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 Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
1760s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Softwood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Spelter
1940s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1850s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Fruitwood, Walnut
Late 19th Century Polish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Terrazzo
1820s Great Britain (UK) Antique Folk Art Furniture
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Iron, Bronze
Early 2000s American Folk Art Furniture
Aluminum
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 19th Century Scottish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Birch
1820s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas
19th Century Polish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Silver
1910s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
19th Century Dutch Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1860s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century Israeli Folk Art Furniture
Silver
19th Century Spanish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Wood
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Rush, Wood
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Stone
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Stone
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1890s Balkan Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1880s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Maple
Early 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Metal
18th Century and Earlier American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas