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.
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Stoneware
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Silk
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1730s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Oak
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century Asian Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo, Wicker
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1940s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Copper
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Bulgarian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Silk
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Porcelain, Fabric
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin, Steel
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Stainless Steel
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Spanish Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Majolica
20th Century Belgian Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Cedar
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Pottery, Stoneware
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Hardwood
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wire
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wire
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Cane, Rattan
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Foil
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Wool, Cotton
2010s North American Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cedar
Mid-20th Century Ghanaian Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century British Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Lead
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
18th Century Belgian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Gesso, Wood
1870s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1910s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1890s North American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Linen, Pine, Paint
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Composition
1960s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton