Chicago - Folk Art
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Item Ships From: Chicago
Female Figure by Mari Simmulson for Upsala Ekeby circa 1960
By Upsala Ekeby, Mari Simmulson
Located in Chicago, IL
Mari Simmulson (1911-2000) for Upsala-Ekeby, Sweden. Large ceramic figure of a woman. Hand-decorated with white, black and cobalt blue (hands and face unglazed).
Model 9032M. Appro...
Category
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Ceramic
African Redware Gooseneck Vase
Located in Chicago, IL
Covered in a beautifully worn red clay slip, this hand-formed African vessel has a dramatic silhouette of a squat, ovoid body and a long, narrow neck. Subtly etched crosshatch patter...
Category
15th Century and Earlier African Primitive Antique Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Ceramic
Torcida by Elena Rakochy
Located in Chicago, IL
Torcida by Elena Rakochy , Glazed Stoneware
Composed of Rounded, Flat and Hexagonal shaped elements juxtaposed with some twisted portions for a dynamic contrast.
Artist Bio and State...
Category
Early 2000s American Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Stoneware
$2,000 Sale Price
20% Off
Jim Rose - Construct No. 03, Salvaged Steel and Aluminum Industrial Objects
By Jim Rose
Located in Chicago, IL
Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique, interesting items. Here he has welded together various washers, nuts, ...
Category
2010s American Folk Art Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Metal, Steel
Sculptural Vintage Drill Bit Tool Display
Located in Chicago, IL
A wonderfully sculptural early 20th century American set of 32 steel large drill bits mounted on a wood base, originally used in a workshop, but brought into...
Category
Early 20th Century American Industrial Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Steel
$712 Sale Price
25% Off
Painting from a Kwoma Ceremonial House Ceiling
Located in Chicago, IL
A painting from a Kwoma ceremonial house ceiling depicting an abstract polychrome pattern on a sago palm spathe.
From the Metropolitan Museum of Art:
"...
Category
Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Natural Fiber
$937 Sale Price
25% Off
Provincial Chinese Trunk Mortar, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This large wooden mortar dates to the late 19th century and was originally used for crushing rice, grain, spices and other foodstuffs. Carved from a single tree trunk, the mortar has...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Organic Modern Antique Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Dida Tie-Dyed Ceremonial Kerchief
Located in Chicago, IL
An incredible and rare mid-20th century Dida (Ivory Coast) hand-plated Shibori tie-dyed raffia ceremonial kerchief mounted on a linen stretched frame. This kerchief was not woven on ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Mid-Century Modern Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Raffia
$1,387 Sale Price
25% Off
"Universal Soldier" Ghanaian Hand-Painted Movie Poster
Located in Chicago, IL
Starring Jean Claude Van-Damme and Dolph Lundgren, Universal Soldier was a pulpy action/sci-fi from the early 1990s. The film's international success is...
Category
1990s Ghanaian Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Paint, Paper
Yoruba Osanyin Healing Staff, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Iron
Outsider Art Wood Sculpture with Geometric Appliques
Located in Chicago, IL
Detailed and eye catching outsider art "found" wood sculpture. Constructed from floor moldings and cut paper geometric appliques. Unsigned.
Category
1970s American Folk Art Vintage Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood
$1,800 Sale Price
20% Off
Bamileke Storage Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Like other African everyday ceramics, Bamileke storage pots are revered for their simple forms yet astonishing beauty. Each is hand shaped and fired in the open. They are generally s...
Category
Early 20th Century Cameroonian Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Ceramic
Handblown Gold Flecked and Fused Black Murano Glass Carnivale Masks
Located in Chicago, IL
Pair of Murano glass carnivale masks. Handblown and molded gold flecked black cased glass with infused colorful circular details.
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Murano Glass
$600 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Yoruba Osanyin Staff, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Steel, Iron
Hansa Mechanical Huge Stuffed Hippopotamus Almost 4 Feet Long
Located in Chicago, IL
Hansa plush mechanical Stuffed Hippopotamus
Hansa was created in 1972 by German-born Hans Axthelm. Each and every Hansa stuffed Hippopotamus animal, is hand sewn using the inside-ou...
Category
1980s Philippine Vintage Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Acrylic
Senufo Locking Currency Bracelet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Time honored texture and form define this Senufo sculptural object. The abstract etchings were achieved through a process known as scarification. The artisan meticulously traced and ...
Category
Mid-19th Century Ivorian Antique Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Copper
Yoruba Beaded Sash, c. 1950
Located in Chicago, IL
This intricately-constructed colorful train was painstakingly created by Yoruba artisans in Nigeria in the mid-20th century. Recent designs such as this were based upon...
Category
Mid-20th Century Nigerian Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Shell, Fabric, Beads
"Crystal Hunt" Ghanaian Movie Poster
Located in Chicago, IL
Starring Donnie Yen, "The Bruce Lee of the 90s," "Crystal Hunt" was a martial arts film from Hong Kong made in 1991. Frequently, theaters in Ghana were unable to import official post...
Category
Late 20th Century Ghanaian Folk Art Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Canvas
Yoruba Osanyin Healing Staff, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Minimalist Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Iron
Painted Baule Blolo Bla Figure
By Baule Tribe
Located in Chicago, IL
The figurative sculptures of the Baule peoples of Cote d'Ivoire are recognizable by their strong, gently curving forms and serene composure. This figure of a woman was carved to repr...
Category
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Antique Saddle Carpet with Peonies, c. 1920s
Located in Chicago, IL
This unusually-shaped carpet is known as a "makden" and was originally used by a nomadic traveler as an artful covering for his horse. Placed between the saddle and the horse, the makden cushioned the rigid saddle and kept the horse warm in cold climates. Most under-saddle carpets...
Category
1920s East Turkestani Vintage Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Fabric, Wool
Small French Male Stone Bust, 1940s
Located in Chicago, IL
A 1940s French male bust, hand-crafted from solid stone. This quietly impactful piece is rendered with meticulous detail, from the textured curls of his hair to his defined facial fe...
Category
1940s French Neoclassical Revival Vintage Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Stone
Beaded Ndebele Ceremonial Doll
Located in Chicago, IL
A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king). As beads become gradually more accessible throughout the 19th century, they began to displace the organic materials used in traditional art and attire.
This colorful example of African beadwork is a ceremonial doll...
Category
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Cotton, Wood
Victorian Travel Grooming Kit, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This charming antique box dates to the late 19th century and is a Victorian-era travel kit with sewing and grooming tools, also known as an etui or nécessaire. The compact travel cas...
Category
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Metal
"Maquette" by Patrick Fitzgerald
By Patrick Fitzgerald
Located in Chicago, IL
To Chicago-based artist Patrick Fitzgerald, his miniature car sculptures are a means of traveling through time. Born from a fascination with the soap box derby cars of his youth, eac...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Fabric, Wood, Paper
African Nupe Terracotta Vessel Support, c. 1900
By Nupe
Located in Chicago, IL
The Nupe people of Nigeria were touted as some of the finest ceramicists in Africa. Everyday objects, like this elegant, cylindrical vessel support, received detailed attention. This flaring terra cotta form would have been buried halfway in the ground, in a Nupe home, and used as a stable base for a stack of traditional round pots...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
Handheld Chinese Mooncake Mold, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This late 19th century hand-held wood press is carved with a large mold used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean, or other regional fillings, mooncakes ar...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Baga a-Bamp Bird Headdress with Canoe
Located in Chicago, IL
This graceful sculpture of a long-necked bird is a headdress known as "a-Bamp," worn during ritual masquerades of Baga adolescents in Guinea. With strong themes of defiance, these ma...
Category
Mid-20th Century Guinean Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Tibetan Meditation Carpet with Dorje Medallion, c. 1920
Located in Chicago, IL
Beautifully knotted of vegetable-dyed wool, carpets by the nomadic peoples of Tibet, Mongolia, and northern China decorated every aspect of life with bright color and rich symbolism. Unlike those of the Chinese weaving...
Category
Early 20th Century Tibetan Tibetan Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wool, Cotton
Nupe Gourd Water Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Inspired by the natural world, nupe ceramicists fired this water vessel in the shape of a gourd. The vessel's varied textures and colors come from its utilitarian design. The paralle...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Ceramic
Benin-Style Bronze Figural Pipe Mouthpiece
Located in Chicago, IL
World-renowned for high-quality lost wax casting, the city of Benin in West Africa has been a leading producer of fine cast brass and bronze sculptures since as early as the 16th cen...
Category
Late 19th Century Nigerian Folk Art Antique Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Bronze
"Lady in a Striped Dress" by Allan Winkler
By Allan Winkler
Located in Chicago, IL
Although this whimsical sculpture by Allan Winkler has the look of outsider art, this ceramic work stems from the art school-trained artist’s interest in...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Ceramic
Yao Silver Chain Necklace
Located in Chicago, IL
This finely crafted piece was made high in the mountains above Thailand, Laos and Burma (modern day Myanmar) by an indigenous hill tribe. The Yao people are skilled silversmiths who ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Laotian Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Silver
$7,125 Sale Price
25% Off
"Man in Green Shirt" by Allan Winkler
By Allan Winkler
Located in Chicago, IL
Although this whimsical sculpture by Allan Winkler has the look of outsider art, this ceramic work stems from the art school-trained artist’s interest in...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Ceramic
"Iron Sponge Car" by Patrick Fitzgerald, 2019
By Patrick Fitzgerald
Located in Chicago, IL
To Chicago-based artist Patrick Fitzgerald, his sculptures are a means of traveling through time. Working from found materials, Fitzgerald constructs miniature soap box cars and the ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood, Paper
African Red & Green Painted Mortar
Located in Chicago, IL
Abstract and sculptural, this wooden form demonstrates the timeless appeal of African art. Hand-carved to an hourglass shape, the unusual figure is actually a grinding mortar, compri...
Category
20th Century African Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood
"A Bridge of Dragon" Ghanaian Movie Poster, c. 1999
Located in Chicago, IL
Starring Dolph Lundgren, Bridge of Dragons was a pulpy action/romance from the late 1990s. The film's international success is evident in this hand-pain...
Category
Late 20th Century Ghanaian Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Outsider Art Santa Claus, Acrylic On Paper.
Located in Chicago, IL
Just in time for the season, an outsider art child like Santa Claus painting done in acrylic on brown paper. Framed in a red lacquered wood and g...
Category
Late 20th Century Canadian Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Paper, Acrylic
Yoruba Osanyin Healing Staff, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Iron
Chinese Robed Puppet, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Hand puppets, like this one from China’s Zhejiang region, have been a popular form of entertainment for centuries. In the late 19th early-20th century this tiny robed gentleman proba...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Silk, Wood
$258 Sale Price
29% Off
"Senzo Titulo 'Michelangelo Antonioni'" by Patrick Fitzgerald, 2022
By Patrick Fitzgerald
Located in Chicago, IL
To Chicago-based artist Patrick Fitzgerald, his miniature car sculptures are a means of traveling through time. Born from a fascination with the soap box derby cars of his youth, each vehicle is an exercise in imagining the future through the lens of the past – or vice versa.
Built from found materials collected over the years, the car's futuristic form is layered with personal memories and keepsakes from the past. The most minute of details is always intentional – from the weathered finish to the fictitious sponsor to the miniaturized furnishings of the cramped interior.
This coloful vehicle entitled “Senzo Titulo” is a play upon the 1964 film "Il Deserto Rosso," or "Red Desert," by Italian filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood, Paper
Tabwa Staff with Female Figure
Located in Chicago, IL
This hand carved 20th century wooden staff, was crafted in the style of the Tabwa people located along the southwestern shores of Lake Tanganyika. The handle is finely decorated with...
Category
20th Century South African Folk Art Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood
$686 Sale Price
30% Off
Mossi Incised Currency Bracelet
Located in Chicago, IL
The blacksmiths and sculptors of the Mossi People were held in special regard by the tribe's ruling class. Their ability to shape bronze and other precious metals into currency and status symbols made them valuable members of the powerful tribe. The intricate design of this currency bracelet...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Bronze
Terracotta Bura Spirit Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Sometimes called a "Bura bell" due to its shape, this sculptural terra cotta object was part of the Bura tribe's burial ritual. Buried with its flared mouth facing down, this cylindrical storage...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerien Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
Yoruba Omo Bell, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This four-sided brass face bell, known as omo, was created by an artisan of the Ijebu Yoruba People of Southern Nigeria. A mark of the wearer's rank and power, the bell would have be...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Metal
$1,880
Senufo Copper Reeds Currency Bracelet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
The traditional form of the Senufo currency bracelet is stripped down in this more minimalistic version. Two gracefully upswept bands join to form a ...
Category
Mid-19th Century Nigerian Antique Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Copper
Yoruba Ibeji Twin Figure
By Yoruba People
Located in Chicago, IL
With one of the highest rates of twin births in the world, Yoruba cultures place special social and religious significance on twins, referred to as "emi alagbara" or "powerful spirit...
Category
Mid-20th Century Nigerian Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Bura Spirit Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Sometimes called a "Bura bell" due to its shape, this sculptural terracotta form would have been a critical component of burial rituals of the Bura people of Niger. Buried with its flared mouth facing down, this cylindrical storage...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerien Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
Studded African Mask by Brian Stanziale
By Brian Stanziale
Located in Chicago, IL
In an exclusive collaboration with Pagoda Red, Chicago artist the bms. adds a contemporary twist to our collection of one-of-a-kind African art objects. Embellishing with silver and ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary African Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Metal
Incised Copper Currency Anklet
Located in Chicago, IL
Time-honored texture and form define this Nigerian copper sculptural object. The intricate geometry was achieved through a process known as scarification. The artisan would meticulou...
Category
19th Century Nigerian Tribal Antique Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Copper
Chinese Bent Handle Fisherman's Basket, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Basket making is an ancient and humble craft, but in the hands of a skilled weaver a simple willow basket becomes a truly beautiful statement. The artisan’s mastery is evident in thi...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Rustic Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood, Willow, Fabric
Set of Three Beaded Ndebele Fertility Dolls
Located in Chicago, IL
A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king). As beads become gradually more accessible throughout the 19th century, they began to displace the organic materials used in traditional art and attire.
This colorful example of African beadwork...
Category
20th Century South African Folk Art Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Cotton, Wood
$1,180 / set
Beaded Ndebele Ceremonial Doll
Located in Chicago, IL
A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king). As beads become gradually more accessible throughout the 19th century, they began to displace the organic materials used in traditional art and attire.
This colorful example of African beadwork is a ceremonial doll...
Category
Late 20th Century South African Folk Art Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Cotton, Wood
"Cut-Rate Liquor Car" by Patrick Fitzgerald
By Patrick Fitzgerald
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Patrick Fitzgerald uses his works as a means of resurrecting the idyllic worlds he once found in the Industrial surroundings of his youth. Raised in Grand Rapids...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Wood, Paper
Chinese Bent Handle Fisherman's Basket, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Basket making is an ancient and humble craft, but in the hands of a skilled weaver a simple willow basket can become a truly beautiful work of art. This bent handle basket was made i...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Rustic Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Willow, Bentwood
Beaded Ndebele Ceremonial Doll
Located in Chicago, IL
A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king). As beads become gradually more accessible throughout the 19th century, they began to displace the organic materials used in traditional art and attire.
This colorful example of African beadwork is a ceremonial doll...
Category
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Cotton, Wood, Twine
French 'Two Figures' Oil on Canvas Painting by Pierre Fulcrand, 1960s
By Pierre Fulcrand
Located in Chicago, IL
A captivating study in form and abstraction, this oil on canvas painting by Pierre Fulcrand explores the fluidity and dynamism of human figures. Rendered in a bold palette of deep re...
Category
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Canvas, Wood
Terracotta Bura Spirit Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Buried with their flared mouths facing down, these cylindrical storage vessels protected the deceased's possessions as they transitioned to the afterl...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerien Tribal Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
Beaded Ndebele Fertility Doll
Located in Chicago, IL
A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king). As beads become gradually more accessible throughout the 19th century, they began to displace the organic materials used in traditional art and attire.
This colorful example of African beadwork is a fertility doll...
Category
20th Century South African Folk Art Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Cotton, Wood
Nigerian Nupe Vessel Support
By Nupe
Located in Chicago, IL
The Nupe people of Nigeria were touted as some of the finest ceramicists in Africa. Everyday objects like this elegant, cylindrical vessel support received detailed attention. This f...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Primitive Chicago - Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
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