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 American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Fabric, Wool, Cotton, Linen, Satin, Silk, Thread, Natural Fiber
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1980s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Clay
1850s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Clay
1930s Persian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Composition
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Mid-20th Century British Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1860s Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Marble
1810s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Caucasian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1990s Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Acrylic
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Austrian Folk Art Furniture
Silver
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Copper, Tin
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Pacific Islands Folk Art Furniture
Teak
1850s Romanian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Beech
Late 20th Century Trinidadian Folk Art Furniture
Terracotta
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1890s Belgian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak
Early 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Early 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Metal
20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Shell
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
20th Century Bolivian Folk Art Furniture
Silver, Nickel
20th Century Russian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Paste, Paint, Paper
1890s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Pine
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Blown Glass
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Shell, Fabric, Wood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Wool
15th Century and Earlier Thai Antique Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Wicker, Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Goat Hair
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Late 20th Century Danish Folk Art Furniture
Lambskin, Wool, Oak
Mid-20th Century Ethiopian Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Straw
Early 20th Century Asian Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Furniture
Birch, Paint
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Glass
Early 20th Century Hungarian Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Mid-20th Century Nigerian Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Wood, Beads