Folk Art Decorative Objects
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Gesso, Wood
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 20th Century Austrian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Antler, Nutwood
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Sheet Metal
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wicker, Ash, Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
2010s Turkish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Statuary Marble
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Copper
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1950s English Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wire
20th Century Indian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
20th Century Italian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta
Early 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Decorative Objects
Glass, Wood
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Early 20th Century Malaysian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay, Pottery, Ceramic
Early 20th Century Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
Late 18th Century English Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Creamware, Pearlware
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Beech, Hardwood, Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Clay, Terracotta
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Decorative Objects
Cotton, Wood, Fabric
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Earthenware, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Other
1980s Angolan Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal
19th Century Spanish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine, Wood
Late 20th Century Canadian Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Polish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-19th Century Burmese Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Teak
Late 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Decorative Objects
Glass
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
19th Century Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1950s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta
Late 19th Century Nepalese Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Silver
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Velvet, Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pine
Early 20th Century Spanish Folk Art Decorative Objects
Terracotta
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Decorative Objects
Iron, Bronze
20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Stone
1970s African Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wood
1970s Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Pottery
1970s Philippine Vintage Folk Art Decorative Objects
Wicker
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Decorative Objects
Metal





