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.
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
1890s German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wire, Sheet Metal
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin
Mid-20th Century Malian Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Steel
1950s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin
20th Century Austrian Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Composition
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wire
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Mercury Glass
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
1930s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
19th Century Dutch Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Composition
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wire
20th Century American Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Silver
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Glass, Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
1990s Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Early 20th Century Austrian Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Composition, Metal
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal, Gold Plate
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal, Silver
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Mercury Glass
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
Late 20th Century Indian Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pewter
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
1930s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Plastic, Wood
1930s Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin
1950s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Plastic, Rubber
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
19th Century Unknown Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Bone
1950s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Plastic, Rubber
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Antler, Wood
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Bone, Wood
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Ebony
Mid-19th Century Russian Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Mid-20th Century European Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Canvas, Wood
1930s Italian Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Fabric, Cotton, Wood
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Plywood
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Blown Glass, Paint
1940s European Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Mid-20th Century Chinese Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Silver
19th Century English Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Textile, Silk, Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin