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.
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Tôle
1940s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Ukrainian Folk Art Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Folk Art Furniture
Sheet Metal
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Hungarian Folk Art Furniture
Silk
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Enamel
1890s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Acrylic
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Clay, Paint
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo
21st Century and Contemporary North American Folk Art Furniture
Paper
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wool
18th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
20th Century Danish Folk Art Furniture
Reed
1990s American Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Silk, Velvet
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Goat Hair
21st Century and Contemporary Caribbean Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Silk
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Folk Art Furniture
Plastic, Plaster
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Paint
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1990s Turkmen Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Clay, Terracotta
21st Century and Contemporary Caribbean Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Terracotta
1960s Moroccan Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1860s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pottery, Paint
Mid-20th Century Persian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood