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.
19th Century American Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Plaster
19th Century English Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
19th Century Indonesian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood, Paint
19th Century Unknown Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Zinc
Early 20th Century Taiwanese Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
Early 20th Century English Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Other
18th Century French Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
20th Century Unknown Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Mercury Glass
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal, Silver
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Velvet
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
20th Century English Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary English Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary North American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wire
1910s German Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
20th Century Unknown Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Mercury Glass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Silver, Enamel
Late 20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Copper, Iron
1950s Japanese Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
Mid-19th Century Turkish Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
1840s Italian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Pine
Early 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Silk
1890s German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
19th Century Nigerien Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Leather
1940s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Sheet Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
20th Century English Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1920s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
Early 20th Century Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Ash
Late 19th Century Afghan Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
Mid-19th Century Brazilian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cedar
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Mid-20th Century Persian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Stone, Silver
2010s American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wire
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wrought Iron
1950s Japanese Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Composition, Tin
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Late 19th Century European Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Softwood
Late 20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Early 20th Century Kuwaiti Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
Mid-20th Century Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
Late 20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1930s Austrian Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Composition
Mid-19th Century North American Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Composition
Late 20th Century Indian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper