Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
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.
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper, Wood, Glass
19th Century Romanian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Early 20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary French Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1950s Austrian Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Antler, Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Fir
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Early 20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Glass, Wood, Paper
Late 20th Century French Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1930s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass, Iron
Late 19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass, Copper
1960s German Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Mohair
1930s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
1970s Vietnamese Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1930s German Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wire
Late 20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Mid-20th Century Kazakhstani Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Kazakhstani Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Early 20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Composition
20th Century Malian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
1930s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
Mid-20th Century Asian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Kazakhstani Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
1980s German Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
20th Century Malian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
19th Century American Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
19th Century Congolese Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
1930s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
1930s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Softwood
1930s British Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Pine, Paint
1930s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
1940s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Fur, Hide, Cotton, Wood
1920s Unknown Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Pine
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Organic Material
Late 19th Century English Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Early 2000s American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Steel
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Early 20th Century Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Aluminum
1910s German Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Antler, Wood
1920s Austrian Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Composition, Wire
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
1930s German Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wire
Early 19th Century German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Mercury Glass
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Early 20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wire
1920s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Porcelain, Fabric, Wood
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
1920s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Silk
1930s Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
1930s Austrian Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Antler, Wood