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.
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Mercury Glass
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1970s Central Asian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood, Paint
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Glass
1860s Bolivian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Gold
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1960s Italian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pottery, Paint
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
20th Century Persian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bentwood, Pine
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Concrete
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Metal
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood
1960s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Granite
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Plywood
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1820s Spanish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Glass
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Clay
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Textile
Late 19th Century Indonesian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood
Mid-19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1850s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Straw, Pine
1990s Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Acrylic
Late 19th Century Finnish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Birch
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Driftwood
Late 20th Century Thai Folk Art Furniture
Fruitwood
Early 19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pearlware, Pottery
1880s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1860s European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Earthenware
Early 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
1940s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Plastic, Hardwood, Paint
Late 19th Century Norwegian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Horn, Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Goat Hair
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1860s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Wicker, Wood
Mid-20th Century British Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Nigerian Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood
1860s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cane, Wood
Mid-19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bone
Mid-19th Century Maltese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paint
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin