handle of the cane is a lacqu...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Animal Motif Rose Lavender Turkish Room Size Rug, 20th Century
Located in New York, NY
Room size pictorial Turkish Sivas carpet from the second quarter of the 20th century. The rose field with a flurry of wild and exotic animals, accents in beige and lavender. A conver...
Category
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art
Materials
Wool
Wood Carved Folk Art Girl and Dog Carousel Chariot Original Paint Surface
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic girl and her dog Folk Art carved carousel chariot panel. Superb original paint surface. Great three dimensional surface. Excellent wall hang...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Patriotic Flag Quilt Old Glory
Located in Darnestown, MD
Nothing could be more of the moment than this patriotic flag quilt depicting Old Glory.
It was most likely made either for the admission of Arizona into st...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Cotton
Early Carnival Midway 7.5 Foot Tall Game Wheel Monterey with Gooseneck Light
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic giant carnival game wheel with applied scenic Monterey theme. All original surface paint. Chunky turned stand. Measures: 7 foot . Really unique gooseneck lamp for illuminat...
Category
1920s American Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Moroccan Berber Silver Bracelet with Green and Orange Enamel
Located in North Hollywood, CA
A 1920s handcrafted Ethnic bracelet by Berber women of Morocco.
Women wear this kind of bracelet and silver jewelry for special ceremonies and wedding.
Silver, but not of the standa...
Category
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art
Materials
Silver, Enamel
Amazing English Architects Model, circa 1920
Located in London, GB
Architects Model circa 1920
We are proud to offer a unique circa 1920s architects model of a timber-clad colonial style house in original paint. An a...
Category
1920s British Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Birdhouse
Located in Chicago, IL
A whimsical early 20th century American Folk Art purple Martin pine birdhouse with two levels, eight entrances, and a wonderfully shingled roof and weath...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Pine
Large Carved Bust of African Man
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is an exceptionally well-carved portrait bust of an African man dating to the mid-20th century. The bust is carved from a single piece of mahogany; th...
Category
Early 20th Century African Folk Art
Materials
Mahogany
Tall Teak Wood Asian Folk Art Sculpture of Elderly Man
Located in Evergreen, CO
An elderly, bearded, Asian man carries a bowl of food, possibly noodles, with two mats tied to his back. Carved from a substantial piece of teak, this somber carving stands at almost...
Category
Early 20th Century Asian Folk Art
Materials
Teak
French Zinc Horse Head, circa 1930
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
French zinc horse head, circa 1930
Category
Early 20th Century European Folk Art
Materials
Zinc
Unusual Hand Carved Clown Motif Umbrella, Paragon, S. Fox & Co
By S. Fox & Co.
Located in Buffalo, NY
Unusual Hand Carved Clown Motif Umbrella, Paragon, S. Fox & Co
Category
1920s English Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Metal
Early 20th Century Oak Splint Basket
Located in Chicago, IL
A wonderful early 20th century hand-woven oak splint gathering basket with a single bent oak handle, a double banded rim, and a lovely wonky shape. Found in Wisconsin.
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Oak
Vintage Mexican Serape
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A finely crafted and vibrantly hued striped hand loomed wool serape from Saltillo, Mexico.
Category
1920s Mexican Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Wool
Spelter Still Bank "Seated Cat with a Bow" German, circa 1920
Located in Incline Village, NV
The term "spelter" refers to a zinc/lead metal compound used to pour and make castings. Because of the thinness of the castings there is great detail to the subject matter of these banks. Spelter banks...
Category
1920s German Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Spelter
Hunt, Helm, Ferris & Company vintage "The Overland" wagon
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Vintage coaster wagon called The Overland. Made by the Hunt, Helm, Ferris & Company of Harvard, Illinois.
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Metal
Vintage St. Therese Chalkware Bust
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Large St. Therese chalkware bust found on the east coast of the United States. Great early paint surface with the right amount of ware and age. Depicts ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Composition
Fantastic Early Geometric Hand-Hooked Mounted Rug, Pennsylvania
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful salmons and multicolored shades in this geometric hand-hooked rug from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania .This wonderful multiple saw-tooth borders rug with an outlined border...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Wool
Assembled Pair of Early 20th Century Trench Art Vases Custom Mounted as Lamps
Located in Dallas, TX
An assembled pair of brass artillery shell casing trench art vases now mounted as lamps with custom Lucite bases and tapered square custom linen shades...
Category
Early 20th Century French Folk Art
Materials
Brass
"Toby" Jug Still Bank and Biscuit Tin, circa 1910
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is both a still bank and a biscuit tin. It would originally have been sold, filled with biscuits. After all of the cookies would have been consumed, the tin (rather than been thrown away) would have been used as a bank to save money. There is a slot for deposits at the back of the neck at the top (see image). Coins would have been removed by lifting or twisting the snug fitting lid. Toby is nicely hand-painted in pleasing colors of green, blue, gold, and white, with realistic flesh tones to the hands and face. The total height is 6 1/2" while the total width is 6" (includes handle). Diameter at the base is 5".
This Toby figured tin was manufactured circa 1911 by the biscuit tin company of Hudson Scott located in Carlisle, England.
It is marked at the bottom "Hudson Scott & Sons Ltd. Carlisle, England."
It has crossover appeal into three categories of collectors. It would be a welcome addition to both the still bank collector and the biscuit tin collector...
Category
1910s English Vintage Folk Art
Materials
Tin
Spelter Still Bank "Girl By A Barrel", German, circa 1908
Located in Incline Village, NV
The term "spelter" refers to a zinc/lead metal compound used to pour and make castings. Because of the thinness of the castings there is great detail to the subject matter of these banks. Spelter banks...
Category
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art
Materials
Spelter
Folk Art Wooden Fireman Sculpture, Early 20th Century
Located in Antwerp, BE
Stunning Folk Art wooden sculpture of a Fireman.
This pre-war statue of a marching fireman or firefighter dates circa 1920-1930.
This fire-eater wears yell...
Category
Early 20th Century European Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Charming 1920s Wooden Fireman Sculpture
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Charming 1920s Wooden Fireman Sculpture,
Charming Folk Art painted wooden statue of a pre-war of a fireman,
A great little piece he is in sound condition, he has had a repair...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art
Materials
Gesso
Collection of Ladies Leg Calipers
Located in Nantucket, MA
A collection of ladies leg calipers
Group of nine user-made whimsical calipers in the form
of ladies legs, cut from steel.
Used to measure inside and outside diameters.
Each on a...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Materials
Metal
Folk Art folk art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique folk art 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 folk art created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include folk art, decorative objects, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used 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 Berber Tribes of Morocco, Mosche Bianche, Jim Rose, and Nils Olsson. 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 $35 and tops out at $49,500 while the average work can sell for $1,387.
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