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.
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Reclaimed Wood
Early 1900s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paper
1850s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century Persian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
2010s American Folk Art Furniture
Oak, Walnut
1970s African Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century East Asian Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
20th Century Haitian Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Oak
2010s Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Clay, Earthenware
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century British Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
19th Century Norwegian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Soapstone, Limestone, Stone
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Early 1900s Belgian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
Early 1900s European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Copper
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Aluminum, Iron, Tin
Mid-20th Century African Folk Art Furniture
Natural Fiber
1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Paint
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic
1850s Swiss Antique Folk Art Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1850s Romanian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Beech
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Copper, Tin
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine, Paint
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Wool
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Paint
1890s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pewter
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Furniture
Paper
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Austrian Folk Art Furniture
Composition
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Driftwood
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Wood
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Oak, Paint
1970s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Pine
20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Composition
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Limestone, Sandstone, Marble
Late 19th Century Bajan Antique Folk Art Furniture
Shell, Mahogany
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Earthenware, Pottery
Mid-20th Century Dutch Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Porcelain
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Hardwood