Folk Art Shelves
FOLK ART STYLE
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.
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Style: Folk Art
Primitive Folk Art Painted Pink Wall Shelf, Handmade Curio Cabinet, Spice Rack
Located in Chicago, IL
Charming handmade folk art wall shelf in pale pink paint with curvy side brackets. One of a kind and highly functional. Can be set on a surface or hung on the wall. Lovely for curios...
Category
1940s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Wood, Paint
Pair of handmade Folk Art Tunisian bedside tables or shelves
Located in Lyon, FR
Adorable pair of bedside tables or shelves made in Tunisia and directly brought back from our last holidays there.
Carved wood and handpainted.
With a secret space for you to put you...
Category
1980s Tunisian Vintage Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Wood, Paint
18th Century Folk Art Wall Shelf, Island of Amager, Denmark
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
18th century Folk Art wall shelf, Island of Amager, Denmark
Shelf is decorated with carved figures.
Category
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Wood
Antique Folk Art Bookcase, France, 19th Century
Located in Antwerp, BE
This 19th-century folk art shelving unit is a beautifully primitive, handcrafted piece featuring scalloped trim along one side and three spacious tiers. Made from solid wood with vis...
Category
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Wood
Popular Art Shelf in Pine, circa 1900
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Popular art shelf in pine circa 1900
Measures: depth : 23 cm.
Category
Early 20th Century European Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Pine
18th Century Folk Art Shelf With Heart And Pineapple Carvings
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Beautiful folk art "Love" Shelf. An old tradition where the man had to make a gift for the fiancee, mostly the items were made in wood with birds or hearts and painted nicely.
Category
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Wood
Related Items
Folk Art Adam and Eve from Midwest Lodge
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic hand-painted and carved lodge piece from the Midwest. Painting depicts Eve picking the apple from the snakes mouth. The Stand has a hand-carved snake that wraps around the ...
Category
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Wood
Japanese Antique Brass Medical Shelf 1900s-1940s / Modern Design
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
This is an old Japanese brass medical shelf.
This furniture is from the early Showa period (1900s-1940s).
Modern and simple design.
Due to the passage of time, the brass has corrode...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Brass
Pine Hanging Shelf or Plate Rack
Located in Baltimore, MD
This small hanging shelf or plate rack, with a deep centre shelf for displaying cups etc., is an exact copy of an antique piece acquired years ago ...
Category
2010s Hungarian Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Pine
Folk Art Chandelier, 21 Candles
Located in Doylestown, PA
A charming American folk art 21-candle chandelier in turned wood, with blue and rust-red painted finish with wire arms and wood candle holders, circa 1870. Unelectrified.
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Wood
Rare Art Nouveau Wall Shelf by Eugene Gaillard France 1900 Jugendstil Walnut
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Exquisite & most rare! This French Art Nouveau wall shelf designed by art nouveau grandmaster Eugene Gaillard circa 1900.
Superb organic design...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Fruitwood, Walnut
H 24.02 in W 48.04 in D 6.7 in
Danish Mid Century Wall Unit with 8 Shelves, circa 1950 - 1960s
By Poul Cadovius, Cado
Located in New York, NY
Chic architectural wall unit having eight shelves, 5 smaller ( 36 W x 10 D inches ) and 2 wider ( 48 W x 10 D inches ). The shelves rest in metal brackets, which attach to the vertic...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Metal
Opinion Ciatti Henry II Triangular Corner Wall Shelf
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Well defined with contemporary lines, a geometric design and unusual shapes in order to surprise and astonish. Henri is the collection of shelves designed by Bruno Rainaldi, characte...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Stainless Steel
French Etagere, 19th Century, Original Marquetry
Located in Wrocław, Poland
This delightful etagere comes from France and was made around 1850. A truly appealing example of marquetry art! Each shelf is inlaid with various wood types creating geometrical decorative patterns. Top tier crowned with original brass gallery. All three elements put together by slender ebonised legs...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Walnut
Pair of Oak Nightstand or Bedside Table
By Jean Royère
Located in London, GB
Same door handle
Category
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Oak
Mortaise Wall Shelf-400 by Clemence Birot
Located in Geneve, CH
Mortaise wall shelf-400 by Clemence Birot
Dimensions: 40 x 25 x 6,5 cm
Materials: cork, metal.
Clemence Birot started her career in Copenhagen, Denmark, and discovered a design ...
Category
2010s French Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Metal
Painted Pine Bucket Bench or Utility Shelves
Located in Baltimore, MD
This useful five board shelf unit was designed to hold pots and pans, buckets, and other large vessels both empty and full. It needed sturdy construction so the top and bottom shelve...
Category
Early 20th Century Hungarian Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Pine
FRAMA Contemporary Design Aluminum Rivet Wall Shelf Large
By Frama
Located in Copenhagen, DK
The Rivet Shelf explores basic storing facets within one shape while functioning as a storage and display platform.
The Rivet design is a symbiosis b...
Category
2010s Danish Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Aluminum
Previously Available Items
Pyrography Bookshelf Early 1900's
Located in Fulton, CA
A hand-carved, wood burned Folk Art Pyrography bookshelf, Circa. 1900. Amazing attention to detail with intricate patterns. Appears to have a monogram "T" on top surface. Original fi...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Wood
A rustic alpine shelf French folk art of 20th-century
Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR
A rustic alpine shelf, representative of 20th-century French folk art, features two sturdy uprights and five solid wooden shelves intricately joined together with wooden pegs. The in...
Category
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Wood
Antique Swedish Rustic Folk Art Wall Shelf
Located in Kramfors, SE
Swedish antique wall shelf in folk art from northern Sweden. The shelf is made around 1850 and is wonderfully rustic with time worn distress and patina. It has the original, untouched first layer of paint and 3 shelves. The shelf comes with the original suspension hook...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Pine
Early 19th Century Unusual Swedish Folk Art Curved Shelf
Located in Kramfors, SE
Unusual Swedish folk art shelf from the early to mid 19th century, 1820 to 1840. The shelf is from northern Sweden and primarily a floor standing shelf but it can also be hung on a wall. Handmade in Swedish pine and painted with old historic paint. The sides are curved and it has set shelves.
The back consists on only two boards. The shelf measures 57 cm wide at the bottom and 40 cm at the top. The deepest point is 35 cm in depth. The shape and patina of the shelf makes it stand out and makes it more of an interior design detail. To add to that is the small pediment...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Pine
Antique Painted Pine Proscenium Curtain Wall Curio Shelf Theater Bookcase
Located in Dayton, OH
Large antique wall hanging shelf with two tiers, framed like a stage proscenium or window with carved curtains. Made from Pine. Measure: 35"...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Pine, Paint
Antique Folk Art Painted Wall Hanging Shelf Colonial Early American Primitive
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique wooden wall hanging shelf with drawer, painted with a yellow, green and red Folk Art floral design, marked “Todds” on the reverse.
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Hardwood, Paint
H 16 in W 3.5 in D 9.25 in
Green Painted Swedish 19th Century Folk Art Mirror and Wall Shelf
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A late 19th century green painted Folk Art shelf with an installed mirror in the middle. This charming Folk Art shelf and mirror is presented in its ori...
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Mirror, Wood
Appalachian Willow and Root Wood Corner Table
Located in Houston, TX
Appalachian willow and root wood corner table, constructed circa 1910. This decorative Folk Art piece includes under-shelf and remnants of old dark brown paint.
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Wood, Bentwood
Early 20th Century Tramp Art Decorative Wall Sconce Shelf
Located in Stow on the Wold, GB
A wonderful tramp art decorative corner wall sconce from the early 20th century.
Each layer is hand carved with a geometrical design and layered to create a decorative wall sconce.
...
Category
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Fruitwood
Rustic Buffet 18th Century Popular Art
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Rare 18th century oak rustic buffet. Display stand for plates and dishes in the upper part and a paneled door with hinge in forged iron at the bottom...
Category
18th Century French Antique Folk Art Shelves
19th Century Swedish Plate Shelf
Located in Kramfors, SE
Unusually large plate shelf in pine from the early 1800s. The shelf has never been painted and has its origin in northern Sweden. It is meant to hang on a ...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Pine
Mid-Century Modern Carved Wood Etagere with Palm Leaf Finials
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Whimsical, carved wood etagere or set of shelves with four stylized palm leaf finials supported by carved vine posts. Five faux finished shelves of...
Category
20th Century Italian Folk Art Shelves
Materials
Hardwood
Folk Art shelves for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique folk art shelves for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage shelves created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, folk art, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, pine and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art shelves made in a specific country, there are Europe, Denmark, and Scandinavia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for shelves differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,450 and tops out at $2,014 while the average work can sell for $1,700.