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 Hungarian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Silk
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal, Brass
20th Century Czech Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric, Cotton, Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric, Cotton, Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
19th Century Congolese Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
1890s German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wrought Iron
20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Composition
1950s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric
18th Century Italian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Pine
Late 20th Century Unknown Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Blown Glass
19th Century Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Sycamore
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Late 20th Century Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
1890s German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Antler, Wood
1920s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Glass
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Bone, Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal, Gold Plate
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Antler, Wood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
1960s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Steel
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Blown Glass
Mid-19th Century Brazilian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cedar
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Textile, Silk, Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal, Gold Plate
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Blown Glass, Paint
1910s Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Walnut
Early 20th Century British Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Bone, Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Silver, Sheet Metal
Early 20th Century German Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
1920s German Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Blown Glass
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Blown Glass, Paint
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
1920s Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wrought Iron
19th Century American Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
19th Century Romanian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1930s American Vintage Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century French Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 19th Century German Antique Folk Art More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood