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.
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather, Velvet, Plaster
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin
1920s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Laminate, Paper
1920s Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
1920s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin
1920s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Composition, Wire
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1920s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Blown Glass
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pewter
1920s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Bentwood
1920s Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
1920s European Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1920s European Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Tin
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass, Copper
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
1920s English Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
1920s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
1920s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Spelter
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
Early 20th Century Spanish Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Mid-20th Century Spanish Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Softwood
2010s Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
2010s American Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Concrete
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather, Wood, Paper
1930s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine, Paint
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wire
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Late 20th Century Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal, Sheet Metal, Tin
1920s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Composition, Wire
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Fabric, Pine, Paper
1920s Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
1920s Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal, Chrome
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
1920s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wire
1920s German Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Wire
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine