Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
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 South African Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Fabric, Cotton, Wood
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Fabric, Cotton, Wood
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wire
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal, Gold Plate
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wire
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Composition
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Fabric, Cotton, Wood
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper, Wood
20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Composition
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wire
20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
19th Century Dutch Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Antler, Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Fabric
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Fabric, Cotton, Wood
19th Century Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Sycamore
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Antler, Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Bone, Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1890s German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Antler, Wood
18th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Antler, Wood
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Blown Glass, Paint
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Blown Glass, Paint
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Blown Glass
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal, Gold Plate
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Silver, Sheet Metal
Mid-19th Century Brazilian Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Cedar
1890s German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Glass
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Bone, Wood
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Textile, Silk, Wood
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Antler, Wood
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Blown Glass
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Bone
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal, Gold Plate
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Steel
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wire
Early 2000s Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Resin
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin
Early 20th Century British Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper