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Folk Art Furniture

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
Professionally Framed Antique Ottoman Turkish Embroidery
Located in Istanbul, TR
First the fragment has been hand backed on a linen fabric, then stretched over a wooden stretcher and finished with a wooden frame. Late 19th C. Ottoman Turkey Ready to go on a wall....
Category

Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Silk

Metal and Wood American Bird Cage, Circa 1905
Located in Incline Village, NV
Hand made Folk Art American wire metal and painted wood birdcage, probably from Pennsylvania circa 1905. Having a rectangular body with a dome top; suitable for hanging, or surface decorative presentation, this birdcage is functional albeit it lacks a perch. The single door entry/exit is spring loaded, and there is a metal slide out removable tray at the bottom. The tole painting...
Category

Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Metal

Hand Carved 20th Century Wooden Musician Figure by ANRI, Italy
By ANRI
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful hand carved wooden Figure, found at an estate sale in Germany. We believe that this piece is from around 1990s, because it's dated at the base like seen in picture. A nice ...
Category

1990s Italian Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood

Wooden Hand Carved Tropical Fruit Basket 20 Pieces
Located in Den Haag, NL
Fantastic fruit basket. All kind off beautiful hand carved tropical fruit. In all kind off different woods. All together in a Teak wood bowl. Very goo...
Category

1980s Congolese Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Fruitwood

Boy dressed in Sailor Outfit Antique German Dollhouse Doll Toy 1900s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
This rare and exquisite miniature antique German Bisque Head, Arms and Leg Doll is a must-have for Dollhouse and Doll collectors and enthusiasts alike. With its beautiful Sailers Outfit, it is suitable for any room and adds a touch of elegance to your Dollhouse. The set includes The Doll with the Outfit, all in very good condition. Made of Fabric, Bisque Porcelain parts and handmade by skilled craftsmen, this original piece is a testament to the rich history of German toys. Whether you're a fan of entertainment or vintage items, this dollhouse toy...
Category

Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Porcelain, Fabric

Antique Scandinavian Wooden Container Tejne Original Blue Paint, Sweden ca 1850s
Located in Silkeborg, Silkeborg
Antique Scandinavian wooden container with original blue paint. It´s most likely from Sweden and most likely made around 1850. We suppose it has been used for storage of food. It ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood

Guatemalan Folk Painted Chest
Located in Chicago, IL
This colorful painted trunk dates to the mid-20th century and was lovingly crafted by traditional folk artisans in Guatemala. Ideal as a blanket chest, the wooden trunk is crafted of...
Category

Mid-20th Century Guatemalan Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Pine

Pillow Case Made from a Mid 20th C. Anatolian , Turkish Neutral Kilim
Located in Istanbul, TR
Pillowcase does not come with an insert. Linen in the back. Zipper closure. Dry Cleaning recommended.
Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wool

Vintage Turn of The Century Deer Horn Handle American Walking Stick Circa 1900
Located in Incline Village, NV
Desirable western themed walking stick with a deer horn, highly figured handle in natural bone colors, with original brown highlights to the boned recessed horizontal lines. This is ...
Category

Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Bone

antique beech shepherd’s chest, 1850’s
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Low shepherd’s chest with a beautiful appearance and proportions. These chests were made in the same way for centuries. They were decorated with traditional magical geometric symbols...
Category

1850s Romanian Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Beech

Framed Antique Ottoman Emboidery, L 19th C. Turkey
Located in Istanbul, TR
First the fragment has been hand backed on a linen fabric, then stretched over a wooden stretcher and finished with a wooden frame. Late 19th C. Turkey Ready to go on a wall. Framed...
Category

Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Silk

Cats Cats Cats Painting Outsider Folk Artist Gloria Laposka
Located in South Burlington, VT
13 different cats are depicted in this charming -vibrant hand painting A framed oil painting on canvas panel by Self Taught Outsider Surrealist Folk Artist Gloria Antoinette Laposk...
Category

Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Canvas, Wood

Mid Century Large Motorized Hand Made Chris Craft Cabin Cruiser C1955
By Chris Craft Boats
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous and large cabin cruiser boat model with an untested motor and batteries. 41.5 inches long and sitting on a brand new custom made stand with a nautical theme. In very good vi...
Category

1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Metal

1950s Catrin "Dandy" Mask, Tlaxcala, Mexico
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Catrin (Dandy) mask Nahua people, Tlaxcala, Mexico Wood, gesso, paint 1950s-1960s Measures: 7? (17.8 cm) high, 6.5? (16.5 cm) wide, 5? (12.7 cm) deep This mask is called the C...
Category

1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Mexican Dia De Los Muertos Day of the Dead La Catrina Folk Art Figure Sculpture
Located in Studio City, CA
A quite wonderful Mexican Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos festival held throughout Mexico) La Catrina symbolic skeleton figure. La Catrina is the festival’s most recognizable image/figure. She is the model of a high-society woman who has met Death, her maker. She represents something between the fear induced by her skeletal form and the revelry exhibited by the comical way she is typically portrayed, making her a perfect symbol of the Mexican holiday. She often appears in paintings, window displays, and costumes all around Mexico during the Day of the Dead festivities. La Catrina was originally conceived in the early 1900s by newspaper illustrator and printmaker José Guadalupe Posada...
Category

20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Textile, Wood, Paper

Large Handmade French/Belgian Three Tier Dessert Stand, 1940's
Located in Balen, BE
Handmade Farmhouse Metal Serving / Cake Stand – Possibly French or Belgian, Early 20th Century Charming Folk Art with Galvanised Sheet Metal Detailing This unique handmade serving o...
Category

1940s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Metal, Wrought Iron

Mid-20th Century Handmade Persian Kurd Pictorial Lion Throw Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Persian Kurd throw rug handmade during the mid-20th century with a folk pictorial depiction of a lion. Measures: 3' 6" x 4' 9" P...
Category

Mid-20th Century Persian Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wool

Vintage Handmade Red and Mustard Backgammon Board, Folk Art Decor, Graphic Art
Located in Chicago, IL
Colorful and graphic hand-crafted vintage backgammon board for function or decor. Would make striking wall art in a primitive or folk art setting. Origin unknown. Does not fold. Made...
Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Paper

Folk Art Marquetry Box or Chest with Inlaid Star, French 19th Century
Located in ROUEN, Normandie
Folk Art Marquetry Box or Chest with Inlaid Star, French 19th Century Beautiful decorative wooden box or small chest. Folk Art from the 1890s, it features an inlaid star motif on t...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood, Fruitwood, Nutwood

Early 20th Century Hand Painted Duck Decoy Antique, German
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Found in Germany at an estate sale, this hand carved and hand painted duck decoy is perfect for the collector. Well used by a previous hunter the paint ha...
Category

Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

large Santa Claus Belsnickle Christmas Chocolate Mold Antique 1900s, German
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A gorgeous chocolate mold. Made of metal, not marked. Beautiful and ready to use or display, with nice patina. The 1890s to 1920s were the golden age of Chocolate production and cons...
Category

Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Metal

Double Sailor's Valentine of Sea Shells with Heart and Star Designs
Located in Downingtown, PA
Double Sailor's Valentine of Sea Shells, Barbados, West Indies, Circa 1885 A double sailor's valentine with Spanish Cedar box with two sides. The right side is centered with a heart within within a ring of pink shells with beds of different colored sea shells at the border The left side has a star in the center and also with a circular ring of shells with alternating panels around the border Dimensions: Open: 18 1/2 inches wide x 9 inches x1 1/2 inches deep; Closed: 9 inches wide x 9 inches high x 3 inches deep See an article from the Seaport Museum, New York City, about the story and history of valentines. From Wikipedia A sailor's valentine is a form of shellcraft, a type of mostly antique souvenir...
Category

1880s Bajan Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Shell

Antique Black Tramp Art Frame Folk Art Picture Frame Carved Wood Carved Oak
Located in Munich, DE
This tramp art picture frame was handcrafted and handcarved in the last decades of the 19th century. It is decorated with for pointed stars, square and rectangular pyramids, lozenge...
Category

1890s European Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Oak

19th Century Swedish Folk Art Bentwood Box with Original Paint Swedish Antiques
Located in Boden, SE
19th Century Swedish Bentwood box from Jämtland, Northern Sweden. It has untouched original painting with a nicely painted leaf loop on the lid. ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Pine

Framed Antique Moroccan Embroidery Fragment , Late 19th Century.
Located in Istanbul, TR
First the fragment has been hand backed on a linen fabric, then stretched over a wooden stretcher and finished with a wooden frame. Late 19th Century. Morocco Ready to go on a wall....
Category

Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Silk

Folk Style Filipino Hanging Talisman Or Outdoor Chandelier
Located in Prato, Tuscany
We kindly invite you to read the full description below, as it contains detailed technical and historical information to ensure the authenticity and value of our pieces. An original ...
Category

Late 20th Century Philippine Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Metal

Original Antique Print of A Grey Horse, 1847 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a grey horse Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames. Lithograph after George Stubbs with original hand color. ...
Category

1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Paper

Rare 12 Pcs. Sponge Ware Child's Tea Set
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fine and rare 19thc sponge ware tea set is in good condition and very rare to find. Teapot, sugar & creamer. Two cups & saucers. Four mini plates.
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Japanese vintage urushi small Kiri tansu box chest of drawers, wabi sabi mingei
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
Japanese vintage small box tansu chest of drawers, Kohikidashi, fully made of Kiri (Paulownia). Refinished by seller with traditional black Urushi ...
Category

20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood

Antique Thai Buddhist Temple Pediment
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Antique Thai Buddhist Temple Pediment. An architectural remnant of an assembled teak triangular gable carved with elaborate and symmetrical “kanok” veget...
Category

19th Century Thai Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Teak

Late 19th Century Hand Painted Bluebill Rochester Duck Decoy Antique
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Found in Germany at an estate sale, this hand carved and hand painted duck decoy is perfect for the collector. Well used by a previous hunter the paint has faded through time althoug...
Category

1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Black Leopard Framed Vintage Poster
Located in Savannah, GA
This large and very colorful vintage Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Baily Circus ink on paper poster features a charging black leopard with a ferocious grimace. Printed by the Erie Li...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paper

American Folk-Art Steam Ship Encased Diorama
Located in London, GB
American Folk-art Steam Ship Encased Diorama We share what we love, and we love this turn of the century hand crafted American folk-art encased steam ship model...
Category

Early 1900s Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Metal

Tromp l'Œil Surrealist-Style Folk Art Settee Bench
Located in Round Top, TX
Surrealist-Style textile settee with a folk art frame in original green paint. We've added a vintage textile in a rope print that gives it a one-of-a-kind look that we absolutely lo...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Textile, Wood

Folk art cabinet, Austria, circa 1880
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Folk art cabinet from Austria in a beautiful shade of green, a perfect mix of functionality and aesthetics. Behind the hand-painted door are two shelves, which offer space for all yo...
Category

1880s Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Pine

American Quilt of Undocumented Pattern Circa 1875
Located in Hudson, NY
Striking and beautiful New England quilt in the princess feather and rose pattern. Excellent condition with a highly folky design pattern. Found in , this quilt made from blue and re...
Category

1830s American Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Cotton

Pillowcase made from a Mid 20th C. English Crewel work embroidery
Located in Istanbul, TR
It does not come with an insert . Linen in the back. Zipper closure. Dry clean is recommended.
Category

Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wool

Nantucket Purse with Painted Seascape on Top, by Barbara Grey, circa 1995
Located in Nantucket, MA
Vintage Nantucket Purse by Barbara Grey, circa 1995, a covered oval Nantucket basket, with cane weave on rattan staves, braided leather shoulder strap, turned bone peg, and having a ...
Category

1990s American Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Cane, Rattan, Wood

BOTTLE OPENER 1910 Antique Figurative Painted Bottle Opener In Solid Cast Iron
Located in Miami, FL
Antique bar figurative cast iron bottle opener. This is an elusive antique bar bottle opener created in America during the turn of the 19th century, back in 1900 and 1910. Crafted i...
Category

1910s North American Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Iron

Antique Hooked Rug in Purple with Floral Patterns, from Rug & Kilim
Located in Long Island City, NY
Handmade in wool and originating circa 1920-1930, this 8x11 rug is a rare and exciting new curation in Rug & Kilim’s collection of antique hooked rugs. On the Design: Admirers of...
Category

1920s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wool

Carved Wooden African Head
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wonderful hand carved head of Hardwood. A stunning sculpted and carved piece. A stand alone decorative piece or can be used as a large book end. Trul...
Category

20th Century African Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood, Hardwood

Carved Wooden African Head
Carved Wooden African Head
€2,244 Sale Price
20% Off
Japanese Flat Ikebana Basket, Bamboo, Suruga Sensuji Style
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage bamboo Ikebana basket features an elongated, flattened form with prominent rounded handle. The basket is woven of thin round bamboo strips that are secured with transparent ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Rattan, Wicker, Bamboo

Large Figurative Folding Wood Stand
Located in Fairfield, CA
A large vintage carved wood folding stand. Tripod shape with carved people as each leg. Nice larger size, perfect for using as a plant stand, to hold a bowl, or to display a decorati...
Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood

Vintage Child's Toy Tin Large Spinning Top by Chein Company, American, Ca. 1950
Located in Incline Village, NV
Highly colorful and completely operational hard to find LARGE tin child's toy spinning top made by the J. Chein Company, Harrison, New Jersey, Circa 1950. It works great and is in co...
Category

1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Tin

Decorative Wall Panel Made with Mexican Wrestlers (Folk Art)
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1970. We offer this Rare Decorative Wall Panel Made with Mexican Wrestlers Toys (Folk Art).
Category

1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Hand Carved & Hand Painted Rooster Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hand carved & hand painted rooster sculpture. Very folky rooster.
Category

20th Century American Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood

Folk Art Corn on the Cob Trade Sign, circa 1950
Located in Nantucket, MA
Vintage Folk Art Corn on the Cob Trade Sign, circa 1950, a hand cut and painted masonite sign in the form of an ear of corn advertising "Hot Buttered Corn on the Cob 65¢." Classic an...
Category

1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Masonite

WWI Trench Art Vases, French, 1917- Set of 2
Located in Ross, CA
WWI Trench art vases etched with the French Rooster, bows, and the year 1917. Trench art was art commonly made by soldiers with shell casings to pass the time in the trenches of WW...
Category

1910s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Brass

Antique American Carousel Horse Carnival Ride Attrib Charles Dare
Located in Forney, TX
A charming antique, circa 1920, American track machine carousel horse amusement ride attributed to legendary carver Charles W. Dare Company (United States), now mounted on a custom r...
Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

August 1987 Hawaiian Raku Vase by Kate & Will Jacobson
By Kate & Will Jacobson
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
August 1987 Raku Vase by Kate & Will Jacobson, Hawaii A stunning "naked raku" example, the Jacobsons are often credited with originating. "This firing technique reveals the unadorned...
Category

1980s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Clay

Santa Claus Belsnickle Miniature Chocolate Mold Antique 1900s, German
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A gorgeous chocolate mold. Made of metal, not marked. Beautiful and ready to use or display, with nice patina. The 1890s to 1920s were the golden age of Chocolate production and cons...
Category

Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Metal

19th Century Original Painted Swedish Cabinet dated 1852
Located in Round Top, TX
Painted cabinets were a traditional element of Swedish country homes, this one is particularly lovely as it still maintains the original hand-painted finish with faux marble drawer a...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Hand Carved Dog Bench by Stephen Huneck
Located in Chicago, IL
Stephen Huneck, a renowned American folk artist, left behind a legacy of creativity and craftsmanship that continues to inspire today. This hand-carved wood dog bench...
Category

1990s American Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood

Sculptural 19th Century Horn Chair with Footstool
Located in Chicago, IL
A sculptural armchair and matching footstool from the late 19th century, artfully assembled from the curving forms of American cattle horns. At once delicate and dramatic, the chair ...
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Horn, Wool, Wood

Original Antique Print of an Elephant, 1847 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of an elephant. Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames. Lithograph after Cpt. Brown with original hand color. Pub...
Category

1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Paper

Santa Claus Belsnickle Miniature Chocolate Mold Antique 1900s, German
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A gorgeous chocolate mold. Made of metal, not marked. Beautiful and ready to use or display, with nice patina. The 1890s to 1920s were the golden age of Chocolate production and cons...
Category

Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Metal

Early 20th century fairground figure
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century fairground figure In the form of Benito Mussolini this early 20th century hand carved French fairground knockdown figure is in or...
Category

Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Pine

Hand-Carved Vintage Folk Art Wooden Tramp Art Style Storage Box
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Hand-Carved vintage Folk Art wooden Tramp Art style storage box from Poland. This handcrafted Tramp Art style box is covered with geometric designs creating alternating depths on all...
Category

Mid-20th Century Polish Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood

"Dancing Sailor" Antique Wind-Up Toy By "The Lehman Toy Company" Germany C. 1909
Located in Incline Village, NV
"Dancing Sailor" by Ernest Paul Lehman of Brandenburg, Germany; patented in 1903 (see image of marking) appears in post turn of the century Lehman Toy catalogues as item #535. After ...
Category

Early 1900s Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Tin

Japanese antique wooden small tansu cabinet box, 1860s-1920s wabi sabi
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
Japanese antique small tansu cabinet box with sliding doors - made of Hinoki Japanese cypress, finished with persimmon tannin & burnt pine ink. Product of circa 1870s-1920s (Meiji to...
Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Furniture

Materials

Wood, Cypress

Folk Art furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique folk art furniture for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include folk art, decorative objects, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, North America, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Berber Tribes of Morocco, Mosche Bianche, Jim Rose, and Nils Olsson. 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 furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $20 and tops out at $225,000 while the average work can sell for $1,252.

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