Antique Paper Mache Pumpkin

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.

Vintage, new and antique decorative bowls have been an important part of the home for centuries, although their uses have changed over the years. While functional examples of bowls date back thousands of years, ornamental design on bowls as well as baskets likewise has a rich heritage, from the carved bowls of the Maya to the plaited river-cane baskets of Indigenous people in the Southeast United States.

Decorative objects continue to bring character and art into a space. An outdoor gathering can become a sophisticated garden party with the addition of a few natural-fiber baskets to hold blankets or fruit on a table, as demonstrated in the interior design work by firms such as Alexander Design.

Elsewhere, Richard Haining’s reclaimed wood vases and bowls can express eco-consciousness. Sculptural handmade cast concrete bowls like those made by the Oakland, California–based UMÉ Studio introduce compelling textures to your dining room table.

Minimalist ceramic decorative bowls of varying colors can evoke a feeling of human connectedness through their association with handmade craftsmanship, such as in the rooms envisioned by South African interior designer Kelly Hoppen. And you can elevate any space with ceramic bowls that match the color scheme.

Browse the 1stDibs collection of decorative bowls and explore the endless options available.