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 Finnish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century African Folk Art Furniture
Natural Fiber
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood, Paint
1970s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Elm
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Early 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pearlware, Pottery
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Walnut
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Iron
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Stone
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1960s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
1880s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1820s Romanian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Beech
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Birch, Pine
Mid-20th Century Peruvian Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Ceramic
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Wood, Paper
1860s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Hardwood, Paint
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Thai Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1970s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paint
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
1790s Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Southeast Asian Folk Art Furniture
Cut Glass, Wood, Giltwood, Lacquer
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Copper, Zinc
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century British Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Horn, Wood
1960s Italian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pottery, Paint
Early 19th Century Icelandic Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Ash, Pine
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Plywood, Paint
Late 20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Steel
1910s English Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Cork
1830s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Paint
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Pottery, Stoneware
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Pottery, Stoneware
1950s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Paper
20th Century Italian Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
Early 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Wood
20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Glass
1990s American Folk Art Furniture
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wrought Iron, Iron
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1790s Norwegian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1970s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood