Folk Art Toys
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.
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Toys
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Toys
Felt, Hardwood
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Toys
Wood
1820s Unknown Antique Folk Art Toys
Bone
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Toys
Wood
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Toys
Paper
1880s German Antique Folk Art Toys
Wood
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art Toys
Glass
1920s German Vintage Folk Art Toys
Pine
1940s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Toys
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Toys
Tin
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Toys
Tin
1930s Vintage Folk Art Toys
Tin
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Toys
Aluminum
1950s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Toys
Tin
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Toys
Tin
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Toys
Paper
1930s Vintage Folk Art Toys
Tin
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Toys
Tin
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Toys
Pine
1850s French Antique Folk Art Toys
Bone
19th Century German Antique Folk Art Toys
Pine
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Toys
Tin
1940s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Toys
Tin
1950s European Vintage Folk Art Toys
Wood
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Toys
Metal
1890s American Antique Folk Art Toys
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Toys
Wood, Plywood
1960s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Toys
Wood
1930s British Vintage Folk Art Toys
Wood
Early 20th Century Folk Art Toys
Pine, Paint
1960s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Toys
Wood
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Toys
Hardwood, Elm, Oak
1850s French Antique Folk Art Toys
Straw, Pine
1890s American Antique Folk Art Toys
Wood
2010s Mexican Folk Art Toys
Paint, Resin
19th Century Antique Folk Art Toys
Iron
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Toys
Fabric
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Toys
Wood
1880s British Antique Folk Art Toys
Wood
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Toys
Steel
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Toys
Pine
1920s European Vintage Folk Art Toys
Pine
Early 20th Century Folk Art Toys
Hardwood, Paper
1960s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Toys
Wood
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Toys
Iron
1820s French Antique Folk Art Toys
Bone
1920s European Vintage Folk Art Toys
Pine
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Toys
Metal
1960s Balkan Vintage Folk Art Toys
Plaster, Plywood
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art Toys
Pine
Late 20th Century Folk Art Toys
Iron
1930s British Vintage Folk Art Toys
Pine
20th Century American Folk Art Toys
Metal
Early 20th Century Folk Art Toys
Paint, Paper
Early 20th Century Folk Art Toys
Ceramic, Wool, Cotton
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Toys
Plastic, Paint
19th Century North American Antique Folk Art Toys
Wood