Folk Art Decorative Art
FOLK ART STYLE
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.
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Style: Folk Art
"In The Shade of The Old Apple Tree" Tin Advertising Sign, American, circa 1906
Located in Incline Village, NV
Outstanding example of this iconic and highly sought after tin advertising sign made by the Shonk Company, Chicago, Illinois, circa 1906. The subject matter depicts a farm scene with...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Tin
Oil Painting of an Asian Lady by Geri Perlman, 1993
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Paintings depicting portraits of a lady wearing a traditional sari style attire and head cover.
Looks like and Asian traditional attire, bright colors, probably Afghani or Persian or Indian lady...
Category
1990s American Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Canvas
Original Antique Print of a Shore Lark, circa 1880, 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a Shore Lark
Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames.
Lithograph after Alexander Francis Lydon.
Original color
...
Category
1880s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Saul Mamakeesick, Protection, Acrylic on Art Paper, 1980, Framed
Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie
Saul Mamakeesick, Protection, 1980
Acrylic on art paper
Number 181/295
The work signed by the artist's signature. Has individual number, title and date.
Shee...
Category
1980s Canadian Vintage Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Acrylic, Paper
$806 Sale Price
20% Off
Four Postcards Sets Printed by The Taller de Gráfica Popular
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1950. We offer this 4 sets of postcards printed by the Taller de Gráfica Popular, each set includes 12 postcards.
El Taller de la Gráfica Popular is a collective of engravers founded in Mexico in 1937 by the artists Leopoldo Méndez...
Category
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
1960s Woven Nesting Baskets Handmade Pottery Wall Art
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Hanging Wall Fiber Art
Handcrafted from USA decorative textile fiber art wall hanging piece three nesting pocket baskets 1960s handmade ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Pottery, Wool, Cane, Rope
Wet-Cut Mosaic Wall Decoration
Located in Rockaway, NJ
One of a kind original piece of earthenware ceramic featuring several custom and proprietary glaze chemistries, including luster glazing.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Earthenware, Wood
Original Antique Print of a Tree Pipit, circa 1880, 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a Tree Pipit
Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames.
Lithograph after Alexander Francis Lydon.
Original color
...
Category
1880s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Original Antique Print of a Lesser Golden Plover, circa 1880, 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a Lesser Golden Plover
Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames.
Lithograph after Alexander Francis Lydon.
Origi...
Category
1880s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Original Antique Print of a Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, circa 1880, 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a Yellow-Billed Cuckoo
Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames.
Lithograph after Alexander Francis Lydon.
Origi...
Category
1880s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Original Antique Print of a Nutcracker, circa 1880, 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a Nutcracker
Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames.
Lithograph after Alexander Francis Lydon.
Original hand c...
Category
1880s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Original Antique Print of a White's Thrush, circa 1880, 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a White's Thrush
Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames.
Lithograph after Alexander Francis Lydon.
Original ha...
Category
1880s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Original Antique Print of a Dunnock, circa 1880, 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a Dunnock
Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames.
Lithograph after Alexander Francis Lydon.
Original hand colo...
Category
1880s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Native American Hunter with his Mustang Oil Painting
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Native American Hunter with his Mustang oil painting on cannvas.
Original Contemporary oil painting canvas stretched on wood..
Signed on the right corner.
( illisible).
Category
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Canvas
Antique Folk Art Reverse Painted and Foil Exhibition Sign in Gilt Frame
Located in Nantucket, MA
Folk Art exhibition sign, reverse painted glass with reserved text backed in gold and silver crinkled foil reading "Exhibition / of / Paintings / on / Glass / By Edgar F. Curtis"
E...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Foil
Handmade, Midcentury, Three Dimensional Wooden Sign, Die Lorelei, 1950-60's
Located in Vienna, Austria
Cruising on a riverboat, on the Rhein, especially the Mittel Rhein, is a popular day time excursion trip in Germany. The famous Lorelei Rock
being a popular destination. The Rock, was made famous from a poem, written by Heinrich Heine...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Wood
$1,193 Sale Price
20% Off
Original Antique Print of a Cole Titmouse, C.1880, 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a Cole Titmouse
Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames.
Lithograph after Alexander Francis Lydon.
Origin...
Category
1880s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Large Original Antique Natural History Print, Flying Lemur, circa 1835
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of a flying lemur
Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames.
Lithograph after Cpt. Brown with original hand color...
Category
1830s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Original Cover of Mexican Comic "Sensacional De Maestros"
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
We offer this amazing original cover painted in gouache in excellent vintage conditions, circa 1990 issue 226 "Pecho a Pechito llegaré a hojalatear tu corazón".
About the Sensacional Comics as part of the Mexican Culture:
"Sensacional" is the generic name of a handful of Mexican comics published at the end of the 1970s (1979 to be exact) and whose "Boom" remained in force within the Mexican idiosyncrasy for circa 20 years, (all the decade of the 1980s and 1990s) to then go downhill and "evolve", so to speak, until they become sexually explicit...
Category
1990s Mexican Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Original Cover of Mexican Comic "Sensacional De Maestros"
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
We offer this amazing original cover painted in gouache in excellent vintage conditions, circa 1990 issue 129 "Sancho te encontr'e en la movidita Sancho".
About the Sensacional Comics as part of the Mexican culture:
"Sensacional" is the generic name of a handful of Mexican comics published at the end of the 1970s (1979 to be exact) and whose "Boom" remained in force within the Mexican idiosyncrasy for circa 20 years, (all the decade of the 1980s and 1990s) to then go downhill and "evolve", so to speak, until they become sexually explicit...
Category
1990s Mexican Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
3 Nesting Decorative Handcrafted Cane & Rattan Beaded Wall Plates Peacock Motif
Located in Miami, FL
Set of 3 Folk Art wall plates, decoration in rattan & cane with beads.
All hand woven and handcrafted with very small pieces of Material and red Beads.
Each plate has 1 inch height, ...
Category
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Cane, Rattan, Beads
Early 19th Century Cutwork Valentine
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Watercolor and ink on laid cut paper featuring a solider and his love. With cut out lettering at the top reading "Valentine The (23 or 25) of December 1816" and at the bottom "When T...
Category
1810s English Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paint, Paper
Light Blue Pictorial Traditional Persian Tabriz Rug
Located in New York, NY
19th century Persian Tabriz Pictorial rug in predominant light blue. Light enough to use as a wall hanging as well
Measures: 4'6" x 6'3".
Category
19th Century Persian Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Wool
Pictorial Turkish Deer Bird Square Rug
Located in New York, NY
One of a kind hand-knotted Turkish Anatolian Rug in pale peach, brown, and green accents depicting 3 deers and 2 birds, circa 1940. Square Shape too
Measures: 4'6” x 4'8”.
Category
20th Century Turkish Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Wool
Antique Dutch Enameled Metal Farm Animal Feed Sign
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Antique Dutch enameled metal farm animal feed sign featuring a bull and a rooster. Metal Folk Art sign with original enamel finish and a patinated metal p...
Category
20th Century Dutch Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Metal, Enamel
"Glory Hole Antiques" Watercolor by Lorna Wildon, circa 1980
By Lorna Wildon
Located in Saint Louis, MO
A popular stop along old historic Route 66 - one of the original highways in the U.S. highway system that ran from Chicago to Los Angels - Glory Hole Antiqu...
Category
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paint
Antique Papier Mâché Decorative Tray, Hand Painted, Original
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
A charming hand painted 19th century papier mâché tray. The tray is very well painted with a Victorian scene in the centre and gold decoration on the b...
Category
1860s British Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
19th Century Original Painted Wall Board Food Plate Folk Art Bavarian German
Located in Epfach, DE
19th Century original painted wall board food plate folk art Bavarian German
The typical bavarian plate is labeled with M.L.B. 1882.
Category
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Wood
Pair of Gros-Point Stitched Panels Representing Orientalist Scenes
Located in Antwerp, BE
A pair of gros – point stitched panels representing orientalist scenes: One with a tiger hunt and the other with a battle scene, both in a setting of tropical vegetation on a black g...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Folk Art Greyhound Bus Lines Logo Hooked Rug or Wall Hanging
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This unique and colorful Folk Art hooked rug was designed and crafted sometime between 1970 and 1980 and could be easily be adapted for use as a wall hanging. This rug is presumably made from synthetic wool and employs five colors to represent the Greyhound Bus...
Category
Late 20th Century Canadian Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Synthetic
Folk Art Hand Hooked Rug with Chickens, circa 1880
Located in Nantucket, MA
Folk Art Hand Hooked rug with chickens, circa 1880, with two grey chicks standing on black and tan patches (respectively) on a white ground, separated by a double chevron band of mul...
Category
1880s American Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Burlap, Wool
Greenlandica, wood relief of a Greenlandic woman. Greenlandic craftsmanship.
Located in København, Copenhagen
Greenlandica, wood relief of a Greenlandic woman.
Greenlandic craftsmanship. Hand-carved.
From the 1960s.
In excellent condition.
Dimensions: H 25.0 cm x W 15.0 cm x D 2.5 cm.
Category
1960s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Wood
1900s, French Zinc Shop Sign
Located in High Point, NC
This enigmatic shop sign was produced in France, circa 1900. A large zinc wall decoration hanging on a small chain, which may or may not be a piep, features a jug extremity with a lo...
Category
20th Century French Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Zinc
Block Print in Unique Samuel Peck Co. Negative Printing Contact Frame
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Discover a unique blend of art and history with this captivating block print of an animal. Set against a soothing green matte, this vintage piece stands as an intriguing dialogue bet...
Category
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Wood, Paper
Midcentury Cork Art
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Folk Art style mosaic made of wine corks.
(Please confirm item location - NY or NJ - with dealer).
Category
1960s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Cork
$455 Sale Price
30% Off
Vintage Crane Stained Glass Panel
Located in Dallas, TX
Vintage framed stained glass panel featuring a crane with palm trees. Some cosmetic imperfections with frame (pictured) but no breaks in glass, good...
Category
1970s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Stained Glass, Wood
Vintage Boho Folk Art Blade Sign
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An extraordinary vintage blade sign. A chic Folk art pieces from the early 20th century. Acquired from a prominent folk art collector.
Category
Early 20th Century North American Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Wood
Painted, Cloth, Wallhanging, 20th Century, Scandinavian, Folk Art
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
Painted cloths were fashionable wall-hangings in the 17th century as they much cheaper than tapestries and woven textiles. Very few survive from this per...
Category
Early 20th Century Scandinavian Folk Art Decorative Art
Materials
Linen
Folk Art decorative art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique folk art decorative art for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative art created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include wall decorations, decorative objects, folk art and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art decorative art made in a specific country, there are North America, United States, and Africa pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative art, popular names associated with this style include Familia Lorenzo , and hettler.tüllmann. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for decorative art differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $300 and tops out at $2,931 while the average work can sell for $1,300.
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