Folk Art Furniture
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
19th Century Folk Art Hand Painted Domed Trinket Box
Located in Bradenton, FL
19th century European hand painted domed trinket box, folk art style.
Category
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Colorful Vintage Turkish Camel Donkey Rug
Located in New York, NY
Mid-20th century colrufl Turkish rug depicting camel and donkeys on an ivory ground.
Size: 3'5'' x 5'3''.
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
Pair of Solid Brass Two-Light Wall Sconces, Vintage, Austria, 1950s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A stunning pair of heavy brass wall sconces. Each consisting of a stylish Farmhouse style design. Each fixture requires two European E14 / 110 Volt candelabra bulbs, each bulb up to ...
Category
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
Early 20th Century English Fairground Panels
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century English fairground panels
We share what we love, and we love this matched pair of charming English metal sheet, hand painted fai...
Category
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Metal
19th Century Swedish Antique Rustic Folk Art Tray with Orginal Paint Solid Wood
Located in Boden, SE
19th Century Swedish antique wooden tray /Serving bowl with untouched original paint.
Lovely patina.
A large farmers handcrafted tray or serving bo...
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
Vintage Afghan Pictorial Map Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Afghan Pictorial map rug from the mid-20th century.
Measures: 3' 0" x 4' 10"
Category
Mid-20th Century Afghan Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
Bonzo Dog Chocolate Mold Antique Vintage German 1910s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A gorgeous chocolate mold. Made of metal, not marked. Beautiful and ready to use or display, with nice patina.
The 1890s to 1920s were the golden age of Chocolate production and consumption throughout Europe. Many cities and towns had competing chocolate shops with wonderful window displays filled with intricate, molded solid chocolate figures to entice hungry passersby. By this time, they had perfected the art of molding chocolate by using metal molds. The most known and best Manufactory for this kind of molds was the famous Anton Reiche...
Category
1910s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Metal
Antique Storage Piece in Oak, Early 20th Century
Located in Antwerp, BE
Antique storage piece in oak, early 20th century.
Storage piece, bakery cabinet, made in Europe in the early 20th century. One-of-a-kind piece, originally used to rise bread. Can now be used as a dresser, a wardrobe, or even as a storage piece to display vinyl records or architectural plans. Measurements are: W 180 cm, D 64 cm, H 179 cm, D (open) 140 cm, W (open) 250 cm. Because of its historic value, this antique bakery...
Category
Early 20th Century European Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Oak
1950s German Oil Painting on Wood in an Old Gilded Frame by Josef Hofbauer
Located in Berlin, DE
This beautiful 1950s German Oil Painting on Wood in an old gilded Frame by Josef Hofbauer.
A unique piece which is a great eye-catcher for your anti...
Category
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Hardwood, Fruitwood, Paint
Folk Art Jewelry Box from the 1940s in Copper with Women Nude
Located in Berlin, DE
This charming jewelry box from the 1940s was made out of copper
and is hand-dented.
It shows a nudist art of a woman. It is in a beautiful original condition.
A unique piece whic...
Category
1940s German Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Copper
Early 19th Century Decorated Swedish Corner Cabinet
Located in Kramfors, SE
Rare corner cabinet from northern Sweden made during the first years of the 19th century, 1810 to 1820. The cabinet is pine and made in two parts. It has the original decoration paint with the authentic patina of time. The paint is unusually intricate and varied with both floral motifs and marbling. That points to it being an expensive cabinet...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
19th C. Mexican Retablo, C.1880
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT
An original 19th century Mexican folk retablo. Oil paint on tin. Subject unknown.
CREATOR Unknown.
DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1880.
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Oil Paint on Tin.
CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use.
DIMENSIONS H 14 in. W 10 in.
HISTORY
Retablos, better known as 'laminas' in Mexico, are small oil paintings on tin, wood and sometimes copper which were used in home altars to venerate the almost infinite number of Catholic saints. The literal translation for 'retablo' is 'behind the altar.' This unique genre of art, deeply rooted in European history, was brought to Mexico with the arrival of the Spanish and then ultimately adopted by New World mestizo natives to become what is known today as the Mexican folk retablo.
The retablo was an art form that flourished in post conquest Mexico and then ultimately, with the introduction of inexpensive mediums such as tin, reached its pinnacle of popularity in the last quarter of the 19th century. With some exceptions, mostly untrained artists from the provinces worked to produce and reproduce these sacred images; some subjects painted more prolifically than others. A typical "retablero" may have reproduced the same image hundreds, if not thousands of times in his or her career.
These oil paintings were sold to devout believers who displayed them in home altars to honor their patron saints. There are virtually hundreds of saints, each invoked to remedy a different situation. "San Ysidro Labrador," the patron saint of farmers, is venerated for good weather...
Category
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Tin
Large Blue Persian Heriz Rug Pillow
Located in New York, NY
Pillow made from a vintage Persian Karadja Heriz rug.
Measures: 16" x 32".
Category
20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool, Cotton, Foam
Original Painted Game Board, Signed and Dated
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original painted game board - signed and Dated 1935.
Category
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool, Paint
Australian Aboriginal Carved Ancestor Figure with Ochre Paint
Located in Atlanta, GA
Hand-carved wood ancestor figure with surface pictorial carving showing kangaroo hunting and decorated with black and red paint and white and yellow ocher pigment. The figure slightly leans forward as made.
The piece was carved by aboriginal artist...
Category
Early 2000s Australian Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Rare to Find Folk Art Jaguar Mask Found in Zitlala, Guerrero, Mid-20th Century
By G. None
Located in Guadalajra, Jal
This style of Tigre (Mexican colloquial for Jaguar) mask is from Zitlala, Guerrero, they are used on the feast day of the Holy Cross on May 3rd, 4th,
and 5th. As part of the activit...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Leather
St. Bernard Dog Chocolate Mold De Haeck Gent-Gand, Vintage, Belgium
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A gorgeous chocolate mold. Made of metal, marked De Haeck Gent-Gand.
Beautiful and ready to use or display, with nice patina.
The 1890s to 1920s were the golden age of Chocolate production and consumption throughout Europe. Many cities and towns had competing chocolate shops with wonderful window displays filled with intricate, molded solid chocolate figures to entice hungry passersby.
By this time, they had perfected the art of molding chocolate by using metal molds. The most known and best Manufactory for this kind of molds was the famous Anton Reiche...
Category
1960s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Metal
Passport Saul Steinberg Published by Harper & Brothers, New York., 1979
Located in North Hollywood, CA
350 drawings made during the artist's travels, in his usual satirical and witty style.Presentation copy from the artist, inscribed on the half-title page: ''Pour Ga' Jean & Pegeen , ...
Category
20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paper
French Hand-Painted Lady Sculpture Door Stop in Solid Cast Iron
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Late 19th century door stop, France, circa 1880.
This lady sculpture is made in heavy solid cast iron and is in it original hand-painted colors.
Category
19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Iron
8 Old Fairground Art Panels circa 1930
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
8 old fairground art panels circa 1930
probably panels of an old carousel.
These panels are slightly curved from origin and the base is in pine.
Ther...
Category
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
Antique Swedish Folk Art Hand-Crafted Painted Bowl
Located in Kramfors, SE
Painted folk art bowl from northern Sweden made during the early 1800s, around 1820. The bowl has an oval shape and has been hollowed out by hand from a single large piece of wood. B...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Post Social Folk Art Student Work from West Balkan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Post social student work. Farm house full of hand made animals and all is hand made.
Category
1960s Balkan Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Plaster, Plywood
White Candelabra with Bird Figurine
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Enrich your decor with our exquisite vintage white ceramic candelabra, a showcase of intricate design and remarkable craftsmanship. This piece features a branch-like structure, adorn...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Metal
Vintage Folk Art Ship on River Landscape Long Format Painting
Located in Seguin, TX
Antique circa 1915 oil on wood board folk art river scene with ship flying American flag painting, wood is from an old tobacco crate. Unsigned. ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paint
Antique Black Forest Brienz Hand Carved Trinket Box, Folk Art 1890s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Found in Germany at an estate sale, this hand carved trinket box or catchall is perfect for the collector. Nice antique collectible to display in yo...
Category
1890s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
18th Century Northern Swedish Folk Art Dining Table
Located in Kramfors, SE
Swedish Folk Art dining table. The model is one of the older and the table has a robust construction. Detached tabletop resting on a leg frame of two ...
Category
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
Large Folk Art Gothic Tramp Art Wall Shelf with Bin
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Large Folk Art Gothic Tramp Art wall shelf with bin. Stare and shape cut-outs. 57" tall from tip to tip, 19" wide and 12" deep. Very ornate bin probabl...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
JOHN R. WATTS, Folk Art Watercolor & Gouache Landscape Painting, U.S., C.1890
Located in Chatham, ON
JOHN R. WATTS (Unknown/Unidentified Artist) - Folk art watercolor and gouache landscape painting on paper - unframed - twice signed and dated lower right (one with applied paper stam...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paint, Paper
Chinese Painted Bamboo Walking Stick, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th-century walking stick from northern China is comprised of a length of thin bamboo that has been steamed and bent into a hook shape. The bamboo segments are painted in alter...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Bamboo
A French Baker’s Wooden Bread Paddle
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
A French Baker’s Wooden Bread Paddle
This is a piece of French history, it is a beech Bread paddle used for moving the dough into and the bread or pizza out of a wood fired bread oven...
Category
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Beech
Vintage Studio Pottery Green Leaf Platter, Unsigned, Canada, 20th Century
Located in Chatham, ON
Large vintage studio pottery serving platter - realistically modelled/molded as a leaf - over-all dark green glaze with subtle iridescence - kiln/firing stilt marks to the base - uns...
Category
20th Century Canadian Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Large Framed American Flag Folk Art Quilt
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Nicely faded American flag quilt. Excellent hand stitched dancing Folk Art stars. Skilled quilting, a nice graphic large-scale wall hanging. White ...
Category
Early 20th Century North American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Cotton
Early 20th Century Scratch Built Church Model
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century scratch built Church model
We share what we love, and we love this scratch-built pine model of a church. Hand carved detail with gla...
Category
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
19th Century Swedish Painted Child Size Vanity Mirror
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A second half of the 19th century Scandinavian vanity mirror for kids. This Little hand painted in "Faux bois" technique mirror has a little...
Category
1860s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Mirror, Pine
Wings - wool wall carpet hand-knotted in Ethiopia designed by hettler.tüllmann
Located in Berlin, BE
This hand-knotted wool wall carpet is a unique one-of-a kind piece from Ethiopia, designed by hettler.tüllmann.
It is made in custom dyed tones from 100 % natural wool.
The depth a...
Category
2010s Ethiopian Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
Antique Folk Art Watercolor Painting Children with Cat Instruments Framed
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique folk art style watercolor painting of a pair of children with instruments and a cat walking down a road lined with a white fence.
Measures: 9.375” x 1” x 8” / Sans Frame -...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paint
Hand Carved & Hand Painted Rooster Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hand carved & hand painted rooster sculpture. Very folky rooster.
Category
20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Antique Child's Wheelbarrow, Mid-19th Century
Located in Downingtown, PA
Great for flowers, plants, wine. It is small enough to be placed on a sideboard for display.
Antique Child's Wheelbarrow,
Mid-19th century
The Canadian child's wheelbarrow is insc...
Category
Mid-19th Century Canadian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Mid Century Hand Painted Double Sided Pub Sign C1950
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Double sided pub sign from the United Kingdom. Hand Painted and in excellent condition. Rough hewn wood well constructed with a heavy duty frame ...
Category
1950s British Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Iron
18th Century Swedish Antique Wood Trough /Serving bowl dated 1789 sign PPS OIS
Located in Boden, SE
A genuine antique wood trough dated 1789 and signed with ownermarks PPS OIS ,from Hälsingland Northern Sweden
A nearly monumentaly large farmers ...
Category
1780s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
Antique Large Hand-Carved & Polychrome Painted Southeast Asian Mask or Sculpture
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This large antique tribal mask or sculpture is unsigned and undocumented, but presumed to have originated from Southeast Asia and done in a folk ar...
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Softwood
Eric Tardif 'Bird' Walnut Wood Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
Eric Tardif (Canadian, b. 1965) bent walnut wood sculpture of an abstracted crane bird with brass eyes, mounted on a black granite stone base, si...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Manuel Sandoval Valez Latin American Figurative Ceramic Sculpture of a Newsboy
Located in Miami, FL
Manuel Sandoval Valez Latin American figurative Ceramic sculpture of a newsboy
Offered for sale is a folk art-style terracotta ceramic sculpture of a newsboy by Manuel Sandoval Va...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Peruvian Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Terracotta
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 Furniture
Materials
Foil
Antique Floral Chinese Peking Rug
Located in New York, NY
An early 20th-century Chinese Peking scatter size rug
Measures: 3'3'' x 5'5''.
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
"Harness Racer at Belmont Park 1884, Philadelphia" by Agustus Kollner
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Watercolor on paper, signed lower right Agustus Knoller and dated 1884. Inscribed on the reverse in pencil "This trotting came off Aug 15th 1884 at Belmont Park near Manayunk." This ...
Category
1880s American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paint, Paper
Folk Art Franconia House Altar with Accessories Early 20th Century Wood Carved
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Here I have to offer a fine antique classic early 20th century hand crafted and hand painted House Altar with a lot of Christianity miniatures and accessories. A wonderful decorative...
Category
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pewter
Early 20th Century German Deer Target
Located in Chicago, IL
A unique and chic early 20th century German iron hunting target in the shape of a grazing deer, and with a fantastic pitted painted finish. Perfect for ...
Category
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Iron
Large Antique Cast Iron Seated Frog Door Stop
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Large Antique cast iron seated frog door stop.
USA, Circa 1920s.
A rare and unusual model, of large size, depicts a seated green frog on a r...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Iron
Uredale Glass Paperwight Pebble Shape Star Decoration, North Yorkshire 20th C
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is an unusual hand-made Art-Glass paperweight from Uredale Glass, Masham, North Yorkshire, England which we date to the late 20th century.
The paperweight is hand made in the...
Category
Late 20th Century English Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Glass
Antique Folk Art Grain Painted Blanket Chest with Strap Hinges, Dated 1846
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique Folk Art blanket chest or trunk offers grain painted wood construction with central date of 1846, strap hinges and interior patch ...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paint, Wood
Scandinavian Folk Art Wooden Lidded Tankard, 19th Century
Located in Bochum, NRW
19th century Norwegian wood tankard painted with initials and dated 1865.
Wooden Lidded Tankard, made of staves that are held together with split-branch ...
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Chinese Scatter Size Early 20th Century Rug
Located in New York, NY
Scatter size Chinese peking rug in blue and white from the 2nd quarter of the 20th century.
Measures: 2'2" x 4'1".
Category
1940s Mongolian Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
Vintage Mexican Tonala Pottery Hand Painted Bird
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Mexican Tonala hand painted pottery bird Folk Art.
Flora de la Cruz Acapulco Gro Mexico hand painted bird dove ceramic.
Warm earth tone polych...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Pottery
20th C Original Painted Bank
Located in Los Angeles, CA
20th C original painted bank from Mexico. The bank is more Gray than the photos.
Category
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pottery
Tibetan Pictorial Rug
Located in New York, NY
Scatter size Pictorial Motif Tibetan rug from the 2nd quarter of the 20th century.
Measure: 3'5'' x 5'6''.
Category
1930s Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool
Hand Carved Marble Stone Pyramid Aztec Mayan
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Pair of vintage green and white marble Aztec Mayan stone bookends.
Vintage handcrafted large heavy natural marble bookends with Aztec Mayan green head on a pyramidal form.
These are very substantial, heavy and well handmade bookends.
They are hand carved white with white natural color of the marble and the green marble carved Mayan head...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Marble
Set of TWELVE Ceramic Wall Tiles Square hand enamelled, circa 1930
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
These are a good set of twelve glazed ceramic wall tiles, hand enamelled with a bird theme, probably over an underglaze printed outline and dating to...
Category
Mid-20th Century British Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Folk Art furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique folk art furniture 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 furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include folk art, decorative objects, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, North America, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Berber Tribes of Morocco, Mosche Bianche, Jim Rose, and Nils Olsson. 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 furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $20 and tops out at $225,000 while the average work can sell for $1,252.
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