Folk Art Furniture
FOLK ART STYLE
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.
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Style: Folk Art
Original Painted Game Board, Signed and Dated
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original painted game board - signed and Dated 1935.
Category
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool, Paint
Antique Genuine Northern Swedish Unusual Painted Blue Green Long Case Clock
Located in Kramfors, SE
Long case clock from northern Sweden made during the late 1700s. The clock has the original blue-green paint with unusual decor. Time has also created a unique patina that adds to the clock’s character. Additionally the clock also has a detailed hand-carved headpiece.
Far from all clocks...
Category
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
American Turned Newel Finial Post
Located in Chicago, IL
Dated to the early 20th century, this antique turned newel post was crafted from American oak with a simple ball finial top. The original dark finish...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Oak
Vintage Folk Art Terracotta Sgraffito & Slipware Vase, Unsigned, 20th Century
Located in Chatham, ON
Vintage studio pottery folk art terracotta vase with clear glaze - yellow slip sgraffito decorated with stylized flowers and leaves - heavily potted - unsi...
Category
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Terracotta
White Candelabra with Bird Figurine
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Enrich your decor with our exquisite vintage white ceramic candelabra, a showcase of intricate design and remarkable craftsmanship. This piece features a branch-like structure, adorn...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Metal
19th Century Swedish Folk Art Root Wood Bowl
Located in Mjöhult, SE
Nice organically shaped early 19th century Swedish folk art root wood bowl, signed HE A. Ca 1820 Sweden.
Category
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Antique Swedish Folk Art Hand-Crafted Painted Bowl
Located in Kramfors, SE
Painted folk art bowl from northern Sweden made during the early 1800s, around 1820. The bowl has an oval shape and has been hollowed out by hand from a single large piece of wood. B...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Carved Wood Polychrome Virgin Mary Statue
Located in New York, NY
Exquisite and compelling wood statue of the Virgin Mary with polychrome paint finish. Well executed, and finely carved we believe it's 19th C Continental, or possibly US in origin. U...
Category
19th Century Spanish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paint
Original Antique Ethnographical Print, Figures, New South Wales, Australia, 1809
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful ethnographical print.
A copper-plate engraving after Lesieur
Published by Sherwood, Neely & Jones. Dated 1809
Unframed.
Category
Early 1800s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paper
8 Old Fairground Art Panels circa 1930
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
8 old fairground art panels circa 1930
probably panels of an old carousel.
These panels are slightly curved from origin and the base is in pine.
Ther...
Category
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
Vintage Mexican Serape
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A finely crafted and vibrantly hued striped hand loomed wool serape from Saltillo, Mexico.
Category
1920s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
Antique Storage Piece in Oak, Early 20th Century
Located in Antwerp, BE
Antique storage piece in oak, early 20th century.
Storage piece, bakery cabinet, made in Europe in the early 20th century. One-of-a-kind piece, originally used to rise bread. Can now be used as a dresser, a wardrobe, or even as a storage piece to display vinyl records or architectural plans. Measurements are: W 180 cm, D 64 cm, H 179 cm, D (open) 140 cm, W (open) 250 cm. Because of its historic value, this antique bakery...
Category
Early 20th Century European Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Oak
Elmer Crowell Quarter Sized Canada Goose Decoy, circa 1930s
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique Quarter Sized Canada Goose Decoy, by J.Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, MA (1862 - 1952), circa 1928 - 1943, a hand carved and painted diminutive Can...
Category
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Cedar
19th C. Mexican Retablo, C.1880
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT
An original 19th century Mexican folk retablo. Oil paint on tin. Subject unknown.
CREATOR Unknown.
DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1880.
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Oil Paint on Tin.
CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use.
DIMENSIONS H 14 in. W 10 in.
HISTORY
Retablos, better known as 'laminas' in Mexico, are small oil paintings on tin, wood and sometimes copper which were used in home altars to venerate the almost infinite number of Catholic saints. The literal translation for 'retablo' is 'behind the altar.' This unique genre of art, deeply rooted in European history, was brought to Mexico with the arrival of the Spanish and then ultimately adopted by New World mestizo natives to become what is known today as the Mexican folk retablo.
The retablo was an art form that flourished in post conquest Mexico and then ultimately, with the introduction of inexpensive mediums such as tin, reached its pinnacle of popularity in the last quarter of the 19th century. With some exceptions, mostly untrained artists from the provinces worked to produce and reproduce these sacred images; some subjects painted more prolifically than others. A typical "retablero" may have reproduced the same image hundreds, if not thousands of times in his or her career.
These oil paintings were sold to devout believers who displayed them in home altars to honor their patron saints. There are virtually hundreds of saints, each invoked to remedy a different situation. "San Ysidro Labrador," the patron saint of farmers, is venerated for good weather...
Category
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Tin
American Copper Full Bodied Pig Directional Weathervane on Stand, circa 1880
Located in Hollywood, SC
American Copper full bodied pig directional weathervane resting on squared iron stand, late 19th century.
Category
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Copper, Iron, Zinc
Dutch 19th Century Folk Art Architectural Miniature Mansion Pigeon / Birdcage
Located in Buisson, FR
Beautiful and unique Dutch Folk art Pigeon/birdcage in the form of a manor . This type of birdcages were made in the North of he Netherlands . They were miniature versions of the ori...
Category
19th Century Dutch Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Antique Floral Chinese Peking Rug
Located in New York, NY
An early 20th-century Chinese Peking scatter size rug
Measures: 3'3'' x 5'5''.
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
Japanese Midcentury Earthenware Art Pottery Vase
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Interesting, midcentury, Japanese, matte tan, earthenware, art pottery vase features a tapered body, intricately carved and incised in a leaf pattern with Japanese markings on it's u...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Folk Art Wood Wheel Sculptural Element
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gorgeous and unique hand-crafted wooden wheel with 2 "spokes". Possibly from a small wooden wagon or cart.
The 5" thick wheels are carefully carved fr...
Category
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Steel
Large Contemporary / Modernist Folk Art Oil on Canvas by M J Meyrs C.2008
By M J Myers
Located in Buffalo, NY
Large oil on canvas painting by M J MYERS... depicting bar scene,, Amazing use of color ,space and texture,,, Born in Buffalo, NY and raised in the city of Tonawanda, MJ Myers attended the State University at New Paltz where he received a Bachelors of Fine Arts with a concentration in Drawing and Painting and a minor in Art History.
Deeply embedded in the Buffalo art world, Myers works as an art handler for the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, UB Anderson Gallery, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin D.Martin house. His work has been shown at multiple galleries as well as in many performances by the Buffalo, NY performance troupe Torn Space Theater.
In 2014, MJ performed his first wedding painting...
Category
Early 2000s American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Canvas, Paint
"Harness Racer at Belmont Park 1884, Philadelphia" by Agustus Kollner
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Watercolor on paper, signed lower right Agustus Knoller and dated 1884. Inscribed on the reverse in pencil "This trotting came off Aug 15th 1884 at Belmont Park near Manayunk." This ...
Category
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paint, Paper
Folk Art Carved Panel of Two Brothers Titled: "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This vintage folk art carved panel is signed in several places by an unknown artist, and presumed to have originated from North America, likely Canada, but possibly the United States...
Category
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Oak
Vintage "Your Father's Moustache" Wooden Pub Sign
Located in South Bend, IN
A fantastic vintage "Your Father's Moustache" three-piece wooden hanging pub restaurant sign.
Mid-20th century.
Measures: 44.5"W x 1"D x 23"H.
Good original vintage condition.
Category
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paint
"Wallace" Skating at the Park, Fine Craft Painted Rabbit, Canada, Circa 1997
Located in Chatham, ON
"Wallace" Skating at the Park - Fine craft raw wood sculpture with a painted finish highlighted with India ink - made from a solid pine branch with...
Category
Late 20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Softwood, Paint
Antique Folk Art Watercolor Painting Children with Cat Instruments Framed
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique folk art style watercolor painting of a pair of children with instruments and a cat walking down a road lined with a white fence.
Measures: 9.375” x 1” x 8” / Sans Frame -...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paint
Manuel Sandoval Valez Latin American Figurative Ceramic Sculpture of a Newsboy
Located in Miami, FL
Manuel Sandoval Valez Latin American figurative Ceramic sculpture of a newsboy
Offered for sale is a folk art-style terracotta ceramic sculpture of a newsboy by Manuel Sandoval Va...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Peruvian Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Terracotta
Antique Folk Art Reverse Painted and Foil Exhibition Sign in Gilt Frame
Located in Nantucket, MA
Folk Art exhibition sign, reverse painted glass with reserved text backed in gold and silver crinkled foil reading "Exhibition / of / Paintings / on / Glass / By Edgar F. Curtis"
E...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Foil
French Hand-Painted Lady Sculpture Door Stop in Solid Cast Iron
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Late 19th century door stop, France, circa 1880.
This lady sculpture is made in heavy solid cast iron and is in it original hand-painted colors.
Category
19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Iron
Large Hand Carved Duck Sculpture by Miguel Ruelas
Located in San Diego, CA
A very nice large hand carved duck sculpture by Miguel Ruelas, circa 1980s. The detail, craftsmanship and painting in this piece is lifelike and truly amaz...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paint
19th Century French Country Folk Art Corner Cabinet
Located in Winter Park, FL
A fine 19th century French Art Populair, or Folk Art, corner cabinet from Normandy. Made of pitch pine with bold geometric carved panels. In three parts: the bottom has a small dovetailed drawer and one interior shelf, the top cabinet has two interior shelves, and the crown is decorated with carved rosettes. Locks and keys in working condition. An unusual cabinet...
Category
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
Antique Large Hand-Carved & Polychrome Painted Southeast Asian Mask or Sculpture
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This large antique tribal mask or sculpture is unsigned and undocumented, but presumed to have originated from Southeast Asia and done in a folk ar...
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Softwood
Pair of Hand Carved Wooden Folk Art Masks
Located in San Diego, CA
A very fun pair of hand carved wooden folk art masks circa 1940s. The set is in very good vintage condition and has a hanger on the reverse side; the larger mask...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paint
1950s German Oil Painting on Wood in an Old Gilded Frame by Josef Hofbauer
Located in Berlin, DE
This beautiful 1950s German Oil Painting on Wood in an old gilded Frame by Josef Hofbauer.
A unique piece which is a great eye-catcher for your anti...
Category
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Hardwood, Fruitwood, Paint
Mid-20th Century English Papier Mache Giraffe Puppet Head
Located in London, GB
Mid-20th Century English Papier Mache Giraffe Puppet Head
A charming example of a mid-20th Century English Papier Mache giraffe puppet head. M...
Category
1950s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paper
20th Century Ransbottom Cookie Jar
Located in Los Angeles, CA
20th century Robinson Ransbottom cookie jar. 2qt canister. Beautiful condition.
Category
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pottery
19th Century Folk Art Hand Painted Domed Trinket Box
Located in Bradenton, FL
19th century European hand painted domed trinket box, folk art style.
Category
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
"Folk Art" Sheep, 18th-19th Ctr.
Located in Kastrup, DK
"Folk Art" wooden carved sheep.
Original untouched condition.
Rust colored with natural patina.
China 18'th - 19'th ctr.
Category
Late 18th Century Chinese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Original Antique Print of an English Sporting Dog, 1847
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a bloodhound presented in a distressed antique gilt frame.
Lithograph after Cpt. brown with original hand color.
Published, 1847.
Category
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paper, Gesso
Folk Art Sculpture of the Head of a Seal, South America, 1930´s
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Folk Art sculpture of the head of a seal. South America 1930´s.
The head is mounted over a brass base, as a way to exhibit it.
The head has several crack as you can see on the pict...
Category
Mid-20th Century Argentine Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Antique Hand-Carved Folk Art Picture or Mirror Frame with Beaver & Leaves
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique hand-carved frame is unsigned, but originated from Canada and dates to approximately 1880 and done in the period Folk Art style. The frame is composed of solid walnut an...
Category
Late 19th Century Canadian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Vintage Blue and White Delft Porcelain Spoon Rack
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Stunning Vintage Delfts Blauw blue and white porcelain spoon rack in very good condition.
Beautiful Dutch Delft hanging wall rack with blue and white han...
Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Porcelain
Scandinavian Folk Art Wooden Lidded Tankard, 19th Century
Located in Bochum, NRW
19th century Norwegian wood tankard painted with initials and dated 1865.
Wooden Lidded Tankard, made of staves that are held together with split-branch ...
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Rare Painted Steel Folk / Outsider Art Sculpture by Robert Gilkerson, USA 1982
Located in Hastings, GB
Scarce welded & painted steel sculpture by Robert Gilkerson, a renowned artist in the Folk Art / Outsider Art scene in 1980s USA. Signed RG & dat...
Category
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Steel
Pair Early 20th Century Scandinavian Faded Milliners Heads, 1900's
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
Beautiful pair faded wooden gent milliners heads from the early 1900's.
The faded lines and the non-treated wood gives these heads there beautiful character. Absolutely top of the li...
Category
Early 1900s Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Chinese Scatter Size Early 20th Century Rug
Located in New York, NY
Scatter size Chinese peking rug in blue and white from the 2nd quarter of the 20th century.
Measures: 2'2" x 4'1".
Category
1940s Mongolian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
Tapestry Peacock, Girafe, Lion, Deer, Exotic Birds Floral Folk Naive
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
Rare folk, naive, vernacular tapestry
- Mythical quality depicting reminiscent of a garden of paradise with the animals and birds in harmony with each other.
- Charming tapestry de...
Category
1880s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Figure
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century English Folk Art Figure
We share what we love, and we love this early 20th Century example of an English doubl...
Category
1920s European Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
Large Framed American Flag Folk Art Quilt
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Nicely faded American flag quilt. Excellent hand stitched dancing Folk Art stars. Skilled quilting, a nice graphic large-scale wall hanging. White ...
Category
Early 20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Cotton
American 19th C. Ladder Model
Located in Brooklyn, NY
American 19th C. Ladder Model
Wood
H: W: D: 1.25 in.
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
David Segel 1970s 3-D Wooden Double Kiot Folk Art Sculpture
By David Segel
Located in Monrovia, CA
David Segel 3-D wooden folk art / Gothic sculpture, signed, titled and numbered ''RIBALD #1
David Segel, well known Artist of Venice, Ca and throughout Paris, France has hand-scul...
Category
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Metal
A French Baker’s Wooden Bread Paddle
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
A French Baker’s Wooden Bread Paddle
This is a piece of French history, it is a beech Bread paddle used for moving the dough into and the bread or pizza out of a wood fired bread oven...
Category
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Beech
Vintage Brazilian Hand-Carved Ironwood Sculpture of Whale and a Shark
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Brazilian hand carved Ironwood sculpture of a whale and a shark.
Hand carved Brazilian sculpture hand crafted in amazing detail from one of...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Organic 1960s Folk Art Table with Hammered Nail Multi Color Leather Patchwork
By Paul Evans
Located in Ferndale, MI
Nicely executed folk art parsons style table. Covered in leather square patches of varying size and color in geometric design. Fine scale and nicely matched colors. Each piece hammer...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Leather, Wood
Colorful Hand Painted Watermelon Folding Screen
Located in Atlanta, GA
Colorful hand painted Folk Art watermelon folding screen, Yucatan, Mexico, circa 1970s. This piece is a versatile size and can be used as a folding screen, room divider, or headboard...
Category
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Vintage Cotton Elephant Covered in Indian Textiles
By Harrods
Located in Houston, TX
Vintage cotton elephant, covered in Indian textiles, retailed in the 1950s by Harrods. Interior frame composed of wire and straw. Textiles originally s...
Category
1950s English Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wire
Early 20th Century English Fairground Panels
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century English fairground panels
We share what we love, and we love this matched pair of charming English metal sheet, hand painted fai...
Category
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Metal
Wings - wool wall carpet hand-knotted in Ethiopia designed by hettler.tüllmann
Located in Berlin, BE
This hand-knotted wool wall carpet is a unique one-of-a kind piece from Ethiopia, designed by hettler.tüllmann.
It is made in custom dyed tones from 100 % natural wool.
The depth a...
Category
2010s Ethiopian Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
Early 20th Century Hand Painted Duck Decoy Antique German
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Found in Germany at an estate sale, this hand carved and hand painted duck decoy is perfect for the collector. Well used by a previous hunter t...
Category
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paint
Folk Art furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique folk art furniture for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include folk art, decorative objects, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, North America, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Berber Tribes of Morocco, Mosche Bianche, Jim Rose, and Nils Olsson. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $20 and tops out at $225,000 while the average work can sell for $1,252.
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