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.
1820s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bone
1870s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
20th Century Bolivian Folk Art Furniture
Silver, Nickel
1960s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Beech, Birdseye Maple
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Wood, Ash
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wrought Iron
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Felt
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Steel
20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wicker, Rattan, Wood
20th Century Spanish Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Mirror
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Silk
Early 20th Century Norwegian Folk Art Furniture
Bentwood, Pine
Late 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1880s British Antique Folk Art Furniture
Natural Fiber
Mid-20th Century Dutch Folk Art Furniture
Metal
19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Gesso
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
1970s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
Early 20th Century Pacific Islands Folk Art Furniture
Teak
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
1920s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1830s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Driftwood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Natural Fiber
20th Century Spanish Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
20th Century Czech Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paper
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Steel
Late 20th Century Asian Folk Art Furniture
Wicker
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Early 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Creamware, Pottery
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1830s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Furniture
Fir
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Sicilian Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Folk Art Furniture
Delft, Paint
Mid-19th Century North American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Cherry
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Wool, Burlap
1940s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Bentwood
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
18th Century Zanzibari Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
1830s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Iron
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
1880s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper