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.
20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Clay
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Mohair
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Shell, Mirror, Wood
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Majolica
1910s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Early 19th Century Ukrainian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Nutwood
Late 20th Century Sahrawi Folk Art Furniture
Fabric, Wood, Beads
20th Century Ukrainian Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
20th Century African Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Straw, Raffia
2010s Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Clay, Earthenware
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Porcelain, Fabric
Late 20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1890s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1970s Spanish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Composition
Late 19th Century Finnish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Furniture
Silk
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
1940s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1790s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1830s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Goat Hair
20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Wicker
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Composition
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Paint
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Natural Fiber
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Silk
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Rattan, Wicker, Bamboo
1970s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Wool, Birch
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Straw
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Silk
1970s European Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Textile, Upholstery, Wood, Paint
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Copper, Tin
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Pine
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century Austrian Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood