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.
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Stoneware
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Paint
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Wicker, Wood
1950s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1990s American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1960s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1950s Dutch Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art Furniture
Stoneware
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Clay
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron, Sheet Metal
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Bentwood, Pine
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Steel
20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Walnut
20th Century Haitian Folk Art Furniture
Paint
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Paint, Canvas
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1880s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wrought Iron
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1920s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Bentwood
2010s Italian Folk Art Furniture
Gold Leaf
1890s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Other
Early 20th Century Guatemalan Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Brass
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1830s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Straw
1890s Slovak Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1890s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Paint
1890s Indian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1980s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1980s Italian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Metal
1950s English Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wire
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood
1880s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
Early 20th Century Thai Folk Art Furniture
Fabric, Bamboo, Beads
1920s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
1920s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Copper
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
19th Century British Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Late 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
1920s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Walnut
16th Century Indonesian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Plywood
1890s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood