Folk Art Furniture
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.
Early 19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Southeast Asian Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo
Mid-20th Century Israeli Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paint
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Steel
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Steel
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Copper, Iron
1980s Italian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Shell, Plastic
20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Mauritanian Folk Art Furniture
Leather
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1990s Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
1960s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Peruvian Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Terracotta
Late 20th Century Portuguese Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Iron
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1980s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Iron
18th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Israeli Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Italian Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
20th Century Peruvian Folk Art Furniture
Leather
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Metal
20th Century Bolivian Folk Art Furniture
Silver, Nickel
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1790s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper, Iron
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Blown Glass
1960s Italian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Furniture
Tin
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
Mid-20th Century Dutch Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Porcelain
Early 20th Century British Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Copper
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper, Iron
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1870s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Panamanian Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Leather
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Fabric, Canvas
Late 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1950s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
1940s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Paint
1960s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Antler, Wood
20th Century Bolivian Folk Art Furniture
Silver, Nickel
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Terracotta
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Organic Material
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron