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.
Late 19th Century Bajan Antique Folk Art Furniture
Shell, Mahogany
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1970s Indian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Malian Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Late 19th Century Omani Antique Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Copper
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bone
1930s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper, Iron
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood, Paint
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Fabric
Late 20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Paper
20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Porcelain
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Early 1900s European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Fir
1910s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Antler, Wood
1960s Peruvian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Copper
18th Century Swiss Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Stoneware
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1970s Spanish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Danish Folk Art Furniture
Elm
Early 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak, Paper
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1690s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Late 20th Century Philippine Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cane, Rattan, Pine
Early 20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Cypress
Early 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Shell
Mid-20th Century Dutch Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Porcelain
1970s Indian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bronze
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Composition
1930s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Earthenware
1950s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1980s Italian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Shell, Plastic
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1910s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Leather
1890s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Giltwood, Paint
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Ebony
Mid-20th Century European Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper