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.
to
5
307
38
343
3
1
23,665
16,913
7,535
2,954
2,710
1,612
1,171
975
824
637
592
479
459
370
347
295
273
64
25
172
146
4
65
59
15
20
14
13
29
10
8
2
7
1
1
140
111
53
48
32
180
119
117
63
60
347
345
346
11
7
7
5
4
Style: Folk Art
Recognized Seller Listings
Wooden Footed Tray, USA 1900
s
Located in New York, NY
A footed tray in what appears to be solid Elm, most likely a single-purpose object carved by a craftsman, can be used for rings.
Category
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Folk Art Americana Victorian Carved Mirrored Carousel Panels
Located in Queens, NY
5 American Victorian stripped and decorated carved carousel panels with oval etched mirror (priced each).
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Vintage Cast Iron Doorstop "Carpenter" American, circa 1910
Located in Incline Village, NV
From the Alice in Wonderland series, this full figured American cast iron doorstop features the "Carpenter" and he is sitting down with hands on knees, a ruler in his back pocket, often referred to as "taking a break". Unknown manufacture albeit the number "665" is stamped at the lower part of the hollowed out interior (see image. The doorstop is completely original in excellent all original paint, with no repairs, no restoration, and no touch up paint. It is nicely painted in brown, orange, and black, with flesh tones to the face and hands. Dimensions are 5 3/4" High x 4" Deep x 3" Wide. It has quite a bit of weight to it considering it's size. Excellent age crazing and patina throughout. The doorstop is circa 1910, judging by the finish and the popularity of Alice in Wonderland in America.
The doorstop is referenced on page 200 in "The Doorstop Book" by John and Nancy Smith...
Category
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Iron
Doorstop "Golfer" by Hubley, circa 1920
Located in Incline Village, NV
This doorstop, also known as "Overhead Swinging Golfer," is more difficult to find than it's "Putting Golfer" counterpart doorstop; which is also made by Hubley.
Manufactured by the Hubley Manufacturing Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1920, this cast iron doorstop is in outstanding all original bright paint with no touch up or restoration of any kind, and in wonderful patina. It depicts an older, grey haired man, with typical knicker golf garb, taking a wild swing at a golf ball resting on the grass. It has a semi "hollow" rear with a "238" factory marking, indicating that it is, in fact, by Hubley and original.
It is noted in Jeanne Bertoia's 1985 book on doorstops page 60; and referenced on page 211 of the Smith book on doorstops.
A must for the doorstop or golfing memorabilia...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Iron
Burl Top Ash Table
Located in Greenwich, CT
Very desirable early to mid-19th century ash table, the top comprising two bookmatched planks of highly figured burl ash, having double thickness carved rope twist applied edge, the ...
Category
1830s European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Ash
$29,000
Five Mechanical Bank Trade Cards in Frame, circa 1880s
Located in Incline Village, NV
Five mechanical bank trade cards are displayed in two separate frames. In one frame are three polychrome trade cards, which the salesmen typically carrie...
Category
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Paper
Exceptional Bristol Delft Landscape Charger
Located in Greenwich, CT
Very good 18th Century English, probably Bristol, charger depicting a church, cottage and wooded landscape with flocks of birds overhead.
Category
1750s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Earthenware
Wonderful Scottish Folk Art Tea Caddy
Located in Greenwich, CT
Most unusual early 19th century Scottish carved Folk Art tea caddy, the lid with foliate carving and knob finial, the body taking its design from the more hi style sarcophagus form b...
Category
Early 19th Century Scottish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Birch
Folk Art Americana Iron Eagle on Driftwood Base, circa 1910
Located in Incline Village, NV
Very unique piece of folk art. Horseshoe parts and elements of horseshoes have been hand forged and connected together along, with other unidentifiable iron parts to create this Ame...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Metal
Uncle Sam Still Bank
Composition,
circa 1940
Located in Incline Village, NV
American manufacture; this colorful hand-painted still bank depicting Uncle Sam is all original with no repairs and no repaint. Fabulous crazing throughout indicative of original pai...
Category
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Composition
Betzalel Hand-Made Silver Filigree Spice Box
Located in New York, NY
This is a meticulously handcrafted silver filigree spice box, created in the Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts tradition, a hallmark of early 20th-century Jewish artistic expression ...
Category
Early 20th Century Israeli Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Silver
Sculpture in Burnt Wood
Ofrenda I
by Carmworks
Located in Paris, IDF
Sculpture in burnt wood 'Ofrenda I' by Camilo Andres Rodriguez Marquez (aka CarmWorks)
Solid oak or cedar / burnt wood or natural
Signed and numbered by the artist.
--
Cami...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Colombian Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Oak, Cedar
$2,500 / item
18th Century English Folk Art Chair
Located in Greenwich, CT
Most unusual English oak armchair with profuse carving to rails, crest and arms and possessing great color and patination. Custom crewelwork cushion over later plank seat, carved to ...
Category
1760s English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Oak
Dramatic Moroccan Berber Boucherouite Rug
Located in Milan, IT
Woven with the exclusive use of recycled yarns of various type, ranging from cotton to lurex, this represents 'art brut' within the domain of the textile arts. Weavings such as this ...
Category
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Cotton
Carved Bantam Wearing a Crown
Located in Greenwich, CT
An early 19th century French carved bantam sporting a crown, well carved in pine. Good detailing to face, plumage, tail feathers and feet. Possibly originally from a ring toss game...
Category
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
Spelter Still Bank "Girl By A Barrel", German, circa 1908
Located in Incline Village, NV
The term "spelter" refers to a zinc/lead metal compound used to pour and make castings. Because of the thinness of the castings there is great detail to the subject matter of these banks. Spelter banks...
Category
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Spelter
Large 19th Century Carousel Figure of a Scotsman
Located in Queens, NY
Large nineteenth century large carved and painted wooden figure representing a Scottish Highlander wearing a traditional plumed cap and uniform wit...
Category
19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paint
19th Century American Folk Art Pair of Male and Female Portraits
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of American Folk Art (19th Century) mahogany and birdseye maple framed oil painting portraits of man with paper and lady with book (signed).
Category
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Maple, Paper
Rare Large Moroccan Berber Boucherouite Rug
Located in Milan, IT
Woven with the exclusive use of recycled yarns of various type, ranging from cotton to lurex, this represents 'art brut' within the domain of the textile arts. Weavings such as this ...
Category
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Cotton
Unusual Moroccan Berber Boucherouite Rug
Located in Milan, IT
Woven with the exclusive use of recycled yarns of various type, ranging from cotton to lurex, this represents 'art brut' within the domain of the textile arts. Weavings such as this ...
Category
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Cotton
19th Century Folk Art Carved Polychrome Scotsman Carousel Kilt Figure
Located in Queens, NY
19th century Scotsman (Highlander) Carousel large carved and painted standing figure wearing kilt with plume hat on large round base.
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Abstract Moroccan Berber Boucherouite Rug
Located in Milan, IT
A very unusual Berber rug from the Boujad region, located on the foothills of the central High Atlas mountains of Morocco, with a background in polychrome stripes onto which are asym...
Category
Late 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Cotton
American Folk Art Red Painted Hanging Wall-Mounted Shelf, 19th century
Located in Shippensburg, PA
AMERICAN RED-PAINTED HANGING WALL SHELF
Probably Pennsylvania circa the first half of the 19th century
Item # 310ZPI05Q
A compelling and most useful open bookcase, the simple and austere form features an arched and molded cornice around a central tapered-and-fluted wedge over four graduated shelves that are dovetailed into the stiles, the shelf edges decorated with reeding and wonderful tight reeding along the length of the pilasters. The wall shelf retains a fine early and perhaps original red painted surface.
Provenance:
* Collection of Hattie Brunner...
Category
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paint
19th Century English Carved Oak Cabinet
Located in London, GB
19th century English carved oak cabinet
English, 19th Century
Height 179cm, width 203cm, depth 62cm
This solid oak cabinet was made i...
Category
19th Century English Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Oak
Swedish Designer, Candelabra, Wood, Sweden, 1900
Located in High Point, NC
A brown and yellow-painted organic candelabra designed and produced in Sweden, c. 1900.
fits 0.70”-0.75” diameter candles
Category
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Swedish Craft, Bowl, Wood, Sweden, 19th Century
Located in High Point, NC
A wood bowl produced in Sweden, 19th century.
Category
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
19th Century Swedish Folk Art Box
Located in Allerum, SE
19th century Swedish Folk Art wooden box with sliding lid and a customizable interior. Ca 1800 Sweden.
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
$2,300 / item
Late 19th Century Carved Wood Folk Art Walking Stick
Located in London, GB
Late 19th century carved wood folk art walking stick
Continental, Late 19th Century
Height 89cm, width 6cm, depth 4cm
This antique walking stick, intricately hand-carved from w...
Category
Late 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Metal
Swedish Folk Art, Large Vessel, Pine, Sweden, 19th Century
Located in High Point, NC
A pine, large vessel or container produced in Sweden, 19th century.
Category
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
Bench Swedish Red Wood, 19th Century, Sweden
Located in New York, NY
Bench Swedish red wood, 19th century, Sweden. A bench made during the early 19th century in Sweden. Original paint in a dark red shade.
Category
Early 19th Century Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
A Hand Painted Stone by Ilya Schor
Located in New York, NY
This beautifully hand-painted stone by Ilya Schor captures a richly detailed scene infused with warmth, folklore, and storytelling. Featuring a Hasidic man standing on a bridge, the ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Stone
Unusual Swedish Provincial 19th Century Tall Case Clock
Located in Allerum, SE
Rare and unusually large Provincial Swedish 19th century tall case clock in it's original finish. Dated 1867, Sweden.
Category
19th Century European Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
A Silver Shabbat Shot Cup, Poland 19th Century
Located in New York, NY
A Folk Art Silver Shabbat Shot Cup, made in Poland in the 19th Century.
This Ceremonial Silver shot cup was designated for Shabbat use as engraved on ...
Category
19th Century Polish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Silver
A Hand Painted Stone by Ilya Schor
Located in New York, NY
This exquisite hand-painted stone by the renowned artist Ilya Schor, created in Provincetown, Massachusetts, during the 1950s, beautifully captures the regal and spiritual essence of...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Stone
American Child
s Sampler, Circa 1887 by "Clara R. Nolan"
Located in Incline Village, NV
Charming American Sampler by "Clara R. Nolan"; well made, bright and colorful, with an intricate needlepoint floral rose petal border in colors of red...
Category
1880s Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Linen
Rare Mid-19th Century Prussian "Vierlander" Armchair
Located in Greenwich, CT
Rare mid-19th century "Vierlander" armchair, Prussia 1850, with owner's name "Hinrich Eggers", constructed of inlaid fruitwoods and walnut, with turned bone finials, the central back...
Category
1850s German Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Fruitwood, Walnut
A Hand Painted Stone by Ilya Schor
Located in New York, NY
This enchanting hand-painted stone by Ilya Schor is a captivating celebration of joy, festivity, and folk artistry. Signed on the back by the artist and marked with its place of crea...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Stone
Signed 19th Century Swedish Wooden Bowl
Located in New York, NY
Wooden bowl in a painted pine. Made during the early 19th Century by P. Nordkvist. Beautiful condition.
Category
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Pine
20th Century Uzbek Cotton and Silk Ikat Chapan Robe
Located in London, GB
20th century Uzbek cotton and silk ikat chapan robe
Uzbekistan, 20th Century
Height 122cm, width 153cm
Historically, an ikat chapan robe was a status symbol worn by nomadic tribes and settles in Uzbekistan as well as other Central Asian regions. Paired with belt, tunic, and trousers, the brightness of colours and intricacy of the embroidery were indicators of the wealth of the wearer.
The robe in Mayfair Gallery’s collection is brightly coloured with large, red and yellow geometrical patterns on a cream-coloured base. The inside of the robe is also patterned, with red floral motifs formed in a geometrical and symmetrical pattern.
The outside trim of this silk and cotton ikat chapan robe is elegantly embroidered with white and red patterns. Such embroidery carried symbolic meaning, protecting the wearer from evil spirits. The long sleeves are a beautiful design feature, intending to cover the wearer’s hands and protect them from cold temperatures.
Worn by both men and women, this eye-catching Uzbek robe...
Category
20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Textile
A Hand Painted Stone by Ilya Schor
Located in New York, NY
This charming and rare hand-painted stone by the renowned artist Ilya Schor beautifully captures a serene harbor scene in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The miniature artwork, painted ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Stone
Antique Indian Carved Wood Folk Art Walking Stick
Located in London, GB
Antique Indian carved wood folk art walking stick
Indian, Late 19th Century
Height 82cm, diameter 6cm
Handcrafted in late 19th century India, this remarkable folk art walking s...
Category
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
Der Frierende
by Franz Zelezny
By Franz Zelezny
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A hand carved statue of an elderly man, 'Der Frierende.'
Category
Early 20th Century German Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wood
19th Century French Wig Stand by Louis Danjard
Located in New York, NY
This Surreal-looking object was made as a wig stand in mid-19th century France by Louis Danjard. It was probably in the legendary Folk Art collection of the important American sculpt...
Category
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Iron
Burl Bowl from USA
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A well scaled bowl carved from a single piece of burled maple.
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Maple
$16,000
1880s Rustic Copper Cauldron – Handcrafted Swedish Pot with Handles
Located in Stockholm, SE
Cauldron, anonymous,
Sweden. 1880s.
Copper cauldron.
Dimensions:
H: 22 cm
D: 59 cm
Category
1880s Swedish Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Copper
Antique Bessarabian Kilim
Located in Closter, NJ
An antique Bessarabian flat-woven kilim from the Balkan provinces in excellent, original condition measuring 9' 3" x 6' 1".
Category
1890s Balkan Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Wool, Cotton
Portrait of Elizabeth Van Dyck Vosburg by Pieter Vanderlyn (The Gansevoort Limne
By Gansevoort Limner
Located in West Chester, PA
Portrait of Elizabeth "Betje" Van Dyck Vosburg., c. 1725. Unsigned, in original frame; accompanied by a Van Dyke family bible printed in Amsterdam in 1702. Condition: Minor repairs, ...
Category
18th Century and Earlier American Antique Folk Art Furniture
Materials
Canvas
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.
More Ways To Browse
Burled Walnut Desk
Burnished Bamboo
Butter Table
Cabinet Dowel
Cabinets With Metal Inlay
Cameo Glass Bowl
Campaign Chest 1970
Campaign Chest Camphor
Canopic Jars
Canton Chinese Bowl
Cardinal Sculpture
Carrera Marble Dining Table
Carved Boar
Cast Grape Vine
Ceramic Cheetah
Ceramic Giraffe
Ceramic Pagoda
Ceramic Spanish Jug