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 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1790s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Birch, Pine
1890s French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Composition
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
20th Century Central African Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Glass, Paint, Paper
1850s Romanian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Beech
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1920s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Southeast Asian Folk Art Furniture
Cut Glass, Wood, Giltwood, Lacquer
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
19th Century Bajan Antique Folk Art Furniture
Shell
Late 19th Century Uzbek Antique Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Silk
Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Furniture
Silk
20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Dutch Folk Art Furniture
Terracotta
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
1890s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Birch, Pine
Mid-20th Century Nepalese Folk Art Furniture
Multi-gemstone, Brass
1950s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1970s Indian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Fabric, Wood, Paint
1910s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Antler, Wood
Early 20th Century Swiss Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Copper, Iron
Early 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Early 1800s Dutch Antique Folk Art Furniture
Delft
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Steel
Early 20th Century Tibetan Folk Art Furniture
Wool, Cotton
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Steel
1960s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Shell, Mirror, Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Mid-20th Century Egyptian Folk Art Furniture
Brass
1960s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Shell
1970s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Stoneware
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Cedar
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Concrete
Mid-20th Century Chinese Folk Art Furniture
Paper
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Bentwood
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper, Iron, Zinc
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Earthenware, Pottery
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Steel
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Reclaimed Wood, Burl
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Blown Glass, Art Glass
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Bronze, Copper
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paint
1890s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Early 1900s European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
Mid-19th Century Burmese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Teak
1940s Moldovan Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Early 19th Century Greek Antique Folk Art Furniture
Silk
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Leather
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1820s Romanian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Beech
1870s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1850s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Mirror
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Oak
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1920s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Mirror, Paper
1840s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1870s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine