American Folk Art Rugs
An Antique Hooked Rug – Art From Poverty
The capacity of man to invent and create even in times of distress is truly amazing, in fact, this is how the antique hooked rug was born; from the hands of women who wanted to discover beauty and made extraordinary carpets out of ordinary rags. In those times they were used primarily to decorate humble homes of numerous families with hard-working parents and lots of children. Today they can be found even in the most select houses, as they represent the imagination, skill and craftsmanship of the grassroots American people.
The story of the antique hooked rug starts somewhere at the beginning of the 1800′s, in North America, some say that it was in Maine, out of the desire of women to save money as times were rough, but at the same time to spend their little spare time doing something useful and beautiful. They started to collect strips of disused rags, sturdy yarns or whatever textile material seemed suitable for creating a carpet which could warm the winter freezing floors. The timing couldn’t be better as in the middle of the century, some trade restrictions were abolished so there was a myriad of burlap sacks used to transport all kinds of merchandise like tea, corn, wheat or coffee. This burlap cloth could be easily torn into thin strips that could later be pulled through the back of a large piece of burlap, in order to make tiny loops.
In the beginning there were no patterns or specific designs so women hooked what they saw; animals, flowers, geometric shapes, sometimes even patriotic themes, nonetheless, the result was amazing. These improvisations quickly developed into a form of art, where the only materials needed for the hooked rug were a frame made of four boards and a hook which could be a bent nail or a wooden crochet, sometimes even whale bones which could penetrate the cloth and pull or push the strings.
By the end of the century this newborn art seemed to have had a very short life as factory-made carpets became ever more popular, however the 20′s and 30′s saw a revival of this folk way of expression. The majority of the so very fashionable clothes in pale tones which were all the rage at the turn of the century ended up a few decades later in exquisitely designed folk hooked rugs. Again, the timing couldn’t be better as the Depression era started to leave marks on the financial possibilities of middle-class families and these cheap but gorgeous hooked rugs were the perfect compromise.
The antique hooked rug is now revered as a slice of American history and because of it’s charm and vintage aspect, is worth much more than their creators could ever dream of. These pieces of art which were derived from poverty and necessity are sold along with other antiquities at high prices. Time has proved that they are also durable and sturdy, however, there are few chances that you will ever find an antique hooked rug laid on the floor in the 21st century as their value demands that you will most certainly find them hanging on the wall.
Young Zapotec Artists of Oaxaca. FOFA Art Contest
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“All we ask is a fair trial” Black American prison folk art $100,000.00 |
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Lawrence Lebduska Folk Art $100,000.00 |
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Antique Pair of Iconic American Folk Art Carved Pine Wood Eagle Sculpture – RARE $20,000.00 |
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Mamie Falk Folk Art Oil Painting – Considered Minnesota’s “Grandma Moses” $19,750.00 |
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Yuri Gorbachev ORIGINAL Landscape Oil painting Folk Art $17,500.00 |
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Antique American Folk Art Oil Painting Horse & Homestead in background.see pics! $10,000.00 |
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Rare Postmortem 1810 Young Girl w/ Dog Portrait Pastel Painting Dated Folk Art $9,995.00 |
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Original Oil On Canvas Painting by Minni Hines Bayou Scene Folk Art 24×48 $9,995.00 |
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Folk Art wood statue of Grover Cleveland 1894 $9,500.00 |
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Antique Ship Captain Folk Art Carved Coconut Chalice $8,500.00 |
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Chinese folk art sculpture carving stone inkstone for painting and handwriting $6,890.00 |
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Chinese handcraft folk art stone sculpture carving inkstone inkslab fly dragon $6,329.00 |
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Banjo Boy/ Pre-Civil War Folk Art on Linen $6,000.00 |
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Yuri Gorbachev Original Oil Painting Russian Art Folk $5,990.00 |
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Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone inkslab—Avalokitesvara $5,590.00 |
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AMERICAN FOLK ART PUPPET THEATRE QUEENS,NY $5,000.00 |
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Clementine Hunter Signed Framed Folk Art Painting Cotton Pickin’ c1977 20×26.25 $5,000.00 |
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vincent van gogh sculpture outsider folk art Dale Teachout assemblage junk $5,000.00 |
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Bessie Harvey Folk Art Found Object Museum Piece!!! $5,000.00 |
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ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY AMERICAN FOLK ART FISH HOOK MASSIVE IRON TRADE SIGN $4,999.99 |
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PAIR OF 19TH C FOLK ART PORTRAITS PAINTINGS SIGNED P MARTIN 1886 HUSBAND & WIFE $4,999.99 |
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ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY AMERICAN FOLK ART ETCHED GLASS ALLEGHENY CTY PA GERMAN WOW $4,999.99 |
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Signed OLD master GESSO FRAME OIL ON CANVAS PORTRAIT NELSON pipe Folk art $4,999.00 |
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Clementine Hunter Folk Art Painting Signed “Picking Cotton” $4,850.00 |
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Chinese folk art sculpture carving stone inkstone double dragon holding the sun $4,690.00 |
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A Outstanding Early Trade Axe,Folk Art Hatchet, $4,500.00 |
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Corbels Pair Wood Winged Griffins Victorian Old Paint Architectural Folk Art $4,500.00 |
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FOLK ART OIL PAINTING PORTRAIT CHILD ICONIC RED DRESS PRINCE CHARLES SPANIEL $4,500.00 |
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FOLK ART PAINTING SULLIVAN COUNTY NEW YORK J R GEROW $4,500.00 |
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Johnnie Swearingen! Great Folk Art!!! Peddling Melons $4,500.00 |
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New England Folk Art Portrait on Canvas Ca.1830 $4,500.00 |
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Clementine Hunter Signed Framed Folk Art Painting Wash Day c1977 19.25 x 23.25in $4,500.00 |
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Yuri Gorbachev Original Oil Painting Russian Art Folk $4,490.00 |
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FANTASTIC FOLK ART CHEST $4,200.00 |
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Clementine Hunter Signed Framed Folk Art Painting African Headdress c1977 25.5h $4,000.00 |
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ANTIQUE MINIATURE PRIMITIVE FOLK ART WOOD RURAL SCENE FRAMED 12 1/4″ UNIQUE $3,885.00 |
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*RARE TRAMP / FOLK ART Shoe Shine Box – Brass/Wood-Detailed-Ornate-Exquisite $3,800.00 |
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Antique KNOTTY Tree Root Twig FOLK ART CHAIR Set GOODY KOONCH West Virginia $3,750.00 |
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Original Mexican Folk Art Icons Retablo:18-19th century $3,650.00 |
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Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone-an old man finshing alone $3,590.00 |
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Folk Art Hand Carved Soldier,6ft Tall Pick Up Only $3,532.50 |
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Painting Vintage 50s Cowboy Folk Art Levis Jeans Vinicur Little Buckaroo Parade $3,500.00 |
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Advertising Art / Folk Art / Christmas Hooked Rug – 5′x3 1/2′ $3,500.00 |
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Johnnie Swearingen! Great Folk Art!!! $3,500.00 |
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Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone inkslab—Lofty aspiration $3,490.00 |
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Terrazzo Marble Micro Mosaic Latin Ethnic Musicians Mural Folk Fine Art $3,374.99 |
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Original Mexican Folk Art Icons Retablo:18-19th century $3,250.00 |
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FINE 19c EARLY FOLK ART PORTRAIT PAINTING $3,225.00 |
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MASTERPIECE FOLK ART PORTRAIT BY SHELDON PECK, 1797-1868 $3,000.00 |
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Israel Jewish Art,Sara Hagay,Israeli Folk Dance “hora”,Oil,Judaica,Framed $3,000.00 |
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ANTIQUE 19th AMERICAN FOLK ART NATURALIST BUFFALO SETON STYLE CATLIN PAINTING $2,999.99 |
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ANTIQUE AMERICAN FOLK ART WOOD CANE ISLE ROYALE FIRE WW2 D DAY GI ? KENOSHA WI $2,999.99 |
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Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone inkslab man walk in forest $2,999.00 |
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Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone inkslab a man watch moon $2,999.00 |
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fine Chinese handcraft folk art stone sculpture carving inkstone inkslab scenery $2,890.00 |
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Temperance Movement Folk Art Painting Folk Art Temperance Painting $2,850.00 |
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Anonymous Folk Art Carving Figure with Crown in Skirt with Snake $2,799.99 |
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ANTIQUE OIL PAINTING FOLK ART NEW ENGLAND ‘HUGES’ 1892 $2,750.00 |
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Chinese handcraft folk art stone sculpture carving inkstone inkslab with dragon $2,690.00 |
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FOLK ART Antique Wood Polychrome Carved Asian Figure Sculpture $2,500.00 |
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HUGE 37″ Antique 19th American Folk Art Carved Gilt Wood Eagle Statue Americana $2,500.00 |
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FOLK ART OIL PAINTING OF THE SS “OCEAN” STEAMSHIP $2,475.00 |
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Ca. 1820 American Folk Art Painting Deformed Man $2,450.00 |
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Doris Lee – Folk Art Painting – Signed and Titled – Original Condition $2,400.00 |
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James Harold Jennings Amazing and Colorful Folk Art! $2,400.00 |
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DC: Prison Folk Art Matchstick Ship, HUGE 5′ Length $2,379.00 |
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Amazing ORIGINAL NAUTICAL AMERICAN FOLK ART PAINTING $2,285.00 |
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FOLK ART COLLAGE/Presidential Stamp Collage $2,250.00 |
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Early 20th Century Folk Art Sheep Painting/ Inside Barn $2,250.00 |
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Folk Art Handmade Ceramic Sculpture Plaque Dentist Pulling Tooth Dicker Vintage $2,200.00 |
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outsider, folk art painting of farm family amer gothic $2,200.00 |
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ANTIQUE Americana TRADE SIGN IMMIGRATION FOLK ART NYC ICE CREAM PUSH CART $2,200.00 |
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HAITIAN ART: Vibrant PAINTING, SIGNED by Renowned Folk Artist TOUSSAINT AUGUSTE $2,150.00 |
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Ohio Pioneer Abraham Betz 1818 HANDWRITTEN LESSON BOOK with FOLK ART $2,150.00 |
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Philippines National Artist Abdul Imao Brass Sculpture w/ Base Mindanao Folk Art $2,100.00 |
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Ellen Eilers Folk Art Woodcut Print Ornamental Trees Very Rare Early Work $2,000.00 |
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ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY AMERICAN FOLK ART FRUIT STILL LIFE WATERMELON OIL PAINTING $1,999.99 |
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ANTIQUE AMERICAN FOLK ART WOOD BALEEN CARVED SPERM WHALE GROTESQUE AMERICANA WOW $1,999.99 |
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ANTIQUE AMERICAN FOLK ART SHIP LIGHTHOUSE LARGE OIL PAINTING GERNAND VERMIER $1,999.99 |
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Vtg Rutherford Tubby Brown Xmas 25″Folk Art Santa Claus $1,999.99 |
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AMERICAN FOLK ART GAMEBOARD TABLE WITH SWASTIKAS $1,999.00 |
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Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone peasant work on his land $1,999.00 |
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LAURA SIQUEIROS “POSEIDONS ADVENTURE” FOLK ART PAINTING $1,999.00 |
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Old Folk Art Cinderella pre Disney & Kincade Beautiful $1,995.00 |
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C Peterson ORIGINAL modern FOLKART sculpture SIGN ART painted OUT of WORK tools $1,975.00 |
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Clyde Connell 1943 Folk Art hooked rug signed LISTED $1,900.00 |
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ANTIQUE AMERICAN FOLK ART WOOD CARVING TOBACCO CIGAR TRADE SIGN ? DISPLAY WOW $1,899.99 |
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Chinese folk art sculpture carving stone inkstone for painting and handwriting $1,890.00 |
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OLD Fine African Primitive Folk Art WOOD SCULPTURE antique carving artwork Baule $1,865.45 |
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WELSH AMERICAN SIGNED FOLK ART PAINTING JFK PT 109 $1,850.00 |
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ORIGINAL TEXAS ARTIST FERGUSON OIL PAINTING FOLK ART $1,822.50 |
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American Folk Art Painting of Little Girl Circa 1825 $1,800.00 |
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Emma Schrock Folk Art 16″ by 12″ $1,795.00 |
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c1920 Girl Knitting Folk Woman Antique Art Signed Oil Estate Painting $1,795.00 |
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Folk Art New England Oil on Canvas Painting/Circa 1860 $1,750.00 |
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HUTCH TABLE WITH FOLK ART 4 SEASON ARTIST PAINTED TOP $1,750.00 |
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Older Carved Maine Folk Art Wood Fish L Irvine Landlocked Salmon $1,749.99 |
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Painting Dominican Republic Cuban Spain Caribbean Folk Art Alberto Lestrad $1,700.00 |
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OLD AMERICAN FOLK ART DECO PEACOCK LRG WOOD CARVING $1,699.99 |
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primitive folk art style theorem painting Ellinger S.E.Pa. artist signed & dated $1,695.00 |
