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 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1970s Ethiopian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cane, Pine
Mid-18th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Other
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Spanish Folk Art Furniture
Earthenware, Pottery, Terracotta
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1920s Asian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Wool, Foam
Early 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
1890s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Burlap, Pine
1890s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Sheet Metal
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Mahogany
1950s Turkish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Raffia, Driftwood
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paint
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Folk Art Furniture
Sheet Metal
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Spanish Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1890s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Stone
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1920s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century European Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Walnut
19th Century British Antique Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Iron
Early 19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Creamware, Pottery
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak, Paint
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 1900s Balinese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Paint
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Brass
20th Century Persian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1970s Canadian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Soapstone
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Ukrainian Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1890s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Copper
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Paint
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Steel
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
Late 18th Century Russian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Gold
Mid-19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Ethiopian Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Copper, Wrought Iron
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Fir
Mid-20th Century Italian Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood
Early 1800s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1960s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Cotton