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.
1890s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Copper
19th Century Haitian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood, Ebony
Late 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Marble, Copper
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Leather
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood
19th Century Tibetan Antique Folk Art Furniture
Multi-gemstone, Rock Crystal, Ormolu
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
20th Century Armenian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1850s Romanian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Beech
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Fabric, Thread, Glass, Wood
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Goat Hair
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1850s Swiss Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bronze
1780s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Iron
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Mercury Glass
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak, Paint
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood
Early 20th Century Hungarian Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Hardwood
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Leather
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Metal
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cane, Rattan, Pine
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Fruitwood
20th Century Italian Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
Early 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Silk
19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Teak
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Composition
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
2010s Ukrainian Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cedar
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Burl
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1890s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1870s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool