Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
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 20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
15th Century and Earlier American Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Enamel
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
Early 20th Century Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric
1880s British Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Natural Fiber
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Ebony
Mid-18th Century Paraguayan Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
19th Century Danish Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1880s Unknown Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Bone
Early 20th Century Mexican Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Leather
20th Century European Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Mid-20th Century Swedish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Leather, Paper
Early 20th Century Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Teak
Early 20th Century Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood, Cane, Rattan
1950s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Composition, Metal
Early 20th Century Chinese Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Soapstone
20th Century North American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1930s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Stone
1970s Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Cotton, Foam
Late 20th Century Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
Early 20th Century Belgian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Glass
1880s American Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Pottery
Early 20th Century Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 20th Century Austrian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
Early 20th Century English Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Glass, Hardwood
1960s Spanish Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Fruitwood
20th Century Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
1910s German Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wire
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Ash
Late 20th Century Egyptian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
20th Century Italian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1940s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal, Steel
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Copper, Iron
Mid-19th Century Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Oak
1940s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton, Satin
Early 20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
18th Century Swiss Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
1950s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Silk, Cotton
1870s Mexican Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
19th Century Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paint
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
20th Century Belgian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Early 20th Century British Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass, Copper