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 Persian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1960s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wicker, Rattan, Bamboo
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pine
1940s European Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Malian Folk Art Furniture
Cotton
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Mercury Glass
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century Ecuadorean Folk Art Furniture
Leather, Oak
1940s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal, Wrought Iron
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Copper, Steel
1950s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood, Pine
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Wood, Paper
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Pottery
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wire
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wire
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Pottery
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Peruvian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Spanish Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Ceramic, Majolica
1930s English Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Glass, Hardwood
1960s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Persian Folk Art Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Epoxy Resin, Maple
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Wool
1940s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Metal
1960s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin, Steel
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Furniture
Hardwood, Teak
1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Cotton, Paint
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Textile, Wood
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Plywood
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood, Paint
1930s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art Furniture
Iron
1960s Japanese Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Tin