Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
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-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wrought Iron
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wrought Iron
1880s Hungarian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Pine
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wrought Iron
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wrought Iron
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood, Paint
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Fabric, Canvas
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood, Paint
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Iron
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Iron
20th Century American Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Brass
1840s American Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood
Late 19th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood
Early 19th Century Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Brass
Early 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Leather
Early 1900s North American Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Iron
18th Century Swiss Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Iron
Late 19th Century Burmese Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Brass
Early 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Maple
1880s Hungarian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Beech
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wrought Iron
Early 19th Century Moldovan Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Pine
Mid-19th Century North American Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Pine
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Metal
Early 1800s European Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Pine
18th Century American Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Walnut
Late 19th Century Mongolian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood, Poplar
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Iron
1850s Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Bronze
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Iron
1870s Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Metal
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wrought Iron
1960s Vintage Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Beech
Mid-19th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Pine, Paint
1880s German Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Pine
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood, Paint
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Pine, Paint
Mid-19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood, Paint
Mid-19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood, Paint
18th Century Slovak Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Wood
19th Century Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Pine, Paint
19th Century Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Pine, Paint
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Trunks and Luggage
Fir