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 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century Burmese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
18th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Plywood
1980s South American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Shell, Wood
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1970s Ethiopian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Wood, Paint
2010s Italian Folk Art Furniture
Gold Leaf
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1980s Italian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Metal
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Paper
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Folk Art Furniture
Plastic, Plaster
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood
1890s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Chinese Folk Art Furniture
Silk, Cotton
20th Century European Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Clay, Paint
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Early 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Birch, Pine
1950s English Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wire
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1920s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1950s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Terracotta
Early 2000s Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1990s American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1960s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Guatemalan Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Giltwood
20th Century Portuguese Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Alpaca
20th Century Caribbean Folk Art Furniture
Paint
Early 19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Paint
19th Century Nigerien Antique Folk Art Furniture
Leather
1860s Belgian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Zinc
1880s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Faux Leather
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Steel
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Steel, Iron
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Zinc
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Stoneware
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Feathers, Paper, Hemp, Linen, Paint
20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Bone, Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1930s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Birch
Late 19th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Fabric, Beech, Oak
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Other
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Folk Art Furniture
Textile, Cotton, Paint
16th Century Indonesian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic