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.
Antique Hand Block Printed and Painted Quilt from Anatolia, Turkey
Located in Istanbul, TR
Anatolian block prints and not as common as one would think and finding them with a pattern like this and condition is rare, early 20th century.
Cotton
$1,320Sale Price|20% Off
19Thc Pink & White Postage Stamp Chain Quilt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Pink & white postage stamp chain crib quilt on a mounted white linen board.This is wired horizontal & vertical. This crib quilt is also machine quilted over top of the hand qui...
Cotton
Turkish Hand Block Printed Quilt, yorgan, Turkey, Early 20th C.
Located in Istanbul, TR
Anatolian block printed quilts are traditional textiles originating from Anatolia, a region located in present-day Turkey. They are made by hand an...
Cotton
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Amish Quilt ( 3' 7'' x 3' 9'' - 109 x 114 )
Located in New York, NY
Early 20th Century American Amish Quilt ( 3' 7'' x 3' 9'' - 109 x 114 )
Wool
$1,340Sale Price|20% Off
19Thc Pennsylvania Tulips Applique Quilt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Pennsylvania applique quilt from Lancaster County,Pennsylvania in fine condition.This amazing applique quilt comes from a very special folk art & quilt collection. The double tulips applique is quite unique and found in Pennsylvania folk art...
Cotton
$1,196Sale Price|20% Off
19thc Fringed Double Weave Coverlet From Pennsylvania
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 19thc blue & white postage stamp pattern double weave coverlet and reversible.The original fringe is very good condition and the entire coverlet is mint condition.
Wool
$10,000Sale Price|20% Off
Amish All Wool Lancaster Co. Pa Diamond in A Square Quilt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This amazing rare Amish all wool Lancaster County,Pennsylvania Diamond in a square quilt comes from a thirty year old private quilt collection.The condition is very mint with no moth...
Wool
Antique American Crazy Quilt, Dated, 1909-1910
Located in Istanbul, TR
It has wool, silk velvet and cotton patches, lined with a printed paisley design fabric probably from Manchester.
Wool, Cotton, Silk
Antique Hand Stitched Rose of Sharon Quilt Bedspread Pink Green
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique hand stitched quilt or bedspread with pink and green border and a Rose of Sharon type floral motif. Measures: 74 x 78.
Cotton
$1,036Sale Price|20% Off
Pennsylvania Dated 1845 Woven Jacquard Coverlet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Signed and dated : Made By Samuel Dornbach Sugarloaf County,Pennsylvania 1845 coverlet hand woven and in fine condition.The fringe is full length and unworn.
Wool
Mid 20th Century Extra Large Multi Color Granny Square Crocheted Blanket
Located in Cordova, SC
This is the largest blanket in this style and medium that I’ve personally ever seen. It measures roughly 107.5 inches wide. Not only is it big enough to fit on the typical king size ...
Yarn
1930s Red, White and Blue Doll Quilt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1930s red, white and blue doll quilt in mint condition and wonderful geometries.
Cotton
Vintage Log Cabin Stitched Geometric Floral Quilt Blanket Bedspread 87"
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage hand stitched quilt, blanket, comforter, bedspread featuring the traditional Log Cabin geometric design with squares, crosses and floral motifs. Full to queen size. The Log ...
Cotton
Turkish Hand Block Printed Quilt, yorgan, Turkey, Early 20th C.
Located in Istanbul, TR
Anatolian block printed quilts are traditional textiles originating from Anatolia, a region located in present-day Turkey. They are made by hand an...
Cotton
$1,036Sale Price|20% Off
Early 20Thc Blue& White Postage Stamp Quilt Chain
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Blue and White Postage stamp Irish chain quilt with blue calico fabric. White binding with blue calico border. Mint condition. Found in Pennsylvania .
Cotton
Vintage Nine Patch Stitched Scalloped Geometric Quilt Blanket Bedspread 91"
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage hand stitched quilt, blanket or bedspread featuring the Glorified or Improved Nine Patch geometric scalloped design with circles, squares ...
Cotton
$920Sale Price|20% Off
Amish Postage Stamp Chain Doll Quilt
By Amish Quilts
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Amish doll quilt from Holmes County ,Ohio in a mini postage stamp chain pattern.Fine quilting and piecing. These original doll quilts are quite rare and very hard to find.This came f...
Cotton
Green Satin Log Cabin Quilt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Green satin log cabin quilt in pristine condition. The backing is in a baby blue shambrae cotton fabric.
Cotton, Satin
Antique Block Printed Quilt Top, Uzbekistan, Early 20th C.
Located in Istanbul, TR
These quilt tops are supposed to be from Tashkent of Uzbekistan and mostly used for the purpose along with as lining for a group of chapans from the area. This is for sure is a prod...
Cotton
20thc Rare Flag Quilt W/ Star Corner Blocks
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This amazing flag quilt with 48 hand quilted stars is in amazing condition. It is a one of a kind flag quilt. We sold this quilt over 21 years ago and got it back from the original b...
Cotton
19Thc Mini Postage Stamp Chain Mounted Crib Quilt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fine tiny pieced 19thc postage stamp chain crib quilt on indigo blue calico ground and pink calico blocks with white calico blocks is in fine condition.This Pennsylvania beauty is a real gem for a quilt collector or folk art collection. It is sew on...
Cotton
$4,796Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Wool Amish Diamond in A Square Quilt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
20Thc Wool Lancaster County,Pennsylvania diamond in a square quilt in very good condition.Center diamond is in a slate grey.Borders are in a purple with green corner blocks.The cente...
Wool
Antique American Quilt Allover Geometric Wool Hand Knotted Multicolor Jewel Rug
Located in New York, NY
Early 20th Century American Quilt ( 5'3" x 6'5'' - 160 x 195 ) Antique American Usa Allover Geometric Wool Hand Knotted Pile Multicolor Jewel Tones 1930s Rug, Country of Origin: Am...
Cotton
Handmade Baby Blue 1960s Throw Wool Cotton Blanket Sofa Bed Armchair
Located in London, GB
A large, baby blue blanket – that could be used as a throw, comforter, or piece of decorative wall art. This woven coverlet is made from a soft cotton and wool mix, and fits easily o...
Wool, Cotton, Yarn
Antique Quilt Small Square Scatter Size Wool Cotton Multicolor Folk Art Rug
Located in New York, NY
Early 20th Century American Quilt ( 2'8" x 3'7" - 81 x 109 ) Antique Quilt Small Square Scatter Size Wool & Cotton Multicolor Rug, Circa Date: 1920s. This exceptional square piece, ...
Cotton
1960s Moroccan Vintage Flat-Weave Brown Tribal Organic Textile
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
1960s Vintage Moroccan rug flat-weave tribal brown Kilim or blanket.Large size blanket vintage Moroccan rug, handwoven by Berber women in Morocco for t...
Wool
$956Sale Price|20% Off
Red and White Postage Stamp Chain Doll Quilt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 20thc red & white postage stamp chain doll quilted on a mount ready to hang on your wall.The condition is very good condition.
Cotton
$772Sale Price|20% Off
20Thc Amish Mounted Fan Doll Quilt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 1945-1950 Amish fan doll quilt in fantastic condition with little ties. Found in Ohio.Probably from Holmes County,Ohio .This doll quilt is prof. mounted and wired for hanging.
Cotton
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century P.A. Mennonite Geometric Mounted Rug
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1930s Pennsylvania Mennonite geometric rug with diamond design center. Rug is mounted on black linen. Wood frame.
Wool
Nazmiyal Collection Antique Scandinavian Textile 4 ft 5 in x 6 ft
Located in New York, NY
Charming Antique Scandinavian Star Motif Folk Bed Cover Textile, Origin: Scandinavia, Circa Date: 1843
Wool
Early Twentieth Century Folk Art Framed Velvet Quilt Chess / Checker Board
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Unique Folk Art chess / checker board composed of a handmade, burgundy velvet quilt with beige, white and gold stitched accents, all housed within a glass-fronted oak frame (ca. 1910...
Velvet, Glass, Oak
Vintage Egyptian Matelasse Quilted Coverlet or Throw in Blue and Yellow
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A bright colorful Matelasse Egyptian coverlet or throw. This piece has an interesting story. In the 1960s, an Oklahoma man who was an oil and gas engineer for Phillips Petroleum was ...
Fabric
$1,422 / set
Rare Tuareg Nomadic Boots
Located in Antwerp, BE
Tuareg nomadic people leather boots.
Leather
Hand Block Printed Anatolian Quilt, Early 20th C
Located in Istanbul, TR
Hand block printing is one of the land marks of Western Anatolian material culture. These quilts have been used either as prayer mats of wall hangings.
Cotton
Phulkari Bawan Bagh Wedding Shawl, Silk Embroidery on Cotton, Punjab India
By Rajhastani
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
A rare pattern embroidered in silk on a hand loomed cotton background. Punjab is known for its Phulkaris. The embroidery is done with floss silk thread on coarse handwoven cotton fab...
Cotton, Silk