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.
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Birch, Pine
1970s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Spanish Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Pine
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Mid-19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1870s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Shell, Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Mid-18th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
18th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Furniture
Silk
1990s American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Early 20th Century Austrian Folk Art Furniture
Composition, Metal
Mid-20th Century Peruvian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Vietnamese Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
19th Century Bajan Antique Folk Art Furniture
Shell
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Gold Plate
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Pottery
Early 19th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Silk
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 1800s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood, Paint
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Hardwood
1850s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Late 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak, Paint
1940s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century European Folk Art Furniture
Wood
18th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 1800s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1920s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Blown Glass
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Mercury Glass
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Fabric
1910s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Antler, Wood
Early 20th Century Swiss Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Iron
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Stone
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Wool