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.
Mid-20th Century Haitian Folk Art Furniture
Paint
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Porcelain, Cork
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wire
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
20th Century Haitian Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood, Paint
Early 1900s European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Iron
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Composition
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Aluminum, Iron, Tin
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Hardwood
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Malian Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Furniture
Bronze
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Composition
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1940s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Majolica
Late 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Chrome
1930s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Earthenware
1970s Indian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Furniture
Silk
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Plywood
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1970s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Wool, Birch
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Stoneware
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Clay
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century Persian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Rattan, Wicker, Bamboo
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century British Folk Art Furniture
Nickel
Mid-20th Century Chinese Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Textile
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Beads, Oak
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cedar
1930s Korean Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1920s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Fabric
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Guatemalan Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1920s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal