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 Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1870s Scottish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Late 18th Century Spanish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Walnut
1830s Scottish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Iron, Nickel
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Dutch Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Softwood
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paint
18th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1980s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Textile
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Folk Art Furniture
Sheet Metal
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
Late 19th Century Cambodian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bronze
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Tapestry
1850s Romanian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Beech
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood, Paint
1930s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wire
1890s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1950s Ivorian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Twig
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Mid-19th Century Asian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Padouk
Late 19th Century Tajikistani Antique Folk Art Furniture
Silk
1820s Dutch Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak
1910s Danish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1930s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Composition
Early 1900s Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1950s Javanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Stoneware
Early 20th Century Hungarian Folk Art Furniture
Earthenware, Terracotta
1910s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1880s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Italian Folk Art Furniture
Elm
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Aluminum
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Gesso, Wood
1990s American Folk Art Furniture
Horn, Wool
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Oak, Walnut, Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Trinidadian Folk Art Furniture
Terracotta
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1970s Nepalese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Paper
20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Stone
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal