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 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Porcelain, Fabric, Wood
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Raffia
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Hemp
1930s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Antler, Wood
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1960s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Copper
Mid-20th Century Russian Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1970s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Glass
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wire
20th Century Italian Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
1880s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Wood
1890s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Composition
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
1940s Brazilian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Stone
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Shell, Glass
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wire
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Shell
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
Early 20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo, Straw
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Composition
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
1890s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wire, Sheet Metal
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1870s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
Early 20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo, Straw
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Porcelain, Fabric
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Porcelain, Fabric
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
1970s Kenyan Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Marble
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Composition
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wire