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 1900s
New England Quilt Oak Leaf Pattern Circa 1900
Located in Hudson, NY
Striking and beautiful New England quilt with oakleaf pattern. Investor investive condition with a highly modernist design pattern. Found in Maine, this quilt made from pumpkin orang...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art
Materials
Cotton
19th Century hand carved wood and polychromed Jeu de massacre fairground figure
Located in London, GB
19th Century hand carved wood and polychromed Jeu de massacre fairground figure
A rare piece of fairground art, in the form of an oversized hand carved painted polychromed Jeu de ma...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art
Materials
Pine
Large French Toleware Glove Maker’s Shop Trade Sign
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Large French Toleware Glove Maker’s Shop Trade Sign
This is a very rare piece it is in good condition and has a new blacksmith made wall bracket, the bracket is copy of the origina...
Category
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art
Materials
Tin
Early 19th Century Unusual Painted Folk Art Coconut
Located in London, GB
Early 19th Century Unusual Painted Folk Art Coconut
A piece of 19th Century curiosity with a very quirky charm. In the form of a hand painted coconut shell. We guess someone got bo...
Category
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art
Materials
Natural Fiber
Cassapanca rossa decorata
Located in Casaleone, IT
Cassapanca decorata con seduta apribile in abete.
Piede a mensola.
Restaurata in minima parte.
Le misure di riferimento sono alla cornice.
Altre immagini e informazioni a richiesta ...
Category
Early 1900s Italian Antique Folk Art
Materials
Wood, Fir
Rare Folk Art Iron Shooting Gallery Carnival Ram Sculpture
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Fabulous folk art freestanding animal sculpture made from found carnival art shooting gallery iron ram. Rich with authentic character, the brown patinated surface is pocked with bul...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art
Materials
Iron
Folk Art Wedding Chest, Anno 1905
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Wedding Chest in pastel shades, Eastern Europe, anno 1905, with roses and targets on a red background. A fine example of this particular type of box found in present-day eastern Roma...
Category
Early 1900s Romanian Antique Folk Art
Materials
Iron
3 Hand Made Folk Art Treen Items
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
3 Hand Made Folk Art Treen Items
A Bowl in fruit wood carved with a duck’s Head and Tail
A carved Letter opener from Kenya
And a Carved scoop with IPB. Carved in the handle
The s...
Category
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art
Materials
Fruitwood
Ketch Pond Yacht, c.1900
Located in Savannah, GA
A gaff rigged ketch pond yacht on display stand, circa 1900.
All original paint, riggings and six sails.
68 ½ inches wide by 12 inches deep by 62 inches tall
Category
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Folk Art
Materials
Canvas, Wood
Indian Folk Art Painted Cupboard
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Indian folk art painted cupboard
This is an unusual piece, the cupboard stands on a small plinth, it is painted in the detailed Indian Folk Art Style ...
Category
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art
Materials
Paint
Late 19th Century Folk Art Bumbass instrument
Located in London, GB
Late 19th Century Folk Art Bumbass instrument
A rare example of a late 19th Century folk art Bumbass instrument form, we have only ever uncovered one other example in the past 10 ...
Category
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Folk Art
Materials
Brass
Swedish Folk Art Handcrafted Round Serving Tray
Located in Stockholm, SE
Swedish Folk Art handcrafted large round serving, made of woven roots. Insignificant wear. Beautiful tray made by Same. From 1900th.
Category
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art
Materials
Twig
1900s Scandinavian Wooden Horse
Located in High Point, NC
Like a mysterious inhabitant of a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, this wooden quadruped crafted in Scandinavia circa 1900 exudes a gentle melancholy of the North. The whitenes...
Category
Early 1900s Scandinavian Antique Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Late 19th Century American Tramp Folk Art Draws
Located in London, GB
Late 19th century American tramp folk art draws
We share what we love, and we love this late 19th American set of tramp art draws. Made from old cigar boxes...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art
Materials
Pine
Vintage Shooting Club Lodge Target Plaque German 1900s, Carnival Folk Art
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Vintage Shooting Lodge Target Plaque 1900s. A rare and beautiful wooden shooting target plaque with inscriptions. This rare kings plaque was issued by a ...
Category
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art
Materials
Wood, Paper
Antique Swedish Folkart Sunnerbo Painting Made to Use as a Pillow
By Sunnerboskolan
Located in Stockholm, SE
Beautiful Swedish Folk Art (commonly known in swedish as bonad) made 1790-1820s. Part of a bigger painting. Likely made by Johannes Nilsson at Sunnerboskolan, Småland. Local painters were often inspired by decorations in churches, where they learned and trained their crafts. The painting on linen is upholstered as a pillow.
The main motif depicts a holy woman serving wine dressed...
Category
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art
Materials
Paint, Linen, Hemp, Paper, Feathers
Hand Carved Occasional Side End Lamp Table, 1905 Liberty's London
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Liberty Hand Carved Side Table. Heavily Carved with Large Poppy Flowers. A very good-looking piece, it's hand-carved from top to bottom with floral detailing.
Category
Early 1900s Italian Antique Folk Art
Materials
Wood
American Folk-Art Steam Ship Encased Diorama
Located in London, GB
American Folk-art Steam Ship Encased Diorama
We share what we love, and we love this turn of the century hand crafted American folk-art encased steam ship model...
Category
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art
Materials
Metal
English Brown Wicker Dog Kennel Basket
Located in Houston, TX
English brown wicker dog kennel or pet carrier (circa 1900-1910), rare large-scale and in good condition. Forged iron door and latch loop. Door openi...
Category
Early 1900s English Antique Folk Art
Materials
Iron
Folk Art Figurative Carvings
Located in Hudson, NY
A great set of 13 hand-carved figures each with an individual face depicting a different figure. Varying in size from 6 in to 13 in height. Found an upstate New York.
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Oil on Board Characters on a Boat a Very Unusual Subject
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Oil on Board Characters on a Boat
A very unusual subject with several strange colourful characters at sea under a white flag
The painting is in good condition and nicely framed...
Category
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art
Materials
Paint
Early 20th Century American Double Sided Whirligig Figure
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century American double sided whirligig figure
A brilliant example of early 20th century American Folk Art. In the form of a hand carved wooden double sided whirligig f...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art
Materials
Pine
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
Materials
Steel
Early 20th Century Folk Art Huntsman Figure
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century folk art huntsman figure.
A charming handcrafted folk-art figure of a huntsman. Constructed from pine, lead and leather this figure stands holding a metal riffle in his articulated lead hands. With faded and worn paint and stood on an old ceiling...
Category
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art
Materials
Pine
Early 20th Century Scratch Built Church Model
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century scratch built Church model
We share what we love, and we love this scratch-built pine model of a church. Hand carved detail with gla...
Category
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art
Materials
Pine
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
Materials
Wood
Metal and Wood American Bird Cage, Circa 1905
Located in Incline Village, NV
Hand made Folk Art American wire metal and painted wood birdcage, probably from Pennsylvania circa 1905. Having a rectangular body with a dome top; suitable for hanging, or surface decorative presentation, this birdcage is functional albeit it lacks a perch. The single door entry/exit is spring loaded, and there is a metal slide out removable tray at the bottom. The tole painting...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art
Materials
Metal
Early 20th Century Aunt Sally English Fairground Game
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century aunt sally english fairground game.
We share what we love, and we love this oversized early 20th Century example of a carved wood Fairground Aunt Sally knock do...
Category
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art
Materials
Pine
Six Kobe Toys, Japanese, Meiji Period, circa 1900
By Kobe Toys
Located in Incline Village, NV
Kobe Toys are very mysterious and not much is known about them. They were created and hand made during the Meiji period in Japan, which covered the years 1868...
Category
Early 1900s Japanese Antique Folk Art
Materials
Ebony
Swedish Painted Folk Art Kubbstol Chair
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Folk Art Kubbstol chair from Northern Sweden. A Kubbstol chair is made from a hollowed tree trunk; from a single piece of wood that's been hewn out to form the seat, back and frame. ...
Category
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art
Materials
Pine
Traditional Large Iron Hanging Pub Sign, The Boot
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Traditional large iron hanging pub sign. The Boot
This is a large and heavy piece dating from the beginning of the 20th Century, it is double sided though the paint on one side is...
Category
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art
Materials
Iron
19th Century Austrian Carved Pine Folk Art Farmer and His Oxen Model
Located in London, GB
19th century carved pine folk art farmer and his oxen model
We are proud to offer a unique example of a late 19th century hand carved pine folk art model of a farmer and his oxen. R...
Category
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art
Materials
Pine
"Billiken" Cast Iron Still Bank, American, Circa 1909
Located in Incline Village, NV
Original "Billiken" cast iron still bank patented in 1908 by Florence Pretz (patent number on the back in raised letters "NO39BO3". It was manufa...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art
Materials
Iron
Late 19th Century Fairground Knock Down Figure
Located in London, GB
Jeu De Massacre Fairground Figure
One of the finest examples of a late 19th Century fairground knock down figure we have had the pleasure to obtain, in ...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art
Materials
Wood
After Jean Louis Grégoire Spelter Figure "Boy Playing Pipe"
Located in Los Angeles, CA
After Jean Louis Grégoire (France, 1840-1890) A Charming French 19th-20th Century Patinated Spelter Figure of "The Animal Charmer", depicting a sta...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art
Materials
Marble, Spelter
Hand Carved Volk Art Box with Mermaid & Brass Intarsia, Warsaw
Located in Esbjerg, DK
The fish-women or mermaid has been a symbol of the City of Warsaw, Poland since 1622. This box made around the beginning of the 20th century has a lot going on. Brass inlay 3 x W for...
Category
Early 1900s Polish Antique Folk Art
Materials
Brass
"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
Materials
Tin
Pair of Majolica Poodle Onnaing, circa 1900
By Onnaing
Located in Austin, TX
French petite pair of Majolica poodle unsigned Onnaing, circa 1900.
Supposed to be a toy.
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art
Materials
Ceramic, Faience
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
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
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
Vintage Late 19th Century Canvas Circus Carnival Midway Folk Art Sideshow Banner
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Very early American circus or carnival Sideshow Banner, circa 1890-1900. Fantastic paint detail. Great example of American folk art banner painting. The Great American African Camel...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art
Materials
Canvas
Antique German Black Forest Painted Tole Wooden Pantry Box
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
German painted wooden bride's box or container with tole painting made circa 1900.
Category
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art
Materials
Wood
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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