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Folk Art Musical Instruments

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
Antique Copper And Brass Coach or Post Horn. English, Late 19th Century
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great copper coach or post horn Brass reinforcing supports and mouthpiece Original patina Splits into 2 pieces Couple of minor dents Free UK shipping
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass, Copper

1920s Ludwig & Ludwig Hand Painted Bass Drum / lamp, Folk Art
Located in Buffalo, NY
Wonderful 1920s Ludwig & Ludwig Bass Drum / lamp, Folk Art,, Hand painted Art Deco woman figure,,spider web and spider.Collectable drum and an amazing piece of art,,
Category

1920s American Vintage Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal

Large Painted Folk Art Drum This Is a Very Bright and Colourful Piece
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Large Painted Folk Art Drum This is a very bright and colorful piece, the Drum is made in wood with colorful pictures on the outside, it has ...
Category

Early 20th Century Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Pine

1950 Vintage American Folk Art Band Stand Hand Painted Goofy Jazz Music Stand
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Hand painted band stand folding music stand, circa 1950s. Great folk art design and Goofy dog painted. Possibly from the Jazz Mill in Phoenix. Great wall han...
Category

1950s American Vintage Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Composition, Metal

19th Century Hand-Painted Folk Art Spanish Tambourine with Artist's Signature
Located in Madrid, ES
A painted rustic city scene framed by a branch of exquisite pink flowers adorns this small Spanish tambourine. Skillfully painted with an illegible a...
Category

19th Century Spanish Antique Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood, Leather

Vintage Brass Looped Hunter's Horn Bugle Made into a Table Lamp by Robert Abbey
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage brass looped hunter's bugle made into a table lamp. handcrafted Robert Abbey table lamp. Vintage decorative brass hunting horns, British horn bugle, or military brass Instr...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

Large Danish 19th Century Drum
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Large original painted 19th Century drum with one original stick.
Category

19th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

Related Items
Late Century Japanese Cast Brass Industrial Explosion Proof Edison Table Lamp
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
Explosion proof cast brass desk lamp with braided cable and red glow switch. Retro-fitted with a red glow switch, UK plug and vintage Edison filament...
Category

1980s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Table Lamp With 4 Tier Deer Hoof With Nickel Bands And Antler Finial
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Mid-Century table lamp with 4-tier deer hoof with nickel bands and brass fitted antler finial. Shade is not included.
Category

20th Century American Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Organic Material

19th Century Romanian Polychrome Wooden Rocking Horse
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Charming 19th century Romanian hand carved wooden rocking horse. Featuring a colorful polychrome finish on a base decorated with a floral m...
Category

19th Century Romanian Antique Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

19th Century French Copper and Brass Military Powder Flask
Located in LEGNY, FR
Very original 19th century French copper and brass military powder flask patented by Boche in Paris (signature on the plug and also on the base). The top of the plug is made with h...
Category

1890s French Antique Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass, Copper

Large Folk Art Wooden Merry-Go-Round Model
Located in Antwerp, BE
Awesome large Folk Art wooden merry-go-round model. This large scale model of a Carousel or Roundabout has been handmade. Great example of Carnival Art - Folk Art with miniature handmade wooden sculptures of horses, jeep cars and sleigh. All very detailed. The roof of the entertainment ride is made of patent leather and the bottom roof in draped fabric. This antique toy - Antique fun fair scale model has a handle to turn the carousel around. At this point the handle is stuck due age. As we don't want to damage the aged patina, we didn't make it loose. The new owner can decide if he wants to undo it by removing the old rust in between. If we would do that in front, there is no way back. The carousel can be turned around by hand without using the handle. This Table Model of a Carousel is a Collectable Object - Collectable Antique Toy...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Iron

Large Folk Art Wooden Merry-Go-Round Model
Large Folk Art Wooden Merry-Go-Round Model
H 25.99 in W 26.38 in D 21.66 in
Swedish Folk Wooden Dala Pig Toy, circa 1960
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Handpainted Swedish wooden traditional Dala pig toy. Designed by Nils Olsson in Sweden, circa 1960. Materials: Wood In original condition, with minor wear consistent with age...
Category

1960s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

Swedish Folk Wooden Dala Pig Toy, circa 1960
Swedish Folk Wooden Dala Pig Toy, circa 1960
No Reserve
H 3.55 in W 5.52 in D 1.97 in
Vintage Tobacco Advertising Sign, Belgium, 1950s
Located in Antwerp, BE
1950s Advertising Sign for the Belgian Tobacco Brand VDC - Deinze. This Litho Cardboard Sign has lots of colors due the different packages and types of tobacco flavors. Made in Brussels - Belgium by J.De Grève and co. This Vintage Sign can stand as a Counter Display Sign ( standing system has never been used before ) or can be hung as Wall Decoration - Wall Art It's a New Old Stock Sign, so in very good condition. Only the left upper corner has a small trace due storage through the time. Tobacco collectables - vintage signs - retro wall decoration...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Paper

Late 19th Century Sailor's Knot Board
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique Sailor's Folk Art Knot Board, circa 1880s, an intricate and elaborate array of approximately 41 bends, hitches, knots, splices, rigging and other fa...
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Rope, Oak

Late 19th Century Sailor's Knot Board
Late 19th Century Sailor's Knot Board
H 24 in W 33.5 in D 1.13 in
Large Vintage Green Can Motor Gas Oil Garage Drum Motoring Memorabilia
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
A large 10 Gallon Drum with brass tap. Wonderful colour and patina. Founded in 1890 in Birmingham, England, Valor became a market leader in manufacturing container storage equipment, during WWII Valor played its part in the War Effort, extending its product ranges to include ammunition boxes...
Category

Early 20th Century Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal, Steel

1970s Spine Shaped 'Proteo' Halogen Table Lamp, Italy
Located in St- Leonard, Quebec
Bold spine shaped and articulated Proteo halogen table lamp. Playful, easy adjustable in various sculptural shape. Well made solid construction with black PVC parts and rubber joint. Measure: 21 in. high when curl as pictured, 36 in straight up. 2 intensity switch. 50 watt 2 pin light...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

PVC

Large Vintage Automobile Heavy Brass Car Horn
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Early automobile mounted brass horn. This horn stamped Made in India, is polished with beautiful curves and long reed. It does not have the original b...
Category

1950s Indian Vintage Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

19th Century Antique Ships Chandler Shop Advertising Sign
Located in Peabody, MA
A relic from Boston’s mercantile history and the seafaring trade. This 19th century shop sign displays a fairly detailed replica of a navigator’s octant (or sextant) and the proprietor’s name and street number...
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

Previously Available Items
Traditional African Carved Wooden Hunting Drum
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
A Traditional African Carved Wooden Hunting Drum A substantially carved Wooden Drum, the drum has been hewn out of a single trunk, it shows Primitive huntsmen, animals and tools ...
Category

19th Century Antique Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Bog Wood

Vintage African Berber Moroccan Adufe Square Leather Drum Instrument
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage Berber / Moroccan adufe or square frame drum. This double sided drum is fashioned of a wooden frame covered with stretched leather (usually goat ski...
Category

Late 20th Century Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Goatskin, Hardwood, Paint

Antique Mexican Aztec Coat of Arms Bronze Bell Eagle Snake Cactus
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique bronze hand bell topped with the Mexican coat of arms, based on the Aztec symbol for Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City), the center of the Aztec empire. It recalls the legend of ...
Category

19th Century Antique Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Bronze

1930s Antique Wurlitzer Hand Painted Folk Art Spinet Upright Piano
Located in Dayton, OH
Wurlitzer upright piano, circa 1930-1935. Features a colorful hand painted exterior with roosters and flowers. Model # 117253. Perfect for use in studios or learner due to its smalle...
Category

1930s Vintage Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Hardwood, Paint

Hand Carved Peruvian Inca Tarka Flute
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique Peruvian Inca flute, beautiful hand carved wooden flute. Inca Tarka Peru wooden Quena flute. Hand carved and hand painted the quena is a traditiona...
Category

Mid-20th Century Peruvian Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

Hand Carved Peruvian Inca Tarka Flute
Hand Carved Peruvian Inca Tarka Flute
H 1.5 in W 20 in D 1.5 in
Pair of Vintage Painted Cuban Maracas
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Made from gourds filled with seeds the maraca originally used in healing ceremonies became an integral part of Caribbean and Latin music. Here is a vintage pair of Cuban maracas deco...
Category

Early 20th Century Cuban Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Coconut

Painted Chinese Table Dinner Gong
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Painted Chinese table dinner gong. This is a very bright and colorful piece, the stand is made in a carved wood, embossed and relief painted with back to back dragons with their t...
Category

Mid-20th Century Folk Art Musical Instruments

Painted Chinese Table Dinner Gong
Painted Chinese Table Dinner Gong
H 29 in W 24 in D 9 in
Vintage Carved Wooden Bass Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful piece of Folk Art! Back of body is carved out of one piece of wood. Old mariachi band bass, with a unique, sculptural shape. We have never seen one like this before!
Category

Early 20th Century Guatemalan Folk Art Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

Folk Art musical instruments for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique folk art musical instruments 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 musical instruments created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, folk art, lighting and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art musical instruments 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 musical instruments, popular names associated with this style include Ludwig Drums, and Robert Abbey. 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 musical instruments differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $90 and tops out at $1,480 while the average work can sell for $743.

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