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.
20th Century Portuguese Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Alpaca
Mid-20th Century Greenlandic Folk Art Furniture
Soapstone
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1930s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century European Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Paint
20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Silver
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Indonesian Folk Art Furniture
Teak
Mid-20th Century Belgian Folk Art Furniture
Plywood, Paint
1920s Ethiopian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Walnut
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Clay
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1920s Azerbaijani Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Indonesian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Other
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Blown Glass
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Dutch Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1980s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Clay, Earthenware, Pottery, Textile, Polyester
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1990s French Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Maple
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
1970s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wool
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Paint
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
1950s North American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Portuguese Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
1920s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Concrete
Mid-20th Century Italian Folk Art Furniture
Paint
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1920s Malaysian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Paint, Paper
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Copper
Early 20th Century Thai Folk Art Furniture
Fabric, Bamboo, Beads
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pottery, Wool, Cane, Rope
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Masonite, Paint
1980s Italian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Brass, Metal
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Folk Art Furniture
Korhogo Cloth
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Oak
1960s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Wood