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Tribal Folk Art

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Style: Tribal
19th Century Tribal Handwoven Rattan Backpack with Inner Pockets
Located in Yonkers, NY
An antique hand-woven rattan backpack with three inner pockets and rustic character. Experience a slice of Thailand's rich cultural history with this u...
Category

19th Century Thai Antique Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Rattan

Sweet Bird Topped Carved Wood Bambara Wood Door Lock, Mali Africa Mounted
Located in Point Richmond, CA
A very sweet small sized carved wood bird topped door lock from the Bambara people of Mali Africa. Originally would have had a horizontal sliding cross bar lock, now missing. Mount...
Category

Early 20th Century Malian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Small Traditional Kwere Medicine Container, Tanzania
Located in London, GB
This mid-twentieth century traditional medicine container from the Kwere culture in Tanzania has been finely carved into two sections. The upper section tightly fits the body of th...
Category

Mid-20th Century Tanzanian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Mid-20th Century Tribal Beaded Cache-Sexe Modesty Apron, Cameroon
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Mid-20th century tribal beaded cache-sexe modesty apron (pikuran), Bana Guili people, Mandara Mountains, Cameroon An unusual cache-sexe made of blue and yellow beads so scattered ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Cameroonian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Shell, Beads

Noir Nobilis Spina Garland
Located in Atlanta, GA
Inspired by the ceremonial neckwear of the Ndebele tribe of Southern Africa, this one-of-a-kind garland is a bold exploration of form and contrast. Hand-cut and high-fired in small b...
Category

2010s American Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Clay

Australian Aboriginal Yawkyawk Fiber Sculpture
Located in Atlanta, GA
Fiber art by contemporary aboriginal artist Allison Guwanjguwanj. It depicts a dreamtime creature called "Yawkyawk" which is the ancestor of the clan. It is a mermaid-like creature ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Australian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Natural Fiber

African Statue 'Boli' Bambara Mali C1950
Located in Paris, FR
African Statue 'Boli' Bambara Mali C1950 Zoomorphic altar statuette (Boli). Kono tribe. Provenance: Swedish private collection, inherited with the Fam...
Category

Mid-20th Century Malian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Earthenware

Bronze Dan Bell, Cote d'Ivoire, 1960s
Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Bronze Dan (also called Yakuba) bell, Cote d'Ivoire, circa 1960s. This Dan bell is made from the lost-wax process. It has a looped handle and stylized designs on the bell and around ...
Category

1960s Ivorian Vintage Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Bronze

Early 20th Century Fine Cast White Metal Bracelet Classic Sculpture Form
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Late 19th to early 20th century cast mixed white and brass metal bracelet from the East Africa, possibly connected to the Arab states. Beautiful cast geometric design around outside ...
Category

Early 20th Century Zambian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Bronze

Mid-20th Century Tribal Baknough Woman's Head Covering, Tunisia
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Mid-20th century tribal baknough (woman's head covering), Chott Oulad Amar, Tunisia. This is an unusual baknough from a very small area on the Tunisian ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Tunisian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wool

Figura tribal Cenefo
Located in VALÈNCIA, ES
Figura utilizada en los bailes y en los rituales.
Category

1940s Senegalese Vintage Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Figura tribal Cenefo
Figura tribal Cenefo
$620 Sale Price
44% Off
Baule Painted Kpan Mask
Located in Chicago, IL
To ward off evil and exert positive influences on the spirit world, the Baule people engage in a daylong masquerade known as the Goli. A sequence of four masks are donned during the ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Old and Well Used Luba Wood Medicine Mortar with Classic Face, DRC Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Old and well used Luba wood medicine mortar with classic carved Luba face, DRC Africa. The mortar is heavily worn and polished outside from many years of use, and the inside shows de...
Category

Early 20th Century Congolese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Tribal Style Clay Bust Sculpture
Located in Houston, TX
Tribal style clay bust sculpture. Unusual tribal style / African style artist clay bust from the 20th century. This unique colorful artist sculpture depicts a tribal figure.
Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Clay

Early to Mid-20th Century Bamboo Rooster Effigy, Terai, Nepal
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Early to mid-20th century bamboo rooster effigy, Terai, Nepal. A charming rooster made from the root of a bamboo from the Rai people of Terai, Nepal. He stands 8" high and his form ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Nepalese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Bamboo

Genuine brass figure from thje Songye tribe, DR Congo, first half 20th Century
Located in Bilzen, BE
A genuine figure from the Songye tribe DR Congo cast in brass dating from the beginning to the middle of the 20th century. The casting is done in sand and the figure has never been c...
Category

Mid-20th Century Congolese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Brass

15th Century or Earlier Redware Tangas, Marajoara Culture, Marajo Island, Brazil
Located in Point Richmond, CA
15th Century or Earlier Redware Tangas, Marajoara culture, Marajo Island, Brazil Tangas are thin concave triangular ceramic pubic covers found in burial mounds associated with fem...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Brazilian Antique Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Earthenware

Nepal or Tibet Ghurra Churn Handle Carved Woven Knot, Old Worn Dark Patina
Located in Point Richmond, CA
An old carved wood Nepal, North India or other Himalayan culture butter churn handle called a ghurra. Created in the early 20th century. The handle with finely carved knots rising to...
Category

Early 20th Century Nepalese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

African Baule statue Mother with Childs, Ivory Coast mid XXem
Located in Paris, FR
African Baule statue Mother with child, Ivory Coast mid XXem Provenance: Swedish private collection, from the 1980s. Then inherited within the family. B...
Category

Mid-20th Century Ivorian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Glass, Wood

Mid-Twentieth Century Headrest in Animal-Like Form
Located in London, GB
This large mid-twentieth century headrest, carved from a single piece of wood, comes from the Dinka culture in South Sudan. With multiple upright supports, the headrest displays a wo...
Category

Mid-20th Century South Sudanese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Leather, Hardwood

Finely Woven Tutsi Grass Fibre Screen ('Inyeqamo'), Rwanda
Located in London, GB
Rare to find, screens such as this would have been rolled down to separate the sleeping area and alcove in a traditional Tutsi household. The weaving, made from fine strands of grass...
Category

Mid-20th Century Rwandan Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Natural Fiber

Antique Tribal Sumak/Sumac/Soumak Carpet, c. 1910-20's
Located in Milwaukee, WI
Gorgeous Geometric Antique Sumak Carpet Navy, Coral & Rust Stunning Textile Sumac About: STUNNING PIECE - All Encompassing Beauty right here with Village Motifs and Nomadic Essence...
Category

20th Century Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wool

Indonesian 'Wayang Kulit" Shadow Puppet, Java, Indonesia, Early 20th Century
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
This flat shadow puppet was crafted on the island of Java by a puppet artist using buffalo hide and mounted on bamboo sticks. It was used in Wayang puppet...
Category

Early 20th Century Indonesian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Leather, Wood

Hand-Carved Backstrap Loom with Tribal Engravings from Timor Island, Indonesia
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
Hand-carved from Iron Wood this is a wonderful example of a Backstrap Loom, an essential component of Ikat textile weaving. The Curved section would fit around the weavers back not o...
Category

Early 20th Century Indonesian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Early Carved Wood Tribal Kuba Figural Cup, Congo, Africa Male with Beard
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Early finely carved hard wood tribal Kuba figural cup, Congo with rich patina. In the form of a stylized male face with finely carved beard. Wonderful asymmetrical incised classic Kuba crisscross design for hair. Deep patina from extensive use, early 20th century. Chips to top rim. Decorated rim to base. Measures 7 x 3 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches. Kuba palm wine cups...
Category

Early 20th Century Congolese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Carved Wood Miniature Baule Bush cow Mask Stand Ivory Coast Early 20th Century
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Old carved miniature wood mask with traces of red and green pigment, from the Baule people of Ivory Coast, Africa. Representing a bushcow, and dating from the early 20th century. Mas...
Category

Early 20th Century Ivorian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Early 20th Century Female Figure. Lwena/Chokwe, Angola-Zambia
Located in London, GB
This early twentieth-century figurative sculpture, from the Lwena/Chokwe culture in the Angola-Zambia Border Region, depicts a female standing in an upright stance. A defining char...
Category

Early 20th Century Angolan Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Woven Fiber Purple Floral Motif Placemats, Set of Four
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Set of four woven placemats in purple. A fabulous addition to any brunch, dinner, or dinner party. Woven from natural fiber, each piece features a wove...
Category

20th Century Southeast Asian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Bamboo, Thread

Vintage Central Asian Felt Rug
Located in Milan, IT
Felts are among the first woolen structures made by mankind. Some of the earliest we know date from the 5th century B.C. and were found under ground in the frozen kurgans of Siberia....
Category

1930s Kyrgyzstani Vintage Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wool

Old Pende giwoyo Red Mask with Beard and Woven Raffia Hair Cap Congo Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Old Pende giwoyo mask with red pigments, black and white beard with carved triangles and woven black raffia hair cap The mask is 13 1/4 inches high, on custom...
Category

Mid-20th Century Congolese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Organic Material, Wood

Contemporary Raku Ceramic Tribal Mask with Antlers by Argon
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Contemporary Raku ceramic tribal mask with antlers by Argon A raku fired ceramic mask by the artist Argon, purchased in the 1980s at Galleria de la Raza in San Francisco. The expression is one of wonder, with pupils of African trade beads...
Category

Late 20th Century American Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Clay

Standing Female Pende Wood Figure with Arms at Sides Cascading Hair Congo
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Rare carved wood standing female Pende figure with arms at sides cascading hair. Classic downturned Pende style face, feet absent. Democratic Republic of Congo, early to mid-20th...
Category

Mid-20th Century Congolese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Organic Material, Wood

Antique Persian Afshar Rug
Located in New York, NY
An antique Persian Afshar rug from the early 20th century. Vaguely insectoid unidirectional palmettes in mostly red and blue are displayed in seven rows on the ivory ground. This is ...
Category

Early 20th Century Persian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wool

Antique Persian Afshar Rug
Antique Persian Afshar Rug
$2,900 Sale Price
20% Off
Fine Early 20th Century Bongo Ancestral Post
Located in London, GB
This fine early twentieth-century ancestral post, from the Bongo culture in South Sudan, takes the form of a tall, multiple-ringed column. Carved from a hard wood, the post exhibits ...
Category

Early 20th Century South Sudanese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Vintage Persian Shiraz Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Persian Shiraz nomadic rug from the mid-20th century.
Category

Mid-20th Century Persian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wool

Vintage Persian Shiraz Rug
Vintage Persian Shiraz Rug
$2,700 Sale Price
20% Off
Fine Headrest. Karamojong, Uganda
Located in London, GB
A beautifully formed headrest from the Karamojong in Northern Uganda. ‍Estimated Period: Mid-20th Century (Or Before) Ex Private Collection, UK
Category

Mid-20th Century Ugandan Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Mid-20th Century Tribal Beaded Cache-Sexe Modesty Apron, Cameroon
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Mid-20th century tribal beaded cache-sexe modesty apron (pikuran), Mandara Mountains, Cameroon These colorful cache-sexe were worn for celebrations, rit...
Category

Mid-20th Century Cameroonian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Shell, Beads

Metal Iron African Antique Currency from Congo
Located in New York, NY
African antique currency from the Congo, most likely Iron. Beatufil decorative piece, includes a stand. This Currency piece was circulated as a mean...
Category

Late 19th Century Congolese Antique Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Metal, Iron

Two Antique Niger Bura Peoples Fired Clay Heads on Stands
Located in Morristown, NJ
Bura fired clay heads, possibly 3rd-10th c. CE, Niger, Bura peoples. These are very expressive examples on custom mounts, the larger with manganese deposits. Between the 3rd and 10th centuries, the dead were laid to rest at a site in present-day Niger downstream from the Inland Niger delta. The burial ground’s density and expanse suggest a veritable city of the departed. Several hundred individual graves were marked by upturned pottery urns, some of which were cylinders topped by figurative imagery. The most elaborate of these were full-bodied equestrians, while the most basic were highly abstract, independent heads. Note: These figures will be professionally packed by a specialist shipper at the sellers expense. Dimensions: 11.25"h x 6.75"w x 3"d and 8"h x 3.75"w (incl. stands) Condition: Good, wear consistent with age and materials Provenance: Acquired by the present owner from Dr. David Rilling, 1990s. About Dr. David Rilling. A Pennsylvania based medical doctor, Dr Rilling began collecting African and Oceanic antiques...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Nigerien Antique Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Clay

African Seated Luba Figure
Located in Chicago, IL
Artisans from the Luba tribe were renowned for the organic flow of their carving style. This example clearly shows the smooth transition from aspect to aspect, maintaining a singular...
Category

Mid-20th Century Congolese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Important and Rare Igbo Prestige Stool
Located in London, GB
This large, rare Igbo title stool from Nigeria displays a wonderful sculptural form. The circular seat and base are connected by a series of beautifully curved supporting legs, whi...
Category

20th Century Nigerian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Zulu Tribal Carved Wood Snuff Container, South Africa Finely Carved Incised
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Zulu Tribal carved wood Snuff Container, South Africa A finely carved snuff container with finely carved incised great geometric designs, a great example of the detailed work the Zu...
Category

Early 20th Century South African Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Antique Moroccan Berber Henna-Dyed Woman's Ceremonial Head Cover
Located in Milan, IT
A very finely woven wool veil used as a head scarf in the wedding ceremony among the Ait Abdallah Berber people of the Moroccan Anti-Atlas region. The pattern is obtained with the re...
Category

1930s Moroccan Vintage Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wool

Pre-Columbian ceramics pot – Tiahuanaco Culture
Located in Madrid, ES
"Pre-Columbian Ceramics – Tiahuanaco Culture" Material: Ceramic Origin: Southern Sierra of Peru, Lake Titicaca Plateau Period: Boom Age (1 AD – 800 AD) Dimensions: 9 x 14 cm in diam...
Category

15th Century and Earlier South American Antique Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Ceramic

Wooden Head of an Ooni of Ile-Ife, Yoruba People, Nigeria, circa 1930s
Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Wooden head of an Ooni of Ile-Ife, Yoruba People, Nigeria, circa 1930s. The Ooni is the traditional ruler of Ile-Ife. The Nigerian town is seen as the cradle of the Yoruba people. The number is the inventory number from Lehigh University. Exhibited: The Lehigh University - Art Galleries permanent collection. Provenance: The collection of Dr and Mrs John E. Swanson. Dr John Swanson and his wife Marian lived from 1966 - 1981 in Lagos, Nigeria where Dr Swanson was the Advisor to the National Universities Commission and later on the Chief Planning Officer of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. During their time in Africa the Swansons started to collect African art. In 1973 a part of their collection, circa 120 pieces went on loan to The Pennsylvania State University Museum of Art, where the remained until 1978. In 1981 Dr Swanson passed away and his wife Marian never returned to Africa. In 1982 Mrs Swanson lent 130 pieces to the Lehigh University Art Gallery where they remained until 1987. A few pieces were also lent to Lafayette College...
Category

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Tribal Plank Art
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Unique tribal plank art with metal base. The piece features a 5.5' tall wooden plank with a colored ornate fish design. Great conversation piece for any space.
Category

20th Century Unknown Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Metal

Tribal Plank Art
Tribal Plank Art
$315 Sale Price
30% Off
Yoruba Ibeji Twin Figure
Located in Chicago, IL
With one of the highest rates of twin births in the world, Yoruba cultures place special social and religious significance on twins, referred to as "emi alagbara" or "powerful spirit...
Category

Mid-20th Century Nigerian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Matching Pair of Yoruba Twin Figures Ibeji Nigeria African Tribal Art beads
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Matching rare pair of stocky male twin figures "Ibeji" from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Africa, created in the early 20th century. Dressed with matching glass bead necklace and bra...
Category

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Pre-Columbian ceramics jar – Tiahuanaco Culture
Located in Madrid, ES
"Pre-Columbian Ceramics – Tiahuanaco Culture" Material: Ceramic Origin: Southern Sierra of Peru, Lake Titicaca Plateau Period: Boom Age (1 AD – 800 AD) Dimensions: 16 x 12 x 14 cm Co...
Category

15th Century and Earlier South American Antique Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Ceramic

Silk Whisperings Warm Gray & Warm Gray 270x360 cm Handknotted Rug
Located in Milano, IT
Intricate. Symmetrical. Timeless. This hand-knotted rug transcends mere floor covering, transforming into a captivating work of art. Imagine the delicate touch of calligraphy transla...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Silk

Fine 1950's Mbuti Bark Cloth With Biomorphic Motifs
Located in London, GB
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the asymmetric, spontaneous and animated patterns of bark cloths made by Mbuti women for dances, festivities and coming-of-age ceremonies ref...
Category

1950s Congolese Vintage Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Natural Fiber

Kuba Ceremonial Palm Wine Cup ('Mbwoongntey'), DRC
Located in London, GB
The decorative details adorning this ceremonial cup reflected the owner’s wealth, status and influence within the Kuba Kingdom. This anthropomorphic Kuba cup ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Congolese Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Shell Plaque (Barava) from Solomon Islands, 19th Century
Located in NICE, FR
Objects crafted from the shell of the giant Tridacna clam, also known as the fossilized giant clam, held great value among numerous Melanesian peoples. The artistry of working with f...
Category

19th Century Solomon Islands Antique Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Shell

Vintage Moroccan Beni Ouarain Berber Rug
By Beni Ourain
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Moroccan Beni Ouarain carpet, white lush organic natural wo, hand woven by women of the Middle Atlas of Morocco. Authentic Moroccan Beni Ouarain tribal rug from the Berber tribes of ...
Category

1940s Moroccan Vintage Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wool

Rare Form of Beaded Doll, Kenyan Coastal Region
Located in London, GB
This mid-twentieth century beaded doll, which likely originates from the Kenyan Coastal Region around Mombasa, exhibits a rare form with a wonderfully simp...
Category

Mid-20th Century Kenyan Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Hardwood, Beads

1940's - 1950's Zulu Milk Pail ('Ithunga'), South Africa
Located in London, GB
This early-twentieth-century tall, narrow vessel, from the Zulu culture in South Africa, would have traditionally served as a milk pail. Known as an 'ithunga', the vessel exhibits ...
Category

Early 20th Century South African Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Hardwood

Early 20th Century Reclining Lobi Backrest With Two Legs
Located in London, GB
With a low seat supported by two splayed legs, this Lobi backrest from Burkina Faso exhibits a wonderful form with a long, reclining back support. Throughout, the surface of the piec...
Category

Early 20th Century Burkinabe Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Mother and Child Figure. Kwere, Tanzania
Located in London, GB
This finely carved figure with a prominent sweeping hairstyle sits upright with her knees bent and holding out her child in a forward position. The surface of the figure is smooth an...
Category

Mid-20th Century Tanzanian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wood

African Incised Copper Currency Anklet, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Time honored texture and form define this Nigerian copper sculptural object. The intricate geometry was achieved through a process known as scarification. The artisan would meticulou...
Category

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Copper

Vintage Persian Kurd Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Persian Kurdish rug from the mid-20th century. A burnt orange hexagonal medallion with a very fragmented Herati inner pattern shows bold, tall cypress tree pendants, all on...
Category

Mid-20th Century Persian Tribal Folk Art

Materials

Wool

Vintage Persian Kurd Rug
Vintage Persian Kurd Rug
$2,700 Sale Price
20% Off

Tribal folk art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Tribal folk art for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 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, rugs and carpets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Tribal folk art made in a specific country, there are Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia 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, Yoruba People, Baule Tribe, and Benin People. 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 $95 and tops out at $104,031 while the average work can sell for $1,853.

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